Leading Change in Organizations: A Thomas Cook Case Study Report

This report delves into the complexities of understanding and leading change within organizations, using the Thomas Cook Group as a case study. It begins by comparing Thomas Cook and Cosmos Tour, examining how changes impact their strategies and operations. The report then explores internal and external drivers of change, such as technology, investors, competitors, government regulations, and customer demands, and their effects on leadership, team dynamics, and individual behavior. Furthermore, it evaluates measures to minimize the negative impacts of change on organizational behavior, identifies barriers to change influencing leadership decision-making, and analyzes different leadership approaches for navigating organizational changes. The analysis covers structural and external changes, technological advancements, and the influence of various stakeholders, providing a comprehensive overview of change management principles and practices.

UNDERSTANDING
AND
LEADING CHANGE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
P1 Comparing two companies with impact of change on strategy and operation..................1
TASK 2 ..........................................................................................................................................3
P2 Internal and external drivers of change impacts on leadership, team and individual
behaviour................................................................................................................................3
P3 Evaluate measures to minimize the negative impact of changes on Organizational
Behaviour...............................................................................................................................6
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................7
P4 Barriers of change that influence on leadership decision making.....................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P5 Different leadership approaches for dealing with changes in organization......................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
Books and Journals........................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Understanding and leading change can be defined as to utilise more effective as well as
efficient strategies to thoroughly analyse modifications and implement an appropriate policies to
gain better outcomes. It is necessary to apply innovative and creative techniques in relation to
new trends of market to maintain an accurate position of brand in market. Understanding and
leading change basically refers to conduct correct management of modifications and control
negative impacts on company of the same (Bin Taher, Krotov and Silva, 2015). This report is
based on Thomas Cook Group which is considered into hospitality and tourism industry. It was
founded by Thomas Cook in the year of 1841 and provide services at global level. They render
several major products such as charter and scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise
lines, hotels and resorts to people. This assignment will discuss about organisational strategies
and operations in comparative manner between two firms like Thomas Cook & Cosmos tour. It
also includes explanation for internal and external drivers that affects leadership, team and
individual behaviours. Different barriers to change and leadership approaches are given below.
TASK 1
P1 Compare different organisational examples where there has been an
impact of change on an organisation’s strategy and operations
There are different types of organisations are running in present scenario of market
having their own strategies to carrying out business properly. They have an appropriate policies,
techniques, methods and other efficient tools which provide support to them for conducting
required activities or tasks in correct direction to earn better outcomes on regular basis (Bingham
and Main, 2010). Companies organise several kinds of learning or training events which provide
help to staff members to boost up skills or abilities of them and to make them more efficient as
well. Various types of trends are introduced in changing situations of market so it is necessary
for companies to study impacts of fashion on taste or preferences of customers and then apply as
accurate strategy to manufacture desired product to them. It is very essential to remain always up
to date according to modified trends of market so that new consumers can be attracted along with
retaining current ones to improve productivity as well as profitability of company.
In context of Thomas cook and Cosmos tour, they have their own different products and
criteria to deliver it to people in different styles to achieve their satisfaction as well. There are
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various kinds of competitive firms are also surviving in market that increase competition. It is
mandatory to observe and analyse strategies or policies of strong competitor also so that it will
become possible to take an appropriate steps towards that to decrease negative impacts of new
implementation in competitive enterprises. Companies have to take apply more innovative or
creative techniques which helps to render accurate service to customers and facilitate to gain
more number of clients for the company accordingly (Castonguay and et. al., 2010). This will
facilitate to boost up regular profitability of an organisation that supports to attain growth of
business as well. Changes are beneficial also as they welcomes fresh opportunities which can
grab at correct time to gain better profits and expand business to improve size and scope of
brand. Now a comparative discussion of effective strategies between Thomas Cook and Cosmos
tour is given below:
Basic Thomas Cook Cosmos tour
Structural
changes
The structural changes are welcomed
usually by both staff members and
changing trends of market. These are
such modifications that helps to increase
efficiency of an organisation that
improves performance of workers in
order to boost up their daily outcomes in
an accurate way. Thomas Cook focus on
these modifications that facilitate
development in company in required
manner.
The Cosmos Tour has a requirement of
changing structural things because they
have small operational system which
are having limited methods and
techniques to conduct different kinds
of activities of procedures to gain
desired outputs. Effective structure of
the firm to conduct regular activities
will attract new talents towards it
which helps to get better outcomes as
well.
Changes in
external
factors
There are various kinds of competitive
firms that have an impact on operations
and profitability of large scale business
because they have to face competition
from almost every company that deals in
similar industry (Doppelt, 2017).
Thomas Cook also get affected with
Due to limited area of productivity,
small scaled firms do not get more
affected from external factors. Along
with this, these enterprise like Cosmos
Tour can apply any modification easily
by putting little bit efforts and capital.
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several external factors such as
competitors, government authorities,
local agencies and so on.
Advanced
technology
The company has conducting its
business at global level and considered
as common brand for providing several
products through adopting new
technologies to prepare an appropriate
service to achieve satisfaction of
customer. They utilise certain innovative
or creative tools and techniques that
helps to improve number of sales that
facilitate to boost regular productivity as
well as profitability (Emira, 2010).
The Cosmos Tour is kind of small
levelled enterprise that has limited
capability of applying modifications
because they have small amount of
capital which is required to implement
any fresh innovative ideas. They can
apply changes at small scale to
improve their profitability for short
period of time along with attaining few
of new consumers as well.
The above mentioned changes are required to be implemented in an organisation as they
provide support to boost up effective as well as efficiencies of company that helps to carry out
required activities or tasks in proper manner to generate better outcomes. It will support
companies to improve their brand image along with productivity and profitability in an
appropriate way.
Operations: - This can be described as operational activities relevant to production of
products or services which can be done in more proper manner through applying new and
creative techniques to earn desired profits. Changes into methods of operations can help to
improve regular outcomes and reduce time as well as cost.
Strategy: - The term strategy is known about those policies which are followed in
company to conduct various kinds of procedures properly to generate required outputs.
Implementing modifications into strategies support to perform properly and encourage
employees to adopt fresh changes for betterment (Fullan, 2014).
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TASK 2
P2 Evaluate the ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team and
individual behaviours within an organisation
There are different types of factors that facilitate the implementation of new changes or
modifications in an organisation. It includes several external and internal elements that can be
considered as drivers of change which impacts effectively on leadership, team and individual
behaviour. It is necessary to apply several changes to provide some innovative or unique product
to customers. Purchasing same goods along with similar packaging and feature make people
bored then it is mandatory to apply new and creative concept to products. This will facilitate to
attract fresh customers along with retaining the current ones to boost up earning of company.
Thomas Cook can apply innovative modifications into serving procedures to gain satisfaction of
people. They can also apply new techniques of learning or training events to increase skills or
abilities so that employees can perform well in future (Hallinger and Bryant, 2013). Several
internal and external drivers that facilitate changes in Thomas Cook that are given below:
Figure 1Diverse of change, 2018
External factors
Technology led Drivers: - This can be described as the adoption of new technological
equipments, machines and software that helps to carrying out regular activities more effectively
as well efficiently to get better outcomes. It is necessary to implement new and innovative
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techniques that helps to improve performance and reduce time. These methods are also helpful to
boost up quality of goods or services that facilitate to achieve more number of customers along
with their satisfaction. Thomas Cook have to utilise present technological trends to sustain their
effective position at market amongst several competitors. Technological equipments helps to
communication properly between leaders and their team members to maintain cooperative
strengths which helps to fulfil desired targets properly.
Investors-led Drivers: - The term Investors refers to those individuals who invest certain
amount of money in business along with expecting that money get back with some of interest to
earn profits. An appropriate investment is necessary to conduct various kinds of tasks in business
to run company successfully. As investors are contributing their funds in business then they can
strongly influence decision of decreasing or increasing in number of such individuals. Investors
of Thomas Cook impacts effectively on building an accurate policy to adopt changes. Better
investment motivates leaders, individuals and team members to perform well and generate
desired outcomes properly.
Competitors-led Drivers: - This can be explained about new strategies or policies which
are adopted by various competitive firms that are required to be observed properly. Their
innovative techniques can impacts negatively on productivity of company (Harding, 2012). It is
necessary to thoroughly study and analyse certain methods of competitors and then take desired
step to retain regular customers as well as sustain an accurate position in market. Thomas Cook
also have to focus on various competitors and implement few modifications to reduce negative
affects of other firm's policies. Innovative strategies of competitors motivates leaders and team
members to improve their efficiencies because growth of organisation ensure success of an
individual as well.
Government-led Drivers: - The government authorities had prepared different rules or
regulations which are mandatory for every organisation to follow them. It also involves a criteria
to adopt new changes or modifications of legal policies which are generated by government
agencies as well. Thomas Cook is required to analyse certain changes in legal norms and
properly implement them in company to run business successfully. Change in government
policies also impacts on employees of company as leaders and individuals have to change their
criteria of working as per rule of legal authorities.
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Customer-led Drivers: - This can be defined about different kinds of needs, wants,
demands of customers that motivate a company to apply few modifications. This will facilitate to
manufacture an appropriate product for desired consumers to fulfil expectations of them
properly. It is necessary to make people satisfied with features of goods so that they will regular
to brand (Hintz and Bahia, 2013). Thomas Cook have to analyse taste or preferences of clients in
an accurate way and render desired service to citizens and earn better profits. Leaders and team
members have to focus on actual requirements of clients and them make an appropriate decision
of manufacturing desired product properly.
Internal factors
Internal resources: - This can be described about several equipments and other
resources through which regular activities and procedures are conducting to attain outcomes. It is
necessary to implement certain innovative changes to boost up effectiveness of organisational
procedures for generating better outputs. In appropriate resources of company make pressure of
team leaders and other individuals get frustrated and that impacts on their working efficiency
also.
Capabilities of employees: - The term capabilities of employees refers to their unique
skills or abilities by which they can perform their tasks properly. Better capabilities helps leaders
to channelize efficiencies of work force in proper manner which facilitate to earn desired
outcomes. Apart from this, individuals can improve their regular productivity due to having
effective abilities.
P3 Evaluate measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of
change on organisational behaviour
There are several changes which are implemented in company due to changing trends of
market for remaining up to date and sustain required position in competition (Johnson, 2016). It
is observed that certain new fashions are welcomed at market place that facilitate organisations
to make few strategies in more effective as well as efficient manner to attain desired outcomes on
regular basis. It is also possible that some of changes facilitated many of negative impacts on
operational process of company that can results into certain problems or issues. Thomas Cook
have to focus of various kinds of changes that are welcomed due to changing fashion of market
to determine negative impacts of them. Some of techniques or methods that helps in reducing
these affects are as follows:
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Focus on effective Delegation: - This can be described as to the criteria of delegation
which is applied in various companies so that an appropriate actions can be taken at correct time
by available person to make decisions properly. It includes techniques of distribution power of
authority to staff members as per suitable skills or abilities so that centralisation of decision
making authority can reduce their work load. It consumes more time to take permission for small
tasks which can be be easily done by employees in correct manner. Thomas Cook can adopt
policy of delegation to facilitate immediate decision making in correct way.
Maintain a positive attitude: - The term positive attitude is very necessary to handle
various types of of critical situation and take correct decision for some purposes properly (Kotb
and Roberts, 2011). It indicates to remain positive and tackle problems or issues in an accurate
way and get required outputs. It is necessary for superiors to remain calm and motivate sub-
ordinates to focus on tasks and sort out issues to complete desired targets of aims successfully.
Thomas Cook have to appoint well experienced and patient managers or leaders who are capable
to maintain positive environment in company that facilitate better performance of them along
with generation of desired outcomes as well.
Interact will employees regarding the feelings: - This can be explained as to conduct a
n effective communication between superior and sub- ordinate so that a senior can understand
feelings or problems of their juniors. Personal issues of employees impacts negatively on their
regular performance and many times results into reduced outcomes on daily basis. It is
mandatory to solve problems of workers so that they can remain efficient and improve their
performance properly (Lee and Byun, 2012). Thomas Cook have to maintain positive and
healthy culture of company which helps employees to work properly and create desired outputs.
Involve Employees in changing process: - The criteria to involve employees in several
meetings, conferences and other events relevant to projects or procedures is important to
effectively implement changes. It is necessary to engage staff members in several activities and
take their suggestions to apply more effective as well as efficient changes properly to get better
profits. Thomas Cook can ask for views of employees that helps to gain number of alternative
choices to select the best one to implement change. It also support to make workers feel valuable
in company that facilitate to reduce employee turnover as well.
Learning and training: - This can be described as to carrying out an effective as well as
efficient training and development programs in company so that people should learn about new
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techniques or policies to work on them properly. It will facilitate to reduce possibility of
mistakes and reduce risks. Thomas Cook can conduct an appropriate learning event to make their
employees much efficient to adopt new changes and earn desired outcomes in correct manner.
Appraisal of the employees: - The term appraisal can be explained to provide an
accurate information about an individual's skills or abilities. Performance appraisal should be
done to motivate employees and convey about their threats along with correct technique to sort
out issues in working (Nowell and Harrison, 2010). Thomas Cook have to conduct several
appraising activities to encourage people and boost up their performance as well. This will
facilitate an accurate dedication of employees which helps to reduce negative impacts of changes
in an organisation.
Assurance that jobs are secure – In order to reduce the impact of change it is suggested
that the management should develop positive feeling regarding job in the minds of employees.
Once the working staff is satisfied with the job security they work with more dedication and
hence contribute in the overall development of the enterprise.
Communication with employees – By implementing open and clear interaction among
the different levels of an enterprise relationship in the top and bottom level can be improved. It
further aids in reducing the risk of resistance to change as the work force can be motivated to
adopt same in the working styles.
TASK 3
P4 Explain different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership decision-
making in a given organisational context.
Barriers to changes management can understand than it can be formulate and implement
properly in an organization. Changes are the state which is done to shifting from one state to
another for the betterment of an enterprise. The management always have a belief that there are
certain change needed at workplace to accomplish business activities. Barriers create a problem
in the business operations and directly have a negative impact on the working as well as
profitability of the company (Salmela, Eriksson and Fagerström, 2012). Every firm should to
know how to come out from these barriers. Some barriers to change are as follows-
Deficiency of employee Involvement- Employees generally resist from the changes. It
happen because employees not ready to learn new technology or difficult technology. Apart that
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changes also bring modification in the working culture and habits and generate fear of job loss
and many more. Company's leader should always take suggestions from their sub-ordinates
through listening to their opinion and aware them that alteration is for their benefit not for loss. It
will help to make more accurate decision of leaders and workers will fell valuable so that they
perform properly. Thomas cook should also require to provide relevant information with
sufficient resources to drive changes so that they are comfortable and ready to adopt new
development in the organization.
Lack of communication- Changes are difficult when there is no proper communication
in the business. Sometimes it happens that top management announces the changes but the lower
level unable to understand. The lack of effective communication between leaders and their sub-
ordinates results to gain limited choice of which impacts as poor decision making. This display
the poor communication system between upper and lower level management. Thomas cook
leaders require to make understand the followers what actually the change is and how will they
adapt it.
Lack of Planning- Sometimes planning team make the change in the organization without
thinking of its effect on the people. Planning team should concentrate on work area ,job
responsibility, administration structure etc before making alteration. Team generally does not
concentrate about the feelings and emotions of people which later on become barrier. Thomas
cook leaders should break this obstruction only by proper planning and concentrate on the
feelings of employees. Lack of efficient planning reduce effectiveness of leader's decision
making to conduct to process for achieving desired targets.
No clear vision- One of the most common barriers is lack of understanding what was the
actual change happen in an organization. Business authorities don't know where they want to
really go with the alteration. Having clear Without Understanding current organization blueprint,
its implementation and adaptation in company become a big barrier. Thomas cook do not stuck
in this kind of situation and they should always analyze and understand the present blueprints of
the business after that they can do modification. Lack of clear vision distract leaders from correct
direction to make an accurate decision making which is necessary to gain better profits.
Complexity- Process of change is very complex,making change in products,system and
in strategies bit more complex. Complicate process creates difficulty for employees and their
members to understand and their application (Shirey, 2011). It is necessary to apply simple and
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skillful approach to make growth with modification in the organization. Thomas cook break this
barrier by employing industrious, quality and effective project and change management
approach. Business should always avoid to adopt complex changes if their people does not have
the ability to tackle. Excess of complexity in procedures create confusions which also impacts on
decision making of leaders in an organization.
TASK 4
P5 Apply different leadership approaches to dealing with change in a range of organisational
contexts
There are different types of approaches that are utilised by leaders in company as per
their mind setup and situation of business. Each and every leadership approach has their own
traits that facilitate to conduct procedures in different styles to generate desired outcomes
properly. These models are helpful to deal with various changes of that are introduced in market
in different period of time. It is necessary to first analyse circumstances of an organisation and
evaluate efficiencies of specific leadership theory and then match them to apply an appropriate
style to gain required outputs successfully. Thomas Cook can utilise several leadership
approaches which and some of them are given below:
Democratic leadership: - This kind of leaders having democratic criteria to make
decision by involving team members and employees properly. It will help them to build choose
better alternative and make people feel valuable so that they follow instructions of superior in
correct manner.
Autocratic Leadership: - The term autocratic leaders follow the criteria of making any
small or large decision by their own without consulting from their sub- ordinates or team
members (Thomas and et. al., 2013). For each and every aspect, workers are required to take
permission from their senior to conduct desired tasks properly.
Participative Leadership: - This can be described as to take decision by leaders along
with taking suggestions from all the team members. It includes to ask for ideas of employees for
required methods to carrying out in appropriate manner.
Transformational Leadership: - The term transformational leadership includes the
concept of distributing responsibility to staff members after making an accurate goals or
objectives. It helps to encourage people and make them more efficient to fulfil roles of higher
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