White Water metaphor in HR Department

Leading and
Managing Change

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Extent to which ‘white water metaphor’ is apparent in organisation together with evaluating if
it resulted from planned or unplanned approach to change....................................................1
Reason behind shift from calm waters to white waters, considering both business strategy and
external factors affecting organisation...................................................................................4
Drawing on relevant theory, explicate main impacts for HR Department.............................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In the modern era, leaders and managers recognise the significance of incorporating
changes within the organisation to deal with complex business situations prevailing in concerned
corporate sector. Owing to advancements taking place within the technologies and extensive
rivalry persisting within each and every business sector, it becomes important for companies to
undergo necessary changes and gain competitive edge in market place. In this regard, top
management needs to realise that reassurance is the key to facilitation of changes. The present
project is an in depth study and application of two metaphors, namely, calm water and white
water. It is based upon Apple Inc. which is a technological firm engaged in designing,
development and provision of electronics, online facilities and computer software. This company
comes under the Big Four tech companies across the globe along with Amazon, Facebook and
Google. The report covers the extent, to which the white water metaphor is apparent within the
company together with the reasons for shift from white waters to calm waters. Also, it contains
implication of a suitable theory on Human Resource Department.
Extent to which ‘white water metaphor’ is apparent in organisation together with evaluating if it
resulted from planned or unplanned approach to change
Apple Inc. is one of the market leading tech companies dealing in a wide variety of
products and services. Owing to the use of latest and emerging technologies in all of its products,
especially, iPhones, this entity has maintained a significant place in the hearts of people. To
attain this position within market place, the respective company has resorted to making use of
best systems, techniques and procedures through which entailment of maximum customer
satisfaction can be ensured. Changes are an integral component of this entity. It is well renowned
across the global periphery to be effective in anticipating the consumer needs, demands and
preferences in advance. As a result of this, it keeps on incorporating essential and significant
changes within production as well as other procedures. Through this, the entity ensures that the
people belonging to its group of loyal customers do not shift to alternate or substitute brands.
Robbins and Coulter coined the concept of two metaphors, namely, calm water and white
water. Hereby, calm water metaphor can be referred to as the change that occurs gradually within
the external environment of an entity (Robbins and Coulter, 2007). Usually, such types of
changes take place at a temporary or periodical basis. On the other hand, white water metaphor
1