Organizational Change and Development Report: UHK Analysis

This business report provides a comprehensive analysis of organizational change and development at the University of Hard Knocks (UHK). It begins with an in-depth examination of the problems and opportunities presented by a proposed change strategy, including issues like declining local student enrollment, ethical concerns regarding staff practices, and centralized management. The report then explores the application of Kotter’s 8-step Model of Change and the McKinsey 7-S Change Framework as strategic tools for UHK. Justifications for leadership, technological, and communication change strategies are presented, along with an analysis of potential issues and barriers to implementation. The report also addresses ethical considerations, such as transparency and data integrity, and proposes contingency plans to mitigate these challenges. The report concludes with a summary of the proposed change management objectives, providing a holistic view of how UHK can improve its organizational efficiency and address its challenges.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT
Organizational Change and Development
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
2.1 In-depth and clear analysis of the problems and opportunities of change strategy.....................3
2.1.1 Problems...............................................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Opportunities........................................................................................................................5
2.1.3 Kotter’s 8 step Model of Change..........................................................................................6
2.1.4 The McKinsey 7-S Change Framework...............................................................................8
2.2 Justification for a change strategy...............................................................................................9
2.2.1 Leadership change strategy.................................................................................................10
2.2.2 Technological change strategies.........................................................................................10
2.2.3 Communication strategies..................................................................................................11
2.3 Analysis of the issues and barriers.............................................................................................12
2.3.1 Issues and Barriers..............................................................................................................12
2.3.2 Contingency plan to overcome the issues and barriers.......................................................13
2.4 Analysis of the ethical issues implied........................................................................................14
2.4.1 Missing some important aspects.........................................................................................14
2.4.2 Transparency of sharing organizational values..................................................................14
2.4.3 Representation wrong data to the stakeholders..................................................................15

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3.0 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................15
4.0 Reference List and Bibliography...................................................................................................17

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1.0 Introduction
This business report highlights in-depth and clear analysis of the problems and
opportunities, justification for a change strategy, analysis of the issues and barriers for
implementing the proposed change management plan along with ethical issues implied from the
Case Study followed with strategies to address those issues and evaluating of the planned change
management objectives. The two change strategy selected for the assignment are Kotter’s 8 step
Model of Change and McKinsey 7-S Change Framework, which will be help the organization to
lead change for attaining competitive advantage, forecasting the process change, measuring
results, increasing confidence and reducing resistance to the existing system.
2.0 Discussion
2.1 In-depth and clear analysis of the problems and opportunities of change strategy
Goetsch and Davis (2014) stated that when an organization implements tools and
techniques for bringing suitable changes to the process of the organization for fulfilling the
recent demand of the market and customers is known as change management. In some cases,
changes are included in the company for re-structuring the managerial approaches; while, in
some of the cases in order to meet the standardized methods and procedures comparative to the
ongoing market principles (Cameron and Green 2015). Hayes (2014) on the other hand argued
that change management leads to the problem of adopting the implemented changes among the
employees; require more capital resources and choosing wrong change management solution.
Van der Voet (2014) in this case presented a counterargument that, effective change management
results in ease in tension and also lead to greater smooth process.

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2.1.1 Problems
The concerned organization, University of Hard Knocks (UHK) taken initiative for
combining regional Institute of Technology (IT) and a college of advanced education (CAE) and
also utilized the reputation of the former IT department, formulating new trendy course for
attracting international students and developing low cost accommodation for those students.
However, the organization faced several drawbacks like declination in number of local students
due to structural changes to the local economy, assault by drunken local youths on international
students for taking jobs from locals. The organization also faced problem in sharing the
knowledge from one department to the other and the management system in the organization is
also centralized that do not allow the lower staff to participate in the decision making sessions.
Moreover, there are some ethical issues occurred in the organization that hiring of casual staffs
for the work of giving education to Arts/Business students, providing pass certificates to the
students in spite of failing grades, gender discrimination working environment, unresponsive
nature of the HR and improper transparency of sharing organizational values and beliefs with the
stakeholders.
2.1.2 Opportunities
The opportunities that University of Hard Knocks can be attained by implementing the
change management strategy is an effective working environment utilizing a de-centralized
approach where staffs can share their concern directly to the managing authority (Pullen and
Rhodes 2015). Another opportunity that can be obtained through the change management is HR
should be more responsible towards their responsibility that is to hire educated and efficient
teachers, diminishing gender discrimination and increasing transparency in the university (Van
der Voet 2014). Lastly, University of Hard Knocks will be benefited by the opportunity that is

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efficient teachers will judge the paper of the student effectively and will not provide then pass
certifications even if the student get poor marks.
2.1.3 Kotter’s 8 step Model of Change
Image: Kotter’s 8 step Model of Change
(Source: Appelbaum et al. 2012)
Creating an Urgency- Appelbaum et al. (2012) stated that this step highlights the potential
threats and the repercussions and examining the opportunities with the involvement of the
stakeholders of the organization. Issues of centralized structure of the management and
corruption among the teaching staffs are identified and it diminishes the organizational culture
and reputation of the university.
Forming Guiding Coalitions- UHK should target the administrative people for initiating the
changes of adopting transformational nature among them. This will help the university to make
the communication approach transparent among the management people and allow strict

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regulation for the paper assessment helps in diminishing the corruption in the university
regarding provision for wrong pass certificates.
Developing Vision and strategy- This aspects helps in identifying that University should
implement effective communication media and regulation for knowledge sharing to overcome
the problem of organizational silos; whereas, changes in the organizational policies and
development of transformational leadership skills should be implemented to overcome the
challenge of centralized nature of the management.
Communicating the Vision- Hornstein (2015) stated that this phase emphasized on
communicating the requirement of the change and convince the stakeholder regarding the change
implemented. Thus it is identified that University of Hard Knocks can use traditional media
sources like office notice boards and news bulletins to update about the changes to the staffs.
Conventional media like e-mails and group chats can also be utilized for communicating the
change vision.
Removing Obstacles- This step helps UHK to identify challenges like incompetency of the
employees to adopt the change and improper utilization of the tools brought in the system and
also implements the rewarding system for adopting the change more quickly (Larkin, Bernardi
and Bosco 2012).
Formulating Short-Term goals- Thus, this part of the strategy helps University of Hard Knocks
(UHK) to implement approaches like technological changes for effective communication and
develop partnership with the local governing bodies and education minster for developing
regulation for the University for diminishing corruption in the assessing examination papers
(Fugate, Prussia and Kinicki 2012).

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Consolidating Gains- This part of the strategy helps UHK to identify the approach of assessing
those employees, who are performing well during the change process so that their success stories
can be shared with the other people (Burke 2017).
Anchoring Change- University of Hard Knocks (UHK) should list down the immediate and
associated advantages of incorporating knowledge sharing culture along with development of
transformational customs (Doherty, Horne and Wootton 2014).
2.1.4 The McKinsey 7-S Change Framework
Image: McKinsey 7-S Change Framework
(Source: Doherty et al. 2014)
Strategy- This step thus help UHK to consider approaches like developing university’s social
chat portal where stakeholder from different department can share their concern and progress
with others (Alvesson and Sveningsson 2015). Another strategy like making leaders aware of the
benefits of the transformational style can be implemented for enhancing the collaborative culture
in the organization.

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Structure- In this case, the approach for developing de-centralized culture can be incorporated so
that all the stakeholders can give suggestion in the decision making session for developing
effective strategies (Booth 2015). This can be dome through removing the hierarchy between the
staffs and the top level management and other strategy is to empowering the decision making
ability of the Science, Education and a combined Arts/Business Faculty.
System- Thus, this steps help in identifying the strategy of preparing the checklist based on daily
analyses, weekly analysis and monthly analysis to evaluate whether or not the staffs are meeting
their job responsibilities. The checklist should also evaluate whether the regulation developed by
the education governing authority are fulfilled by the staffs (Dale and Latham 2015).
Shared values- The transformational culture suggested to be implemented in the organization
helps in developing the sense of holding shared value among the people of UHK.
Style- UHK should implement transformational leadership style for adopting the changes which
will allow the leaders to identify other opportunities like designing selection process of the merit
students, valuing curricular activities of the students during the admissions to enhance the culture
of the organization (Doppelt 2017).
Skills- The utilization of the communication skills, technological knowledge of the newly
introduced information system is identified in this aspect for implementing change in UHK.
Staffs- The employees of the UHK are allowed to take decision which is identified in this step
for diminishing the centralized structure of the organization. Strategy of proper training is also
identified to adopt the change so that staffs cannot face any problem (Gorran Farkas 2013).

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2.2 Justification for a change strategy
2.2.1 Leadership change strategy
The leadership strategies for the University of Hard Knocks (UHK) should incorporate
participative strategies. Top management of the company need to provide the power of decision
making ability of the staffs to suggest whet is required for the betterment of their respective
department (Hornstein 2015). Alvesson and Sveningsson (2015) stated that in this case, the
leader should listen about the problem that the followers are facing and then try to implement
changes that diminishes those problems. UHK should also take help of outside consultants and
experts to develop this participative strategy as they can utilize their knowledge base and develop
effective strategies and regulations by analyzing existing organizational culture. These outside
consultants should be from governing institutions and education ministry as they regulate the
education system (Michaelson et al. 2014).
Justification for leadership change strategy
This suggestion is justified as external experts always take unbiased decisions for
developing approaches. Moreover they can suggest the leaders on how to adopt transformational
changes as they know how leaders behave globally and for the development of the regulations,
university staff started performing ethically.
2.2.2 Technological change strategies
UHK can implement traditional and conventional mode of the communication tools for
knowledge sharing. In order to diminish the organizational silos, UHK should share the change
planning with their staffs through e-mails, office chat portal and social media group. The

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formulation of the checklist should also be present in the database which will help to monitor the
performance progress of the staffs.
Justification for implementing technological change strategies
The method of implementing the technological changes is justified because the
management people can share the knowledge irrespective of their geographical locations. The
performance evaluation through the technology implemented also provides the accurate and
unbiased result, which also help the organization to identify which staff follows the regulation.
2.2.3 Communication strategies
Grunig (2013) stated that in order make the change implemented in the organization
without creating any chaos in the organization, it is recommend for the management people to
communicate with all the stakeholders from the initial times. UHK can initiate this step by
making people aware of the facts that changes are planned to be implemented and it is better to
specify the area in which major changes is planned to be incorporated (Sharif and Scandura
2014). Moreover, the official of the university also implement feedback system from the staffs
whether or not they face difficulty in accepting the changes. Regular presentation session,
conferences and group discussion and meetings can also be conducted for making the staffs
realized that the organization is in need to adopt these listed changes (Doppelt 2017).
Justification for implementing communication strategies
This approach is justified as organization here maintains transparency in the organization
and staffs can also develop the sense of being valued from this strategy. Moreover, the staffs can
start taking the business requirement of the university more seriously and suggest valuable
suggestion that can improve the functionalities of the UHK University.

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2.3 Analysis of the issues and barriers
2.3.1 Issues and Barriers
Lack of Consensus
Some of the staffs might not agree with the implemented changes and the main reason for
not agreeing on the change management is that these employee do not always interested to learn
new things as it hampers their time during the office hours and this problem is witnessed
especially among aged people (Schnackenberg and Tomlinson 2016).
Employee Resistance
UHK already faces the problem of hiring untrained casual staffs for providing education
to university’s students. Thus, the probability of the adaptation of the new techniques for
providing knowledge to students can impacts their performance. This will furthermore give rise
to dissatisfaction among the employees.
Training Issue
In case of UHK, the managing people have to focus more time on the core changes like
improving the accommodation of the university, improving the facility of the infrastructure and
implementing tools for communication system (Fernandez et al. 2012). Another problem raised
if not all the employees opted for the training session as they are more concerned towards their
productivity. UHK also face the same issue as people do not like to get trained as some of them
can sense the feeling of insecurity that they may not be able to perform efficiently compared to
others.