Organizational Change Programme - Lakeland Wonders

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROGRAMME
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Organizational Change Programme
Student Name
Institution Affiliation

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROGRAMME
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Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary.............................................................................................................3
2. Introduction.........................................................................................................................4
3. Organizational Background and Perceived Need For Change............................................4
4. Critique on the Way Cheryl Hailstrom Has Communicated the Change that She is
Seeking to Implement..........................................................................................................5
5. Recommendations for Improvement...................................................................................7
6. Conclusion...........................................................................................................................9
7. References..........................................................................................................................11

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROGRAMME
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Executive Summary
Organizational change is essential for any organization that wants to remain relevant in
the dynamic business environment. Lakeland Wonders, a company that manufactures wooden
toys has realized that through the help of its CEO, Cheryl Hailstorm. Cheryl is applying the
“change at all costs” style of effecting desired reforms in the company. However, I think this
kind of leadership towards the organizational change is turning disastrous. The board tends to
have lost confidence in her. The senior officials, who are part of the team in causing the desired
change, are not on the same page with the CEO. It is not that her idea of change is wrong, I
believe that Cheryl is not applying the technique of such a successful change process.
To be successful, Cheryl needs to change her leadership style. First, she needs to
understand that she is the boss of the company and come up with ground rules applicable to all
employees. Secondly, Cheryl should be open to the ideas and opinions of other people within the
organization. In addition, she should encourage employee participation and engagement
throughout the change process. Research has indicated that employees are central to the success
of any change in an organization. Employees’ skills, experience, attitudes, motivation and
knowledge create a favorable organizational environment in which change can take place. Lastly,
she should communicate her capabilities and intensity to the board in regards to the set targets.
Observing this will allow her to work with realistic goals.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROGRAMME
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Critical Assessment of Organizational Change Programme
Introduction
Organizations nowadays require changing to remain relevant. It is imperative that
organizations respond quickly to both technological advancements and emerging competitions.
Besides, the primary goal of the organizational change is to develop and improve organizations
to enhance competitiveness of external forces. Through evolution, organizations improve
employee management, strengthen competency, enhance communications, procedures and
structures. However, it is worth noting that many factors contribute to the effectiveness of
change within organizations. In spite of whether the transformation process is unprompted and
irregular, set and vital, or incremental or progressive, they have significant ramifications for
people management and development. Change of any type summons the prerequisite for
improvement, creativity, learning and ethnicity shift, all of which lie genuinely within the sphere
of enthusiasm of staff and development.
The purpose of this study is assessing aspects of Lakeland Wonders change programme
and the approach to organizational change that has been taken. The report will critique the way
Cheryl Hailstrom, the CEO of the organization has communicated the change that she is seeking
to implement and make recommendations for improvement.
Organizational Background and Perceived Need For Change
For this assessment, we focus on a toys company named Lakeland Wonders. Lakeland
Wonders manufactures high-quality wooden toys; has a population of 5,000 employees and three
plants in Minnesota. Lakeland Wonders has a new CEO Cheryl Hailstrom, who is hired to steer
the company to higher levels regarding revenue and size. Cheryl strongly believes in
accomplishing this vision; the company needs to diversify its market from upscale market to
mid-scale market. In doing this, Cheryl is convinced that Lakeland will attract more customers
and grow its market potentials. One of her main aims is for Lakeland to be the exclusive supplier
of wooden toys to Bull’s-Eye Stores, who want to purchase the toys at a lower price than what is
offered by Lakeland. Cheryl is persuaded that the company can meet Bull’s-Eye Stores pricing
requirements if Lakeland can manufacture the toys offshore and ship them in time during holiday
season.