Strategic Change Management Report: Emirates NBD Case Study

This report delves into the strategic change management practices of Emirates NBD, a prominent banking institution in Dubai. It explores the necessity of change in the competitive financial landscape and focuses on improving customer services. The report examines various change management models, including Lewin's, McKinsey 7S, and Kotter's models, offering insights into their application within the bank. It analyzes the background to change, the factors driving the need for strategic adjustments, and the importance of stakeholder involvement. Furthermore, the report discusses the development of change management strategies, including methods for managing resistance and implementing change models effectively. The analysis covers implementation, monitoring, and ultimately provides a comprehensive overview of the strategic change management process within Emirates NBD, highlighting key considerations for successful transformation and adaptation to market demands.

STRATEGIC CHANGE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................4
Lo1...................................................................................................................................................4
Background to change in organisation.........................................................................................4
Models of strategic change..........................................................................................................4
Value of using strategic intervention techniques in organization................................................9
Lo2.................................................................................................................................................10
Need for strategic change in an organization.............................................................................10
Factors that drive the need for strategic change........................................................................10
Resource Implications are not responding to strategic change..................................................11
Lo3.................................................................................................................................................12
Development of systems for involving stakeholders in the change planning ...........................12
Development of change management strategy..........................................................................12
Creating the strategy to manage resistance to change...............................................................13
LO4................................................................................................................................................13
Model for change.......................................................................................................................13
Implementation of change model..............................................................................................15
Monitoring of the change management method........................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18

Executive Summary
Change management is very necessary activity or function or an organisation in market
place. top-level management within each company or organisation has always required to
implement different changes within its workplace time to time for easily surviving in current
highly competitive market place. This report is completely based on the strategic change
management, and it impact on Emirates NBD. Some major ways and techniques also have been
discussed in this report which a business can use for implementing the change in simply way.
Basically, the bank is looking for implementing the change relating to improving customer
services.
Introduction
Strategic change management is a very important topic to be discussed, because this topic
aware about the role of change management in the organisational growth. In this dynamic world,
currently each company or business has highly required implement change in its business
organisation for gaining effective outcomes in market place. Top-level management within most
organisation is trying to find out some appropriate strategies and techniques to employ their
decided change in workplace. Mostly organisations employ change in their organisation to
achieve their objectives and aims more effectively and productively.
This is report discusses the strategies change management aspect of Emirates NBD.
Basically, Emirates NBD is known as the national bank of Dubai which is Dubai’s governing
bank or completely owned by the government of Dubai. On the other side, NBD is the biggest
banking group the Middle east in existing time period (Alefari, Almanei and Salonitis, 2020).
The bank was found in year 1963, and from establishment to date, top-level management of this
bank has implemented lots of changes in its workplace for highly growing in market place.
Headquarter of this bank is situated in Deira, UAE (United Arab Emirates). Existing financial
condition of bank is very excellent, because last year the bank was succeeded in generating the
revenue of US$ 4.73 billion with net income of US$2.72 billion. Main mission and vision of
Emirate NBD has been mentioned below;
Mission: The mission of bank is to be always the biggest banking group in the Middle East.

Vision: The vision of NBD is to make its customer services very excellent to attract many new
customers in market place.
This report discusses different models of change management also which top-level
management of NBD can use in its workplace for systematically implementing the change.
Different other aspects of change management topic also have been discussed in this report, like;
strategic intervention techniques, factors that drive the need for strategic change, involvement of
stakeholders etc.
Main Body
Lo1
Background to change in organisation
Currently Emirates NBD is the most reputed baking organisation in the Middle East. But,
top-level management of this bank wants to change its existing customer services, because which
customer services currently provided by the bank has adopted by many other Dubai’s banks as
well. In this situation, the management of bank has decided to change is ordinary customers
services into extra-ordinary customer services (Mahboub, Mostapha and Hegazy, 2017). This is
really an effective initiative of bank in the context of gaining huge competitive advantage in
market place. NBD is completely aware about that, of it will not change its customer services to
make them effective, then it can’t survive in the highly competitive market place. Most people in
the Middle East like to purchase products and services only through those venture which are
providing great customer services. That’s why this bank has decided to implement change
relating to turn existing customer services into very effective services of customers.
Models of strategic change
Currently there are various models and frameworks of change management are simply
available in market place which top-level management at NBD can be adopted for successfully
implement change in workplace. For example; there are Lewin’s change management model,
McKinsey 7S model, Kotter’s change management model three main models for different
businesses in market place to systematically implement the change. Currently most organisations

are taking lots of advantages through these all change management models, in which exiting
management at NBD has also required consider these all models or framework while employing
change of improvement of customer services. These all three models of change have been
discussed below;
Lewin’s change management model
Lewin’s change management model is the most popular framework of change
management in marker place, and currently lots of organisation has adopted this framework for
employing the change. Basically, Lewin’s model is developed by Kurt Lewin in the era of
1950’s. The model mainly discusses three key stages of change which will definitely support to
bank for successfully implementing change in daily operations (Sharma, 2019). All three stages
of this model have been applied on the
Unfreeze: This is the first stage under the Lewin’s change management model where top-level
management of company have to take step towards unfreeze its existing customer services to
make them very excellent. In this stage, management at NDB has highly required assemble all
necessary resources which it will be used in the actual change implementation stage. While
unfreezing present customer services, this bank will require to communicate with its different
stakeholders as well. Basically, this is the prime responsibility of an organisation or business for
interacting with its various stakeholders for informing them about the change which it will be
implemented in the near future. In this situation, existing management at national bank of Dubai
also have to do this, because a company’s change management process has always affected to its
stakeholders in both manners, positively and negatively. So that, when NBD aware stakeholders
about the change plan, then they will ready for dealing with the impact of change. After
considering these all factors, the bank can proceed to change implementation stage.
Change: Change stage, basically this is the most important stage in the Lewin’s change
management model where top-level management of NBD will require to take action towards
implementing the change in very proper manner. In this stage, bank have to organise its various
resources including employees, because they are main resources to this banking organisation to
successfully employ decided change in its business environment. In this stage, the management
of company have conduct market research for knowing about such technologies which can

contributes in the improvement of customer services. After knowing about technologies, bank
have to adopt these all technologies in its business environment in order to improve its levels of
customer service (Hashem, 2019). For example; it can adopt the technique of quick response, in
which this technique will help to NBD for responding on customers’ queries in very fast manner.
While implementing the change, top-level management of this bank will need to ensure that
activities of change are going well or not. At the end, after considering these all factors bank can
be succeeded in implementing change in very proper manner.
Refreeze: Refreeze is the last stage in this model where organisation have to again establish its
different business operations in market place for gaining earning appropriate profit in market
place. On the other side, it should conduct such new practices in its workplace which promotes
excellent customer services in market place. In this dynamic and modern world, this is necessary
to bank for involving lots of hi fi technologies in its workplace to complete its process of
refreezing on time. Proper time management, monitoring and controlling abilities of upper
management will be highly required in this stage of change implementation. While refreezing
stage, bank have to implement the new mind-set and attitude of employees in its workplace
which can contribute in changing ordinary customer services of organisation into effective and
extra-ordinary customer services. In this stage, existing management of bank will enable to see
the positive changes in its daily operations.
McKinsey 7S model
This model is given by McKinsey & company in the year 1980. Many businesses or
ventures uses this model also for gaining effective outcomes through the change. In this
situation, existing management of NBD also have to consider this model in workplace. Basically,
McKinsey model discusses seven stages of change which has been discussed below;
Strategy: The management of bank have to use some appropriate strategies to make its levels of
customer services very effective (5 Change Management Models to Take a Look At, 2020). For
example; it can use strategy of TQM (total quality management), in which this strategy will
support to organisation for making its banking services very excellent as well as very productive.
In this situation, when this organisation offers excellent and quality products and services in
market place, then it will enable to improve its levels of customer services. On the other side, it

can adopt the strategy of quick response which will also positively affect its levels of customer
services. However, its various existing business strategies are very favourable to itself for
gaining huge profit margins in market place.
Structure: Currently the organisational structure of this venture is very large, because it has
succeeded in highly expanding its business operations in market place. For example; currently
national bank of Dubai serves in many countries, like; UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
United Kingdom, Indonesia and China. In this situation, existing management of company have
to identify that which factors of a business gives great satisfactions to customers in different
market segment. Then, bank have to develop its customer services according to actual needs of
people in different countries where it currently operates.
System: Top-level management at NBD is fully capable to manage it’s all operations in very
systematic manner, because it has proper knowledge of different managerial theories and styles.
A proper system is highly required in each organisation for gaining effective outcomes through
the change (Otake and et.al., 2018). In this situation, the management at bank have to make a
specific plan to conduct its practices of change in a proper channel to gain appropriate results in
market place.
Shared values: This banking organisation is completely aware about the impact of shared, moral
and ethical values in organisational growth. That’s why it always considers different ethical and
moral values in workplace, because these values always positively affect to people’s
performance in the workplace. In this situation, bank have to continue using its moral and ethical
values in its workplace, because these will motivate to NBD for offering quality products and
services to customers.
Styles: While implementing the change, the management of company have to adopt different
styles of leadership and management for taking lots of productive work from various people or
employees. For example; there are servant, transformational and coaching are major styles of
leadership which can plays an excellent role to management of national bank of Dubai.
Staff: There are different employees of bank also needs to be highly skilled and talented in
workplace, because after having well-developed skills and talent, employees will simply give
their great contribution in process of change implementation.

Skills: The stage of skills under McKinsey model can motivate to top-level management of bank
for providing different training and development sessions to customers in order to improving the
skills, abilities and competences of existing people in organisation. After participating in training
and development sessions, employees will easily improve their skills, and be capable to perform
effectively in the process of change implementation.
Kotter’ change management model
This is another major model of change which is also currently used by many
organisations and companies in market place (Varanasi, Brabham and Norsworthy, 2018). In this
situation, top-level management at Emirates NBD also have to adopt this model to successfully
implement the change in workplace.
Increase urgency: This first stage of this model can encourage to company for building a sense
of urgency within employees for highly motivating them to give their input in the process of
change implementation.
Build the team: In this stage, the management of company have to take steps towards building a
teamwork for achieving the final objectives of change in workplace. On the other side, it should
adopt some productive styles of leadership for taking productive work from all employees.
Get the vision correct: Bank will require to make its vision complete correct to achieve it in
decided time period. When the vision of change is unclear, then bank will not achieve
appropriate results in market place after employing change.
Communicate: While implementing change, top-level management of venture need to maintain
good communication values among all people within organisation to remove various errors and
challenges from workplace.
Get things moving: This stage of Kotter’s model will help to company for making its various
operations and activities very effective and active. It should try to run its business operations on
progressive path.

Focus on short term goals: During implementing change in workplace, management at NBD
need to focus on achieving short term goals in marker place, because these goals highly
contribute in gaining huge organisational growth.
Incorporate change: The management of organisation need to focus on incorporate change as
well for gaining long term benefits from the process of change implementation.
Don’t give up: Don’t give up is the motivational aspect of this model which will encourage to
management of organisation for never giving up from the final goal or target (Vogel, 2016).
That’s why bank have to consider this stage as well for effective change management process.
These all are three main models of change management which top-level management can
be adopted and used in its business environment for successfully decided change in workplace.
Value of using strategic intervention techniques in organization
Strategic intervention techniques are very helpful to each organisation for gaining an
excellent understanding of its current state and environment, and that’s why these techniques are
very valuable for NBD as well (ElKelish, 2017). There are two major techniques of strategic
intervention has been mentioned below with their major in importance and values to
organisation.
Human resource management interventions
This is the first technique of strategic intervention that can be enabled to existing banking
organisation for gaining effective outcomes by change management process. Basically, this
technique informs businesses about the implications of employees or people in the organisational
growth. That’s why the company have organise a workforce of many talented and skilled
employees in workplace to improve the performance and productivity of bank.
Techno-structural interventions
This is another major technique that will support to company in diving it’s all business
activities and operations into different department to complete them in very productive manner
(Jia and et.al., 2018). After formulating department, the techno-structural technique of strategic

intervention will support to national bank of Dubai in creating effective coordination among all
departments.
Lo2
Need for strategic change in an organization
The strategic change is very necessary to each organisation market place, because each
organisation has always required to implement the change in workplace to be up to date with the
latest trends. In this situation, strategic change is very important to Emirates national bank of
Dubai. Currently upper management of this banking organisation has decided to implement
change relating to improve current customer services. According to management of bank,
services which currently it provides to customer in the current time period are completely
ordinary, and with these ordinary services of customers, the organisation can’t achieve long term
profit in the future. That’s why it has decided to change its ordinary customer services into extra-
ordinary services, and this change is very valuable for organisation.
Factors that drive the need for strategic change
Currently there are lots of factors exist in the business environment of national bank of
Dubai which are driving the need for strategic change in organisation (Brosnan and Anders,
2018). In this situation, some major factors of change have been discussed below;
Effective workforce: Effective workforce drives the need to change in the workplace of NDB,
because without including effective workforce in the operations of change implementation, this
company can’t gain the final objective of strategic change (Nuytens and D’Hondt, 2018). That’s
why the management of company have to be focused on providing some productive training and
development sessions to is employees for making them very effective in the process of change
management implementation. On the other side, it should try to remove those all people from its
workplace who has negative mind-set, because this type of employees mostly negatively affects
the process of change implementation. Basically, employees within an effective workforce has
always positive mind-set that’s why this factor is very necessary in change process.
Proper strategies and models: Strategies and models also drives the process of change
management, because without using appropriate strategies and models, no venture can achieve

its final objectives of change management. That’s why company to hire some people within its
workplace before starting the process of change management who has proper knowledge of
identifying that which strategies effectively works in the process of change, and which not
provides appropriate results.
Market competition: This is one of most effective factors to bank that drive the need for
strategic change (Rechert, Falcao and Ensom, 2016). Currently, there is huge competition in the
international banking sector, in which this factor has affected to top-level management of bank to
implement the change of improving customer services in its workplace. Basically, when
organisation productively change its levels of customer services, then it can simply gain many
new customers in market place, and at the end it can be enabled to gain huge competitive
advantage ion market place.
These all are major factors that drives the needs of strategic change, so that the
management of national bank of Dubai have to properly consider these all strategies to gain
appropriate results from change implementation procedure.
Resource Implications are not responding to strategic change
While implementing the change in workplace, each organisation has always required to
organise different resources to successfully achieve the final objectives of change management
process. For example; Staff or employees, technologies, transportation, development heads and
consultancy firms etc. are major resources to NBD, that it needs to be used in its daily operations
for proceeding the change implementation procedure. In this situation, these all resources can
positively affect to this procedure (Wood and et.al., 2020). However, banking organisation have
to avoid using such resources in its workplace which are highly time waste the precious cost of
organisation. On the other side, the management of organisation will be required to learn about
how to be positively impacted through the use of all resources in change management process.

Lo3
Development of systems for involving stakeholders in the change planning
Involvement of stakeholders in the planning of change is very necessary task to a
company, in which top-level management at national bank of Dubai have to take steps towards
developing systems for involving stakeholders in the change planning. Currently there are upper
management, government, employees, customers, sales head and team etc are main customers of
bank, so that the management of company have to use various strategies to develop systems.
Some major strategies development of system to involve stakeholders has been discussed below;
Communication strategy: This is one of the strategies to company for involving stakeholders in
the change planning (Aalbers and Dolfsma, 2017). According to this strategy, the bank is fully
responsible to communicate with its stakeholders to inform them about the change. Then, while
planning for change implementation, the bank has to invite stakeholders to give their valuable
opinion on change implementation process.
Receive feedbacks: This is another major strategy in order to development of system, in which
the management bank have to take steps towards receiving the feedbacks from its stakeholders
on the matter of change implementation. Basically, by taking feedbacks from stakeholders, the
company can simply involve their stakeholders in planning of change by knowing their opinions
and thinking on change process.
Development of change management strategy
Development of a change management strategy with stakeholders is another major task to
bank for successfully implementing change in its workplace (Wang and Miao, 2019). Basically,
these strategies will help to company for maintaining effective relations with all stakeholders in
the process of change, in which some appropriate strategies to bank has been developed below;
Engagement strategy: This strategy will help to organisation for creating great engagement with
different stakeholders in market place, in which when it has an excellent engagement with
stakeholders, then they will simply cooperate with bank while implementing change in
organisation.