Sunoco Inc.: Change Management Plan for Cloud Data Storage

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of an ICT change management plan for Sunoco Inc., focusing on the implementation of a cloud-based data storage system. It begins with an executive summary outlining the key challenges, such as lack of staff skills and inconsistent planning, and proposes solutions. The report then delves into the challenges of initiating change, including lack of knowledge, inconsistency in the process, and an unsuitable organizational structure, offering recommendations to mitigate each issue. It identifies vital stakeholders, change management teams, and their responsibilities within the context of Sunoco Inc. The report assesses the Lewin’s Change Management Model and justifies its selection, along with an analysis and justification of an agile change management plan. Finally, the report presents a detailed change management plan, including an action plan, communication plan, training plan, business system plan, and resistance plan to facilitate a smooth transition to the new system.

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

Executive Summary
This report focuses on change management plan in the context of Sunoco Inc. Recently, the
company is aiming to initiate cloud based data storage system as it is becoming quite difficult for
them to acquire the most valuable data as required. However, changing the entire process of data
management as there are certain challenges, which the higher authority of Sunoco Inc. can face
at the time of executing cloud based data management system. Lack of skill and competency
level among the staffs is the greatest challenge towards initiating any kind of organizational
change. This can generate reluctant attitude among the staffs to cope up with the new system.
Training is needed to be provided to the staffs to adapt the new process. Lack of planning is also
a critical issues, which can even lead Sunoco Inc. to lose the valuable data. Therefore, a
proactive backup policy is needed to be introduced to retrieve the data as required. A framework
has been suggested in the report, which can be implemented by Sunoco Inc. in order to initiate
the entire process of change in a systematic manner.

Table of Contents
Part A- Change management plan:..................................................................................................3
1. Challenges towards initiating change and recommendation on how to mitigate those
challenges:...................................................................................................................................3
2. Identifying the culture and metaphor, vital stakeholders, change management team along
with their responsibility in the context of Sunoco Inc.:...............................................................5
3. Assessing change management model along with justification behind choosing the model:. 7
4. Analyzing agile change management plan along with justification:.......................................8
5. Change management plan:.......................................................................................................8
I) Action plan:..........................................................................................................................8
II) Communication plan:........................................................................................................10
III) Training plan:..................................................................................................................11
IV) Business system plan:.....................................................................................................12
V) Resistance plan:................................................................................................................13
Reference List:...............................................................................................................................14

Part A- Change management plan:
1. Challenges towards initiating change and recommendation on how to mitigate
those challenges:
In the extremely volatile business environment, change is highly required in order to
attain competitive advantage. With the assistance of change, the uncertainty of business can be
mitigated. This is the way, through which changing demand of the customers can also be
motivated (Carnall, 2018). However, there are certain challenges, which can make it difficult for
the management of an organization to initiate change that is highly required for coping up with
the ever changing business environment. The challenges of initiating cloud data base is as
follows:
 Challenge 1: Lack of knowledge
This is the greatest challenge towards initiating change in an organization. Lack of
sufficient knowledge among the staffs can make it difficult for them to adapt the new system
of working (Hayes, 2018). As per the case study, Sunoco Inc. is aiming to execute cloud data
base in order to store their valuable information. However, this quite challenging for the
higher authority of Sunoco Inc. to introduce cloud as the staffs are not expertise in adapting
the new technology. Without right direction and skill, the employees face challenges in the
way of delivering the information in the right cloud. As business intelligence is also a major
way of running business in an effective manner (Cameron & Green, 2015). Thus, Sunoco
Inc. is aiming to implement this strategy. In this case also lack of expertise among the staffs
is a major challenge.

Recommendation:
In order to overcome the issue, it is recommended for the HR department of Sunoco Inc. to
initiate training and development program. It is imperative to teach the staffs regarding the
process and tools that are required in order to record valuable information in the cloud data base.
Detailed information regarding the significance of storing the data in cloud must also be
provided to the staffs.
 Challenge 2: Inconsistency in process
Planning is the greatest challenge to execute change in an organization. This hampers
consistency of the new process. Doppelt (2017) commented that at the same time, lack of prior
planning also creates restrictions for the staffs to understand the benefits of change. Such
inconsistency in the process can result in loss of information which is the greatest challenge of
cloud computing. This is the reason, the organization may lack valuable information and restrict
their ability to cope up with the ever changing business environment (Doppelt, 2017).
Recommendation:
In order to mitigate the issue related to keeping the data safe, it is suggested for Sunoco Inc.
to introduce a strong backup policy. This can serve them with the ability to recover the data in a
timely and cost effectiveness manner. In addition, it is the prime responsibility of the IT
department of Sunoco Inc. to set an appropriate infrastructure which is the key of dealing with
sudden breakdown of server.
 Challenge 3: Not having appropriate organizational structure

This is also a major challenge in the way of executing change in the conventional business
process. Pugh (2016) observed that as the uncertainty in the business environment is rapidly
increasing, it has become the matter of utmost importance to integrate proficient method for
promoting speed in the internal functionality of a company. Still, lack of appropriate
organizational structure can raise the issue like cultural obstacles, which too is a greatest
challenge in the management of cloud based data. This also generates reluctant attitude among
the staffs to cope up with the new system (Lozano, Ceulemans & Seatter, 2015). Absence of
proper organization can also generate miscommunication in the organization.
Recommendation:
It is suggested for the higher authority of Sunoco Inc. to take special care towards
implementing effective organizational structure. A strong chain of command must be introduced
for the sake of aligning all the employees within a single platform. This can support in
generating positive attitude among them towards working in the new system.
2. Identifying the culture and metaphor, vital stakeholders, change management
team along with their responsibility in the context of Sunoco Inc.:
Being the fuel company, it is imperative for Sunoco Inc. to initiate change in the
organization, which is the key of sustaining in the intense competitive business environment of
UK. There are both internal and external stakeholder, which is affecting the internal functionality
of Sunoco Inc.

Figure 1: Stakeholder pyramid
(Source: Bradley 2016)
According to Cummings, Bridgman & Brown, 2016 the customers are the main internal
stakeholder of the company, who hold the responsibility of running the main functionality of
business. Government is the major external stakeholder of Sunoco Inc. who can have a firm
control over the process of running business. The sponsors are also valuable stakeholder of
Sunoco Inc. who hold the authority to offer the organization with all the valuable resources that
can have a firm impact on initiating the change in a systematic manner (Matos Marques Simoes,
& Esposito, 2014).
A strong culture of improvement is being followed in Sunoco Inc. Due to the sudden
outbreak of fire, the company has lost some of the valuable information. At the same time, the
inclusion of multiple records within a single file drawer has also made it difficult for Sunoco Inc.
Driving
Emplpoyee
s
Advocate
Government
Active Partiipation
sponsors, government, higher
authority and employees
willingness
Trainers, who can guide the staffs regarding the new
process
Understanding
Customers

to perceive most valuable information. There lies the reason, for which they are aiming to
implement cloud data base in terms of storing valuable information (Belias & Koustelios, 2014).
This can be considered as word retention strategy, which has been implemented by Sunoco Inc.
in order to keep the organization informed. The legal staffs are the vital external stakeholder of
the company, as they hold the responsibility of redesigning the record management system
(Geppert, Matten & Williams, 2016). A change management team must be executed in the
company in order to implement new system of working.
The change management team holds the responsibility of implementing the change
management strategy and represent multiple functionality for the sake of completing the entire
process of change in a timely and cost effective manner (Thiry, 2016). The change management
team also holds excellent communication skill, which is the key of influencing the business
process. It is the prime responsibility of the members of change management to be committed
towards initiating change, which is the key of coping up with the uncertainty of business. The
project of implementing cloud data base system must be complicated in a systematic manner.
3. Assessing change management model along with justification behind choosing the
model:
Change management can be regarded the way of dealing with the transformation of
existing business process, which is very much needed in order to cope up with the existing
business process. As Sunoco Inc. is aiming to change their existing record management system,
which is the key of keeping valuable information in an effective manner. Therefore, it is
imperative for them to follow certain framework, in terms of running the process in a
comprehensive manner. Lewin’s Change Management Model is one of the most popular
frameworks, which needs to be implemented by Sunoco Inc. This model shows that structural

changes play a significant role in initiating any kind of change in an organization (Smollan,
2015). There are three different stages of Lewin’s Change Management Model, which must be
followed by Sunoco Inc. in terms of changing their existing data storage system in an effective
manner.
Unfreeze is the initial phase, which can be considered as the process of making
preparations for change. In this step, it is important for Sunoco Inc. to undertake certain actions
such as building skill among the staffs, aligning all the valuable resources and modifying the
existing organizational structure for making the changes effectively. Change is the second and
most important phase of Lewin’s Change Management Model, where the ultimate process of
modifying the existing system takes place. This is a time consuming process, as in this phase, it
is vital for Sunoco Inc. to allow the employees to embrace new system. In this stage, Sunoco Inc,
should introduce proactive leadership strategy, which can have a firm impact on guiding the
staffs to proper direction, so that they can cope up with the new system (Bradley, 2016).
Refreeze is the final step of Lewin’s Change Management Model, which can be regarded as the
stage, when the change has been accepted and implemented in the organization. This framework
is to be followed by Sunoco Inc. as it can help them to attain stability in their business by
generating positive perception among the staffs.
4. Analyzing agile change management plan along with justification:
Flexibility plays a significant role in modifying any kind of business process. There lies
the significance of agile change management method, which can serve Sunoco Inc. with the
ability to explore new direction of changing the existing business process. As the organization is
aiming to make technological modifications, agile change management method is needed to be
implemented. This is regarded as the process of uncovering strong ways of developing high-end

software and thereby enable the staffs to cope up with the new process. Agile method is the way
of streamlining the business process, which can have a firm impact on keeping all the employees
within single platform (Hickman & Silva, 2018). Agile change management process requires in-
depth testing. Therefore, application of this method can help Sunoco Inc. to test the proposed
cloud data base before its final application. In the testing phase, the change management team
can also raise any kind of issue. As conventional data storage system was creating problem for
Sunoco Inc. to store their most valuable information, implementing of agile change management
method can help them to maintain transparency in the new system. The risk of losing the data
can also be mitigated through this agile method of change management.
5. Change management plan:
I) Action plan:
The action plan for initiating change is as follows
Actions Responsible person Time frame
IT
activities
The IT department of an
organization plays a significant
role in initiating any kind of
technological change. AWS S3
is the major hardware, which
are extremely significant for
introducing cloud database.
Platform as a Service is one of
the most significant platform
based software for executing
The working
professionals of IT
department holds the
responsibility of
executing both
hardware and
software.
30th September to 5th
October

cloud data base.
Training
activities
Training must also be provided
to the staffs in order to enable
them to adapt with the new
system. Therefore, Sunoco Inc.
must conduct in-depth
software training to the staffs.
This can help in enabling the
staffs to cope up with cloud
based data management
system.
Representatives from
the company, from
which Sunoco Inc. is
going to source the
software.
6th October to 20th
October
Table 1: Action Plan for managing change
(Source: Author)
II) Communication plan:
The proposed change is needed to be conveyed throughout the organization in order to
keep the staffs informed about the new system. A comprehensive communication plan is as
follows:
Audience Key messages Delivery method Date Location
Higher
authority
The significance of
changing the
conventional data
Email will be sent to
the management
2nd October As the message
will be sent
through mail,

storage system. hence no
location is
required.
Team
leader
Information will be
provided to the team
leaders in order to
guide the staffs to
cope up with the new
system.
Meeting will be
conducted with the
team leaders.
5th October In office
Staffs In-depth information
regarding the new
cloud based data
management system.
The team leaders will
conduct a meeting.
6th October In office
Supervisor The information
related to the training
that are required for
helping the staffs to
cope up with the new
system.
Mail will be sent by
the technical
department.
8th October As the message
will be sent
through mail,
hence no
location is
required.
Table 2: Communication Plan
(Source: As created by author)