Reflective Journal: Change Management, Innovation, and Growth

This report presents a reflective journal analyzing key lessons learned from a change management course. It explores topics such as employee resistance, innovation, and dialogical organizational development, drawing on case studies and scholarly literature. The journal examines the importance of communication, leadership, and organizational culture in managing change effectively. It also delves into the impact of technological advancements and economic factors on business operations. The report highlights the role of stories, ethics, and values in organizational transformation, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to foster growth and address challenges. Key concepts discussed include the TOPS system, the impact of employee behavior, and the importance of aligning leadership with organizational goals. The analysis incorporates insights from various journal reflections, providing a comprehensive overview of the complexities of change management and its impact on organizational success.

MANAGING CHANGE 1
Change
By
[Student’s name]
Course
Institution
Date

MANAGING CHANGE 2
Introduction.
Change is inevitable in many organizations as change is the factor that enables the organization
to survive and grow in various aspects. Change in some organizations is resisted by employees
because of various reasons (Rainey, and Fernandez, 2012, p.13). Firms have to employ various
mechanisms to try and minimize the resistance encountered in the process of initiating change.
Creativity and innovation have also become an integral part of any organization. This is because
organizations exist in a dynamic environment that keeps on changing from time to time.
Organizations derive various benefits from initiating change and creativity even though it comes
at a cost. This reflection paper is written to highlight why creativity, innovation, and change are
critical in organization growth and survival.
Reflection journal 3.
Employees in any organization fear resistance for different reasons such as fear of the unknown
as this may lead to changes that may render some staff jobless. From the case study of miners,
staff feared change as it could affect their identity in the community. The company had decided
to introduce performance appraisal in the firm but workers feared that they might be misused if
forced to meet the set targets by the organization. Poor communication and connection to the old
way may also force workers to resist change (Langley, et al.2013, p.7). Employees need to be
aware of the changes that are about to take place and their effect on their roles in the
organization. This enables employees to be mentally prepared to accept change as there is proper
communication of what needs to be done. The organization also needs to study the nature of the
employees so as to come up with mechanisms of initiating change in the organization with
minimum resistance.

MANAGING CHANGE 3
Reflection journal 4
Innovation helps organizations to improve on their efficiency in carrying out various tasks which
later translates to reduced cost of operations. Business innovation is initiated because of stiff
competition in the industry. The organization must be innovative so as to have edge cutting
solutions at affordable prices so as to attract and maintain customers. Embracing new technology
as a way of survival and growth has resulted in innovation and invention of various products
which have totally changed the way businesses operate (Jay, 2013, p.145). The case of the TOPS
system which was introduced in the railway transport sector to solve the problem of oversupply
and underutilization of train wagons. Solving the problem of underutilization will enable the
train company to maximize its revenue and minimize costs as oversupply will be avoided.
Innovation takes place in organizations which are willing to embrace cultural transformation so
as to accommodate new changes. This is due to the fact that new technology and innovation
disrupts normal operations of businesses. The changes will involve changing the organizational
culture and leadership of the organization. The new culture should be positive so as to foster the
spirit of collaboration and sharing of ideas which will promote innovation (Baden-Fuller, and
Haefliger, 2013, p.422). The culture should also ensure that there is low employee turnover as
staffs in the firm are willing to work in the organization. The leadership of the organization
should also be aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization. The leader should be a
risk taker as innovation involves taking risks which may favor the firm or cripple the
organization.

MANAGING CHANGE 4
Reflection journal 5.
Dialogical organizational development is mainly concerned with the evolution of firms in terms
of changes that lead to the growth of the business. The process disrupts the status quo of the
organization and the firm is able to come up with new processes of doing business. The habits of
the organization are disrupted so come up with changes that will ensure the survival of the
organization (Smith, 2012, p.6). According to various articles which I have read, the dialogical
organization development is guided by ethics and values of the organization. This helps the firm
to maintain its mission and vision but use different methods to achieve the vision of the
organization.
Dialogical organization development is associated with generativity which enables employees in
the organization to see old processes in a new way which results to more actions which can be
utilized by the organization to enhance the growth of the business. Dialogical organization
development enhances creativity and innovation which improves efficiency in the firm
(Marshak, and Bushe, 2013, p.3). Creativity leads to the creation of opportunities which can be
exploited by the business to ensure growth and expansion. Innovation results to competitive
advantage which enables the business to compete favorably with competitors in the industry.
Reflection journal 6.
Managing change in any organization is hard and requires the full support of the management.
According to the journal reflection of the night shift employees who used to sleep at night
instead of working, employees should have appropriate attitude, ethics, and behavior that will
steer the change to the next level (Kalyani, and Sahoo, 2011, p.280). The leadership of the
organization plays a critical role in enforcing change as the codes of conduct required to guide

MANAGING CHANGE 5
the employees to act in a certain way so as to effectively adopt the required change. The code of
conduct should be followed so as to minimize resistance to change as those who do not follow
the set rules will be punished.
According to the weekly journal reflections which I have read, leadership plays a critical role in
organizational transformation. One of the roles is to ensure that the firm has the right
organizational culture and structure that will ensure that change is accepted without much
resistance in the organization. The culture should ensure that the firm embraces constant
communication so as to ensure the free flow of information in the firm (Thomas, et al.2011,
p.32). Constant communication on activities of the firm will ensure that employees are well
informed and help to minimize and manage change in the organization.
Conclusion
The dynamic business environment has forced business entities to constantly adopt a new way of
doing business. This has been fueled by the rapid evolution of technology leading to the constant
change in many firms so as to survive. Change is faced with resistance if not well managed and
the process may fail to bore the required fruits. Innovation and creativity cannot be ignored in the
process of firm growth and survival. Leadership plays a critical role in organization
transformation as it introduces the organization culture that will aid in effecting the needed
change.

MANAGING CHANGE 6
References
Baden-Fuller, C. and Haefliger, S., 2013. Business models and technological innovation. Long range
planning, 46(6), pp.419-426.
Jay, J., 2013. Navigating paradox as a mechanism of change and innovation in hybrid
organizations. Academy of management journal, 56(1), pp.137-159.
Kalyani, M. and Sahoo, M.P., 2011. Human resource strategy: A tool of managing change for
organizational excellence. International Journal of Business and Management, 6(8), p.280.
Langley, A.N.N., Smallman, C., Tsoukas, H. and Van de Ven, A.H., 2013. Process studies of
change in organization and management: Unveiling temporality, activity, and flow. Academy of
management journal, 56(1), pp.1-13.
Marshak, R.J. and Bushe, G.R., 2013. An introduction to advances in dialogic organization
development. OD practitioner, 45(1), pp.1-4.
Rainey, H.G. and Fernandez, S., 2012. Managing successful organizational change in the public
sector. In Debating Public Administration (pp. 7-26). Routledge.

MANAGING CHANGE 7
Smith, P.A., 2012. The importance of organizational learning for organizational sustainability. The
Learning Organization, 19(1), pp.4-10.
Thomas, R., Sargent, L.D. and Hardy, C., 2011. Managing organizational change: Negotiating
meaning and power-resistance relations. Organization Science, 22(1), pp.22-41.