Change Management Report: Benso Oil Palm Plantation Case Study

This report analyzes a change management case study at Benso Oil Palm Plantation, focusing on the implementation of automated systems to improve production processes. The report highlights the strategic importance of these changes in response to competitive market pressures and declining productivity. The role of the production manager in overseeing the transition and communicating changes to the workforce is examined. It details the factors that contributed to the successful implementation of the automated technology, leading to increased productivity and reduced waste. The report also addresses the workers’ resistance to change and the strategies used to mitigate these challenges through communication and consultation. References to academic sources are included to support the analysis of change management principles and practices.

Running head: CHANGE MANAGEMENT
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Change aligned with the company's strategic direction
The concerned organization, Benso Oil Palm Plantation, is being facing a variety of
issues relating to the lack of technological infusions in the production and processing systems.
Benso Oil Palm Plantation aimed at designing the processes for producing and processing
crude palm oil. However, the lack of technological reforms and the utilization of outdated
machinery affected the capacities of the venture in ramping up the production. Therefore, the
concerned organization took steps to install automated hydraulic press and spindle press with the
objective of revamping the production process of the same.
The change agent
The competitive oil markets, being an external agent, created an urgency for Benso Oil
Palm Plantation with the purpose of implementing the change in the processes. Change in an
organization is reliant on the effective contribution of the change agents (Matos Marques Simoes
& Esposito, 2014).The process of automated presses would support the venture in improving the
rate of production while sustaining in the different markets.
My role in the change
I work as the production manager of Benso Oil Palm Plantation, where I was entitled
with the job of informing the subordinates and my fellow followers of the change that the
concerned venture is planning to undertake. On the other hand, I was also required to monitor the
present condition of the production process and report to the operations manager of the amount
of modification that the concerned venture might realize through the implementation of the
modernized automated machinery.

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The manner in which the change was triggered
The change in the organization was triggered through the assessment of the market
position and the rate of sales as compared to the competitors of the business. The diminishing
rate of productivity and sales volume created an urgency for the organization to implement the
automated systems with the purpose of enhancing the market position of the business in the
Ghanaian markets.
The success factors of the change
The application of the automated technologies in the processes assisted the venture in
improving the productivity and sales volume while minimizing the rate of wastes from the
different production and processing units.
Worker’s resistance to change
The workers resisted to the change that was planned by the venture out of their fear of
losing their employment through the implementation of the automated processes. Belias and
Koustelios (2014) opined that communication with the stakeholders assist a business in
minimizing conflicts. Therefore, consultation and communication with the employees assisted
the venture in resolving the issues.

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References
Belias, D., & Koustelios, A. (2014). The impact of leadership and change management strategy
on organizational culture. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 10(7).
Matos Marques Simoes, P., & Esposito, M. (2014). Improving change management: How
communication nature influences resistance to change. Journal of Management
Development, 33(4), 324-341.