Kite Runner: Character Ironies

This assignment involves a detailed analysis of characters and their ironic situations in Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner'. Focusing primarily on the protagonist Amir, you are to discuss his character arc, moral dilemmas, and ironies that arise throughout the novel. The paper should be well-researched, critically thinking, and adhere to MLA formatting guidelines.

UNDERSTANDING AND
LEADING CHANGE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
P1 Impact of changes on tactics and operational activities by comparison of two companies1
P2 Evaluate the impact of internal and external drivers on behaviours of organisations.......3
P3 Measures that can be taken to minimise the negative impact of change on organisational
behaviour................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................6
P4 Different barriers of change and their influence on decision making...............................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5 Approaches of leadership to deal with changes................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
In today's competitive world, changes are necessary for every organisations to gain
sustainability and growth of their businesses. Changes demand in the organisations due to
innovative technologies, de-regulative marketplace, competitive advancements and due to
dynamical demographic area of workforce. These factors also demand either to adopt new
leadership and management skills or to change leader from the companies. Thus, in order to meet
all problems that come after initiating and implementing required modification at workforce,
Understanding and Leading Change prepares the companies for the same. Present report has
been prepared to introduce the concept of leadership and required changes in a leader so that an
organisation can able to meet all challenges of marketplace (KUAR, 2015).
TASK 1
P1 Impact of changes on tactics and operational activities by comparison of two companies
Strategies play an important role in every business organisation depending upon the
market in which they operate in. Changes in organisation demand effective strategies first before
implementation that directly. Change management guides the organisation how to prepare, equip
and support all associated persons to adopt modifications in order to drive business success and
outcomes. It provides a structured approach that is used to support all employees and employers
to move from current to required state. Area where modifications are necessary for a company
via Mission statement, existing technology and methodologies, strategies, operations, leadership
and management skills, etc.
Costa Coffee and Starbucks having same business in coffee products. Both are one of the
leading retailer companies of UK. Costa Coffee is famous for its wide range of coffee drinks and
beverages that includes hot chocolate, iced coffee, tea and infusions etc. that gives high
competition to Starbucks. On other hand, Starbucks is also one of the best retailer company that
offers fresh-roasted coffee beans. To avail market changes, these companies are required to make
necessary alterations in their businesses because of following reasons:-
 Development of workforce and employment
 To build an effective organisational culture
 To increase market share and get more revenues
 Respond to changes of marketplace
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 Response according to preferences of customers (Conover and Daiute, 2017).
Comparison of Costa Coffee with Starbucks in response to changes
Basis Costa Coffee Starbucks
Mission Statement It has a unique blend called by
Mocha Italia. Its main mission
is to customized products
without any extra charge.
To inspire and raise spirit of
human via- one person with a
single cup at a time.
Product & Pricing It has prepared its coffee
according to exact requirement
of the customer in terms of
caffeinated or decaffeinated
coffee. It is offering price of
products lower than Starbucks
in order to gain competitive
over that.
It offers a wide range of
products ranging from hot to
cold beverages. It includes
policies like 'skim pricing'
which began with high price.
Due to competition
advancements, it is gradually
lower price of products.
Place It outlets the area where
maximum youth movement
occur- near colleges, petrol
pumps etc.
It opens the outlet at main
marketplace, malls and
entertainment centres.
Porter's Competitive
Strategies
Business strategies are being
used in this company.
It uses corporative type of
strategies.
Change drivers Being competitive Being innovative
Operations Its staff member fetches order
from table to table of the
customers.
Its order and delivery process
mainly based on self-service.
Therefore, it is required for both companies to avail changes in order to move ahead. These
changes need alteration in:-
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Strategy: To gain competitive advancement, it is essential for both companies to develop
strategies for implementing the changes successfully. They should provide necessary training to
their employees so that it make them able to adopt changes.
Impact of change on its operation and strategies: Modification in strategies mostly
affect operational activities of the workforce. This would creates resistance and many barriers in
implementation of change. So, these companies need to introduce effective leadership and
management skills. This one will help them to implement changes successfully (Greene, 2014).
P2 Evaluate the impact of internal and external drivers on behaviours of organisations
Every organisation has its own culture depending upon the nature of business. Therefore,
everything which affects ability to compete, organisational performance and respond
successfully to changes in the external environment. Whereas the success or failure of
organisation is an aspect of its business' culture. The internal factors determine how an
organisation moves forward. On other hand external factors determine how it need to respond the
changes. There are many forces that drive changes in workforce. These changes mainly influence
on leadership, team or individual of a companies like Costa Coffee and Starbucks that are:-
Change in mission statements: These firms need to make necessary alterations in
mission statements. These statements should make by focusing on customer's taste and
preferences, moreover considering their health most.
Change in organisational structure: Restructure the business organisation attracts
customer's mind also. Therefore, in order to retain them, both companies need to restructure their
stores and working conditions.
Change in style of leadership: Leaders should have skills that required to implement
changes successfully at workforce. These companies need to adopt effective leadership skills so
that they can acquire the same.
Internal environment refers to events, people, system and organisational structure. These
factors can be easily controlled by management of organisations. Factors like consumers,
competitors, economy, governmental rules and regulations, etc. come under external
environment. These factors are beyond control. Talking about coffee sectors, industries working
in this are growing at much high rate (Hullinger, 2017). In order to analyse the factors that
affected businesses of cafes like Costa and Starbucks, a PESTEL and SWOT is given below:
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Strengths: Costa Coffee is the second largest coffee chain in world after Starbucks. It has
widespread business in almost 31 countries. But Costa need to change some strategies in
product-service that help it to overcome from Starbucks.
Weaknesses: Costa's lower market strategies shows its highest weakness. So, it needs to
spend a huge amount on marketing and advertising the brand to attract customers.
Opportunities:By tie up with other corporate houses for coffee vending machines,
provides an opportunity to Costa Coffee to boom its business in the world.
Threats: Dominance of Starbucks at number one position is the major threat for Costa.
So, it needs to take some measure in this.
Political & legal factor: Costa Coffee and Starbucks have to recognise those political
factor that can affect execution of alteration in negative manner. These factors like tax
framework, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions & tariffs and
political stability. When a change arises in these factors than it affects working style of
organisation. Like management need to consider all rules and laws related to employment while
formulating policies and strategies and always look forward for modifications that can be arises
in external environment (Bergerson and Johnston, 2016).
Socio-Economic factor: It refers as societal and economical factors that are related to
society. It comprises health, index, population, education of people, environment and
infrastructure etc. when any revulsion happens in health status of society then it affects working
capacity of employees as they also belongs to outside community. On the other hand if income
plan is not good then nobody can be influenced for effective working and this panning represents
that country is facing financial crises. Contrariwise if wage and salary planning is good of nation
then it affects performance of workers positively.
Environmental factor: This is must be consider by management personnels as it is there
responsibility that their action do not harm atmosphere and nature. Revulsions that are done in
external environment like changes in seasons etc. affect productivity of corporation in direct or
indirect manner.
Technological factor: When company was working with a technology then a new and
innovative techniques came then it enhances finance need as it is to be established in business
operations to enhance working quality of employees as well as association. T3echnological
factors point out financial resources directly and every company can not accept change that are
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occurring in this segment of environment but if they do not accept revulsions then their
profitability affects negative as managers are not able in fulfilling demands in smart manner that
are demanding by clients in market (Morozumi, 2017). To secure a prominent position in
industry it is required by organisation that it adopt new changes that are arising in technological
environment.
To manage all kind of activities and operations in business, there is a model that named
as Burke Litwan model can be use by management personnels. This model comprises twelve
factors out of them three are described below: Input & Output Element: It is responsibility of managers that they must study all
extrinsic activities as understanding of actions is helpful in strategy formulation and
execution by analysing change. By taking aid of this seniors are able in monitoring
performance of employees so that better and profitable working could be promoted. Transformational Element: This topic includes that top management should adopt
assertive leadership style instead of aggressive leaders as it aids them in accepting
alterations into corporation and this action brings competitive advantage and remarkable
position for company in industry (Peterson, 2011).
 Transactional Element: When permutations arises on short period basis then it affects
daily operations of Costa Coffee. Acceptance or rejection depends upon operational
department that it must take all factors into consideration before introducing a change as
it will help them in making all actions finely. This heading is concern with studying of all
factors that are associated with current modification.
P3 Measures that can be taken to minimise the negative impact of change on organisational
behaviour
An alteration can negative or positive. It has different affects on distinct corporations and
effects of this change also varies from firm to firm. It is a responsibility of managers that tehy
must analyse all aspects that are associated with alterations because it is necessary for reducing
negative impact and to enhance positive results in Costa Coffee. This kind of activity assures a
high satisfaction of clients by using company's product and services. There are so many hurdles
like some time employees resist to change and management has to take some strict and strong
actions in order to eliminate all negative effects as they diminishes productivity of organisation.
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 Creation of Pathway: It is an activity that is to be performed in association in order to
make communication pattern strong among employees. As this focuses on providing
proper and adequate info to workers so that they can complete their action as per demand
of enterprise. Explain about plans: It is a duty of seniors that they firstly consider and study all aspects
related to permutation and must communicate all factors to human resource of company
so that they could adopt revulsions with self motivation instead if any pressure of top
management (Lööf and Mack, 2016). This heading comprises that managers can take
those actions that enable manpower to accept change with complete interest. Participation in Meetings and seminars group: To formulate all strategies and to make
their execution effective top management personnels need to take active part in seminars
and meetings where they interact with their juniors and aware them regarding change. To
make alteration fruitful and useful senior managers has to bring all employees on same
page so that they do not feel inferiority and superiority by comparing each other. Manage Planning and its execution: In this section management divides their workforce
into team and selects a personnel from every team. This person is who whom have
quality to communicate all aspects to his teammates in very clear and accurate manner.
Effectual action can be promoted by efficient working of human resource by making
them clear that how to accept revulsions and what are the actions that they must have to
take.
 Implementation of plan with suitable goals and targets: It is a last stage where
operational head bring tactic into action to cater all needs and wants of clients that Costa
Coffee have in very strong manner. It is a milestone of performance when company goes
to be successful in building strong customer base for its products and services (Perello,
2018).
TASK 2
P4 Different barriers of change and their influence on decision making
A person whose name is Edgar Schien was a professor of management in Emeritus who
defined affects of leadership and organisational culture at the same time and also stated
relationship between them (Deeg and et. al., 2013). Obstacles that can be recorded in ways of
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permutation execution are cultural differences that human resource bring in company etc. There
are so many hurdles like red tapping, bureaucracy, internal issues, changes in external factors
and many more.
A leader has to make some decisions related to improvement in price, increment in
product and service quality, supply chain management and new technologies etc. while taking
decisions, manager of Costa Coffee faces so many issues related to survival and adoption of
modification. Other problems that are related with time and space to execute change.
Self-efficiency perception and resistance to change:
When a modification happens in any segment then every worker who is working in
corporation has his own perception related to change. Sometimes human resource takes
permutations as a barrier in their carrier growth because manpower thinks that they are not able
to accept change and it is a duty of manager that all aspects must be conveyed by personnels to
line employers so that a positive attitude could bring into task performance (Mwenyembegu,
2014).
Force Field Analysis:
Kurt Lewin propounded this approach. In this model he provided support to corporate
culture but there are some criticism of this study. Writer said that leaders struggle when they
have to take strong and strict decisions. Barriers are found in some areas like staff overtime,
effecet of extrinsic environment, fearfulness in staff regarding alterations.
Case Study:
In this section manager serves a case or problem to increase their level of thinking so that
they could understand change and accept that with full enthusiasm and positive attitude. Major
aim of this section is to make strategy formulation effective and efficient.
Situational Resistance to Change:
This segment comprises all modifications that are related with organisational change.
Main motto of this heading is to conduct all activities within limited time span with full
efficiency. In these kind of circumstances spearhead feels that employees are not in stake where
they could think that they are comfortable with permutation.
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TASK 3
P5 Approaches of leadership to deal with changes
Leaders and managers of an organisation have different sort of responsibilities but works
for same reason and that is profit maximisation of the company. These executives analyses
subordinates production that they have given in past and then if they are weak at few areas then
training and development program that has been conducted by supervisors aid them in making
themselves strong enough so that they become more effective and efficient (Liu and et. al.,
2018). Motivating staff members is different ways is necessary so that they accept alterations
that management has made. Encouragement can be provided into two ways first through by
monitory like incentives, bonuses and etc. and on other hand it can be provided emotionally as
well. Continuation of this process may lead employees to become more productive. Starbucks
organisation's leaders follow various leadership styles. It has been found that there are many
approaches which are related to leadership style and these are as follows: Situational Leadership Style: Under this type of style leadership style, leaders takes
decisions with the thinking of making things more effective for Starbucks. Teams gets
changes if needed as per requirements of set objectives. Apart from this, hypothesis also
aid in giving support to subordinates. Transactional approach of Leadership: This hypothesis gives opportunities to
understand the ups and downs of set plan to implement changes in operational activities.
This theory keeps an eye on context which is related to all actions of operations which put
impact on business of Starbucks (Kalle, 2017). Transformational Approach of Leadership: Leaders under this style thinks in different
way where his/her motive is to hit target in a short period of time. Squad gets altered if
needed as per need or want of plan. Away from this, it also gives opportunities to
employees to enhance their skills and knowledge from time to time as they face changes
with in Starbucks. Trait approaches: One of the oldest theory which is related to leaders traits. These
attributes are concerned with physical, personal and mental status of supervisor.
Hypothesis shows that leader should have some qualities like physical, social
background, intelligence, personality, task-related and social so that employees can get
influenced and stay motivated while performing their tasks.
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Usage in Costa Coffee of these leadership approach: It has been examined that
management of an organisation faces so many problems while implementing desired changes.
These problems can be understood as barriers which comes across in front while adapting
alterations. Consumers taste gets changes thus, it is mandatory for management to keep on
improvising their quality of products so that long term relations with customers can be
maintained. Costa Coffee leaders uses various approaches which helps them in executing plans
which are related to making modification at workplace for enhancing productivity and
profitability (Gholamzadeh and Jakobsson, 2011).
Situational leadership hypothesis, can give sustainability at marketplace with flexibilities
in different context which are related to adapting changes. It can also give motivation to
employees as they will get to know about alterations and its purpose.
CONCLUSION
This report has enhanced leadership skills and styles that a leader adopt in order to
implement required changes successfully. Therefore, to make arguments either to change leader
or his leadership skills, this era has supported by taking two companies i.e. Costa Coffee and Star
Bucks. Both companies of the UK, belong to same businesses sector. So, it has considered about
how they respond to change and what strategies have made by them in dealing with the same as
well as their contribution in change management.
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