Understanding and Leading Change: British Airways Report Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of change management within British Airways, examining the impact of change on the airline's strategy and operations. It explores internal and external drivers of change, such as SWOT and PESTLE analyses, and their effects on leadership, team dynamics, and individual behaviors. The report evaluates measures to minimize the negative impacts of change on organizational behavior, including effective employee engagement, phased implementation, and clear communication. It also identifies barriers to change, such as lack of employee involvement, and how these barriers influence leadership decision-making. Furthermore, the report discusses different leadership approaches for dealing with change, offering insights into how British Airways can navigate challenges and achieve its organizational objectives. The report also compares the changes implemented at British Airways with the changes at H&M.

Understanding and Leading
Change

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
L 01..................................................................................................................................................1
P.1 Comparing different organisational examples where there has been an impact of change
on an organisation's strategy and operations...............................................................................1
L 02..................................................................................................................................................2
P. 2 Evaluate the ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team
and individual behaviours within an organisation......................................................................2
P.3 Evaluate measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on
organisational behaviour.............................................................................................................4
L 03..................................................................................................................................................5
P.4 Explain different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership
decision-making in British Airways............................................................................................5
L 04..................................................................................................................................................6
P. 5 Apply different leadership approaches for dealing with change. .......................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Understanding and leading change helps the employees and management in dealing with
the problems and different situations that arises within an organisation. It is a way through which
different challenges can be categorised and everything can be identified by leading change in the
company. In this present report British Airways has been chosen for assessment. British Airways
is one of the largest airlines of United Kingdom. It was established in the year 1974, organisation
has its headquarter in Waterside, Harmondsworth, United Kingdom. This assignment will focus
on internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team and individual behaviours
within an organisation. In addition to this, different barriers for change and their influence on
leadership decision-making will be explained in detail. Furthermore, different leadership
approaches will be covered and discussed in brief. Other than this, measures that can be taken to
minimise negative impacts of change on organisational behaviour will be explained.
L 01
P.1 Comparing different organisational examples where there has been an impact of change on
an organisation's strategy and operations.
Changes in an organisation are made so that a better organisation can be formed and expected
outcomes can be achieved (Doppelt, 2017). There are certain tools which can be used in the
company so that every employee and management can accept the changes that will be
implemented in a company. Different process of operation or techniques are being used for the
purpose of change.
Employee consider change as a challenge where they need to accept every new policy
and strategy. It is really difficult to accept changes but British airways has made such changes
sue to the inappropriate operation in the company. Thus, it became the need of the organisation
to implement the changes so that it will help on growing more and achieving organisational
objectives.
There are various companies who has brought changes among which British Airways is
the one. British Airways has faced various problems while its merger, as there was no leadership
and company was facing major problems due to the cultural change. At that Lord King has been
appointed who knew that change is really in the company. Due to the reason that organisation

resources are being wasted and operation are not being carried effectively. One of the major
reason of brining the change was due to the need of the customers were not being properly
known and same are not being fulfilled by the company (Boyatzis and Cavanagh, 2018). So after
knowing all the major reason changes are being implemented in the company. The biggest
changes made were reducing the staff which was not required by the company. Systematic ways
are being used for hiring people after knowing their talent as per the vacant positions. Other than
this, Customer services has been the major focus of the company. Both organisational and
strategic changes has been made and implemented in the British Airways.
On the other hand, Another company where changes are being implemented is H&M. It
is world's leading clothing brand which has made changes in its clothing style. Customers has
started complaining regarding the size of clothes that they are too small. Company has made
changes in its clothing pattern and style. To bring this change entire system has focused and
different policies are being prepared for the same. Customer preferences has kept on priority and
product of the organisation has been changed. For the same different organisation strategies are
required to be formed and implemeted. Thus, operation has got affected by the same and leaders
have made different policies to motivate employees in order to accept the changes.
L 02
P. 2 Evaluate the ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team
and individual behaviours within an organisation
In every organisation changes happens due to the change in internal and external
environment of the company. Businesses are established due to earning maximum possible
outcome and profits from the same. Business operations are carried in such a way that it cost less
and optimum utilisation of resources can be made (Tombetti and Mason, 2018). There are
majorly two forces i.e. internal and external forces are affecting the business in some or the other
way. Those organisations which are highly established and well settled that can control all these
factors. These all factors affect the leadership, team and individual behaviour in the following
ways:
Internal factors
SWOT analysis

Strengths: This internal factor allows knowing about the strength of the organisation. British
airway is a very trusted brand identity where the major changes are made after knowing that
company is operating inefficiently. Company has various different methods of retaining their
customers and always focused on giving the best possible services to the clients (Nelson-
Brantley and et.al., 2017). Major strength of the company is that it has ranked 18th in the nation
as the consumer super brand. It has made possible to made changes and has affected the
leadership qualities because of the various different strategies they need to imply. Due to the
highest schedule departures from the British airways it has made possible for the company to
grow more. It is easy for a growing company to accept changes easily.
Weaknesses: British airways have a weak computer system which make it difficult for the
company to operate is entire business through online website. It is one of the reason of lacking in
international market and also the company is majorly dependant on the market of United
Kingdom (Wheeler, 2018). This is the reason behind making changes in the company and its
operating system where Lord King has noticed that establishment is operating in less sufficient
manner. It is a major weakness where the company has to work on and make it better.
Opportunities: British airways has higher opportunity of covering large area of market through
different marketing strategies. It can cover markets other than UK and Europe. These
opportunities can be grabbed only when the leaders and managers of the company will come up
with different marketing and change management strategies. This will allow the company to be a
venture in global operations. Thus, it is an internal factor of change affect leadership, team and
individual behaviours within an organisation.
Threats: British airways has faced the pressure of fuel and labour cost due to which overall cost
gets enhanced. But as the competition is very high the organisation can not overcome the
competition by enhancing the prices. In addition to this, competition form high speed rail
services is also a big threat for the company. So these various threats can be overcome only when
certain changes will be made and employees and leaders will come up with extra policies and
development programmes.
Other than this, there are some external factors which means those situations or events
that are affected from outside from the company. Below are the external driving forces of the
British Airways.
PESTLE ANALYSIS

Political influence: There are some forces affects the functioning of entire business like the
government policy regarding tax and restriction on unlawful movement. Thus, the airlines need
to participate with various government regulations so that security and safety of people can be
ensured.
Economic factors: There are certain economic factors Like fuel prices and impact of Brexit has
affected the entire organisation. There are certain more factors that affects the companies cost
and its operations. So the changes are needed to be implemented so that these different economic
factors can be carried out.
Social: New changes will help in increasing the social image of the company. This will help in
increasing business and allowing people more to travel through British airways.
Technology: Changes in operation can be made by way of making investments in different
technological systems. This will improve the customer experience and reduce in the cost of the
company.
Legal: There are various legal procedures through which the organisation needs to go so every
employee, leader and managers should also work as per the legal process. It is required due to
implication of legal process on business so that it can work as per the policies and procedures.
Environmental: It is the most important factors as every organisation has to focus on
environment and its factors. This will result in keeping the surrounding clean and better for the
future generations. Hence, British Airways need to do all such activities which does not harm the
environment.
P.3 Evaluate measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on
organisational behaviour
In every organisation changes are being implemented so that it can help in growing
organisation more and attaining higher position in the market. There are always positive and
negative impacts of change on the company. In order to minimise the impact of change in
organisation certain measures are taken. The same are discussed below:
Effectively engage employees: All the employees of the company should be effectively engaged
so that they can concentrate more on the new policies and processes. It will help in
understanding things in better and let the negative impact affected in less way to them (Amis,
2018). If employees understand the changes and get ready to accept the same than negative

impacts can be minimised by them. Managers can make certain policies and monitor work of
employees on daily basis than it will lead to accepting things more fast.
Implement change in several stages: All the changes can not be implemented all at once. First
all the negative and positive impact of the same should be determined. After that all the changes
should be implemented and an action plan for managing the change should be prepared. This will
result in effecting changes less in negative way. As a pre planning always helps in making the
things successful. So to minimise negative impacts of change company should implement the
change in several stages.
Communicate changes effectively: British Airways has always followed the policy of
communicating every change in proper way. Thus, it will help the managers and employees in
knowing that why the changes are being brought in the organisation and the need of the same for
the company. In context to the cited Firm, changes are being implemented because of the
inappropriate operation of the company. So negative impacts will be less when things will be
more clear to employees and thus it will help in accepting and brining changes effectively in the
establishment.
These all are the different measures which will help in minimising the negative impact of
organisation change system. Leaders have to make proper strategic planning for accepting and
implementing changes. This will affect the leadership decision making in great way. As the
leaders have to make such strategies and policies that can help in accepting the changes more
easily (Boyatzis and Cavanagh, 2018). Hence, different measures will be made by leaders and
managers of the company so that it becomes easy for employees to understand and accept the
change.
L 03
P.4 Explain different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership decision-
making in British Airways.
Changes are always necessary and useful for organisation in making its operations and
working system more effective and efficient. There are certain barriers which are being faced by
British Airways while implementing changes. The same are described in brief below:
Lack of employee Involvement: It is the most common barrier which happens while bringing
change in the company. Every worker has a fear when they to face change in the workplace and

thus they resist to change (Bason, 2018). Management should involve the employees while the
change management process so that they can know the reason and purpose behind the changes
that are being implemented in the company. It will help in letting them accept changes and
accepting the same.
Lack of effective communication strategy: Organisation does not a perfect planning for
implementing the change and thus, they end up with various barriers in bringing it. So it is one of
the barrier that is faced by the management while bringing change. As some top level leaders
think that they can implement changes just by announcing the change. But it is not a good
decision as it is not easy for employees to accept change just by listening to it. So Management
should make proper planning and bring change step by step.
Organisation complexity: There are certain barriers of the organisation processes that are
already prevailing in the company. This complex process makes it difficult for the company to
implement changes in the organisation. In context to British Airways, they also have complex
operating process which made feel that it is really necessary to implement the changes. In
addition to this, this barrier of complex process can be managed by tackling the change that will
be too complex for the organisational system.
The ways by which barriers influence leadership decision making:
The above barriers will have a great impact on decision making of employees the same
are described below:
Leaders have to make proper strategic planning for accepting and implementing changes. This
will affect the leadership decision making in great way. As the leaders have to make such
strategies and policies that can help in accepting the changes more easily (Rosenbaum, More and
Steane, 2018). As some top level leaders think that they can implement changes just by
announcing the change. But it is not a good decision as it is not easy for employees to accept
change just by listening to it. So Management should make proper planning and bring change
step by step.
As per Rosenbaum (2018), As some top level leaders think that they can implement
changes just by announcing the change but the another author Bason says that there is no need of
the same and it needs to be more influencing.

L 04
P. 5 Apply different leadership approaches for dealing with change.
Leadership is that process which is carried out by leaders and they always focus on
brining something new which generates more potential in the employees and working system. It
is a process which bring change and does not focus on maintaining the same process for years.
So it has always been noticed that leadership helps in brining changes in the company. A leader
is the person in the company who motivates employees and every worker to accept the change.
There are various different leadership approaches which are being followed by leaders for
managing the change. Some of them will be discussed in brief below:
Transformational Leadership: It is that approach which has major concentration on day to
business activities. This approach is given by James MacGregor Burns in which it says that
leaders has to inspire employees for accepting the change. Transformational leaders are very
energetic and passionate who inspire employees to work towards common goal. This approach is
accepted by the leaders of British Airways where they help employee in dealing with change in
positive manner. Thus, leaders also helps in brining some creative ideas and encourage workers
to do the work in new ways so that they can learn something new. In addition to this, this
leadership approach says that involve employees in every decision making. Thus, the workers
will come to know more about the reason of bringing changes and it will easy for them to
accept it.
Transactional leadership: This is a theory of leadership which is given by Max Weber who
says that it is important to give rewards and punishments in order to motivate employees. This
leadership style is also used by Leader of British Airways in which they use different reward
system for motivating employees. Thus, it will help in accepting changes more easily. Here in
this leadership style all the followers accept the decision of leader and follow command of leader
where they are being told about the changes which are also accepted by the employees. Every
work is monitored by the leaders so that it can check that how efficiently workers have accepted
changes and the new Woking policies are being implemented effectively or not.
Supportive leadership style: This theory helps the employees in reducing their work stress and
their frustration that occurs during the working hours in the organisation. In this style of
leadership, leaders not only assign the work and checks the results (Choromides, 2018).
Whereas, in this style of leadership every employee is being supported and their task are being

understand by the leaders. Thus, while implementing change in British Airways this leadership
style has been followed by leaders and the same are made accepted by supporting employees.
As per ______, these all above leadership styles helps in accepting the changes very effectively
and the leaders are very energetic and passionate who inspire employees to work towards
common goal. Whereas, as per _______, sometimes employees get demotivated by the same and
these changes makes tough for them to adopt it.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been summarised that changes are part of organisation which
are implemented so that organisational goals and objectives can be achieved. In addition to this,
Every worker has a fear when they to face change in the workplace and thus they resist to
change. Management should involve the employees while the change management process so
that they can know the reason and purpose behind the changes that are being implemented in the
company. Furthermore, there are various barriers in brining change because management does
not a perfect planning for implementing the change. Hence, various problems are being faced in
implementing the change. Other than this, Various leadership approaches are being used by the
leaders to motivate employees so that it becomes easy for the workers to accept the changes.

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