Understanding and Leading Change: M&S Case Study Report

This report examines the concept of understanding and leading change within organizations, using Marks and Spencer (M&S) as a primary case study. It delves into the impact of change on organizational strategy and operations, comparing M&S to competitors like Asda. The report evaluates internal and external drivers of change affecting leadership, teams, and individual behaviors, and assesses measures to minimize the negative impacts of change on organizational behavior. Furthermore, it identifies barriers to change and their influence on leadership decision-making, while also applying various leadership approaches to address change in different organizational contexts. The report covers structural and technological changes within M&S and provides a comprehensive analysis of change management strategies.

Understanding and
leading change

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1. Comparing different organisational examples where there is been an impact of change on
strategy of organisation and also on their operations..................................................................1
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................2
P2. Evaluating ways in which internal and external drivers of change affecting leadership,
team and individual behaviours...................................................................................................2
P3. Evaluating measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on
organisational behaviour..............................................................................................................4
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................6
P4. Determining barriers in changing and determining their influencing leadership decision
making.........................................................................................................................................6
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................8
P5. Applying different leadership approaches in order to deal with change in range of context
of organisation.............................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The term understanding and leading change basically helps in preparing the contestants
or participants in such way that they can easily meet the problems that comes in their path while
implementing any kind of change in an organisation (Akhtar, Khan, Hassan, Irfan and Atlas,
2019). In other words, the participants that are involved will further lead in examining the
process that is related to change along with the psychological, political and organisational
process that is being generated. In the following report, M&S has been taken into consideration.
M&S is known as Marks and Spencer which is a major British multinational retailer that is being
headquartered in Westminster, London. This firm is specialised in selling high quality clothing,
home products and food products.
In the following report, different organisational example will be given that impacts on
change strategy along with internal and external change drivers that affect the firm will be
explained in detail. Further, measures and barriers will discussed that leads in influencing
decision making of a leader. In addition to this, various approaches in terms of leadership will be
illustrated in detail in this assignment.
LO 1
P1. Comparing different organisational examples where there is been an impact of change on
strategy of organisation and also on their operations.
Bases of differentiation Marks and Spencer Asda
Overview It is British multinational
retailer which is specialised in
selling food products and high
quality cloths along with home
products.
It is a British supermarket
retailer that is being
headquartered in Leeds, West
Yorkshire which was being
founded in 1949. Along with
its core supermarkets they are
also offering number of other
services which includes
financial. In addition to this,
they are also mobile phone
provider in the whole market.
Structural change Marks and Spencer leads in The structure of Asda is
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making changes in terms of
structure of the management.
It is the British high street
retailer that has been made
sufficient changes in order to
simplify the management
structure that they are working
on. This helps in driving the
decision making process in
speedier way and further push
their business closer to that of
their customers in an adequate
manner.
hierarchy in nature and has
number of functional
departments and also is trying
to make change in the stores
which they are going to
manage.
Technological change Latest technology
transformation programme is
being unveiled which helps
the cited organisation in
transforming their business to
digital first driven business
from high street retail store.
Hence, it will help them in
running or operating their
business in smooth and easy
way.
New technology is being
transformed into Asda having
latest delivery model in order
to drive data and analytics that
later on leads in supporting
applications that takes place in
back office.
LO 2
P2. Evaluating ways in which internal and external drivers of change affecting leadership, team
and individual behaviours.
Leadership team is termed as group of those administrators and other staffs who leads in
making various decisions that are important in order to achieve long term success and high level
of profitability and productivity (Drago-Severson and Blum-DeStefano, 2018). Thus, the ways in
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which internal and external drivers of changing leadership team and individual behaviours has
been discussed as per below context-
Internal drivers
Internal driving forces are the things and situations that are basically occurred in the
business enterprise. The main internal driving forces will be discussed as per below context-
 Technological capacity- the business community has to keep themselves aware with the
change in technology as it plays very important role in achieving long term success.
Further, changes in business technology or their updation helps in shaping the operations
of business that has been taken place in an organisation. Scientists are therefore working
on updating this technologies to a high extent which further leads in changing the entire
process of production. In addition to this, it has been analysed that the company if not
have the most modern technology cannot competent with others in the market.
 Organisational culture- It is the behaviour of an organisation that is being defined in the
most systematic way and that determines the attitude and behaviour of an organisation.
Culture also plays extremely significant part in the organisation that leads in achieving
long term success and high level of productivity. In other words, it is termed as the
system of shared assumptions, beliefs and values which helps in directing the people that
are working in particular organisation. Thus, this values that are being shared have high
level of influence on members that are involved in an organisation.
 Financial management- Finance is also termed as the most important factor of a particular
business and money or finance is related directly to the success of business. The cited
organisation Marks and Spencer has to look after the financial department and
accordingly manage the business. This is important to be aware of the financial
management or else M&S would suffer a huge loss. It has also been analysed that the
financial department of stated firm makes decision in order to achieve long term success
and to avoid any financial disputes. Hence, purchasing raw materials, introducing new
assets and proper distribution of funds so that it would manage the running and operating
of business organisations.
 Employee morale- Employee morale is termed as satisfaction level of the worker with the
task that is being allocated to them in Marks and Spencer and also the working conditions
in which they are working. In other words, it leads in measuring the motivation of the
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worker in a particular firm. Thus, the morale of an employee must be increased which
will further lead in motivating themselves in performing the task by providing complete
efforts without any hesitation. In addition to this, training sessions or programs must be
introduced in an organisation in order to increase the employee morale and also in
decreasing the stress level that decreases the confidence level of the worker of Marks and
Spencer.
External driving forces
These external driving forces are those forces that affect the business environment
externally. This includes situations or kind of events that affect the business which is being
discussed as per below context-
 Political influence- Political factors are those which affect the functions of business in
direct manner. This includes trade control, tariffs, governments, etc. this factor is
being given maximum amount of importance and has been analysed that Marks and
Spencer has to follow every law that is been mentioned as per the business. In
addition to this, also the decisions and ideas that is being mentioned affects the cited
organisation to a large extent as they have to follow it and it becomes compulsory to
do it (Eltahir, 2018).
 Customer satisfaction- Customer is the core of the business and plays very important
role in making the business success and increase their goodwill and reputation in the
market in which they are working with. Thus, the company has to take care about the
needs and requirements of customers and accordingly fulfil it in order to achieve long
term success.
P3. Evaluating measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on
organisational behaviour.
Organisational behaviour is the study of performance of both group and also individual
and various other activities that take place in the cited organisation Marks and Spencer. Further,
this area leads in examining the human behaviour in the work environment and further helps in
impacting the structure of job, communication, leadership, etc. thus, measures that is taken by
M&S in order to minimise the impacts of change has been discussed as per below context-
 Training and preparing employees- the leaders and managers of Marks and Spencer must
make time to train the employees with new skills and specialisation. Further, they must
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also be provided with various opportunities so that they can share their views and ideas in
such way that would lead them in accepting change in positive way and later on work on
implementing it in an adequate manner. Moreover, training and development session also
leads them in putting themselves into new roles and work that can be allocated to them in
easy and smooth way. This makes them specialised in that particular task which will
further lead in achieving long term success and company may reach the boost.
 Forming a leadership team- The team with high leadership level will help in leading the
changes that is being established in an organisation. This team must include all kind of
individual those who have varieties of skills and must be specialised in one or the other
department so that they can all together may reach the desired goal that has been targeted
by the organisation. Further, they must also make clear that the communication level
must be of high level and must try to share each and every idea that is been used in an
organisation for further implementation. This further leads in making the workers of
Marks and Spencer feel that they are valued and important for that enterprise and
therefore will further motivate them in putting their complete effort towards the task that
would be later allocated to them (Hamlin and Russ-Eft, 2019).
 Create a culture of learning- This is one of the best measure that can be undertaken by an
organisation where they can create a learning culture in such way that further leads in
accepting various other challenges that may arise in their path. This will further lead in
developing the functional and leadership skills in terms of setting them up for the future
success either with employees or organisation. Hence, culture plays very essential role in
order to achieve trust of the employees and also achieving high level of profitability and
long term success.
 Setting of realistic timelines- The cited organisation waits to makes changes to happen as
quickly as possible for them. Therefore, they must set accurate timelines so that they can
plan training and development session accordingly and may further lead them in
achieving those targeted goals and objectives in easy and adequate manner.
 Avoid people to keep in dark- Keeping people in dark is the worst thing that can be
happen in the change management process in Marks and Spencer. This means that
misinformation and gossips are spread among employees in the absence of clear and
regular communication from the management level. Further, they must try to have the
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communication strategy and also various communication tools that further leads in
ensuring all the workers that are involved in an organisation. in addition to this, the fact is
that all the members of Marks and Spencer must be knowing the actual fact that is related
to the change management process that is being further implemented in that particular
firm.
LO 3
P4. Determining barriers in changing and determining their influencing leadership decision
making.
The organisation always requires implementing change as per the belief that that change
will bring some significant impact to that particular organisation (Leonidou, Christodoulides,
Kyrgidou and Palihawadana, 2017). Thus, barriers towards change are those that always lead in
creating gap in the practices that is being taken place by having negative effect on the daily
process in terms of production in an organisation. Further, if M&S wants to avoid all this from
happening then it would be appropriate in order to pinpoint on the major barriers. Thus, some of
the barriers has been discussed as per below context-
 Lack of employee involvement- This is one of the most common barrier in terms of
change management. The employees that are involved always have the fear of facing
change in the organisation that they are working in. Thus, even the loyal member along
with the other members will resist changing unless they are involved in this kind of
process. The biggest and highest mistake that is made by Marks and Spencer is that they
lack in involving the members in this process which makes them feel unvalued and
insecure in that particular organisation they are working in. In addition to this, the efforts
that is made by the company in terms of implementing change will get succeed only if
employees are involved with them and they also have to make them feel valued so that
they can accept change and accordingly share their views and ideas towards
implementation of new process. Further, the most significant thing that is required to do
in order to drive them towards implementing change in positive way is to provide them
with sufficient resources that is required in order to adjust in a particular firm M&S.
 Lack of effective communication strategy- There are number of organisations where
there is lack of effective communication strategy. Sometimes, leaders feel that if they
announce change once than people will try to adjust and further will get ready in order to
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implement and get involved in this change management process. This therefore makes
workers feel unsecure and out of the family and therefore they start resisting change
(Neumann, James and Vince, 2019). Therefore it is important for the leader of Marks and
Spencer in making the employees knows not only about change but also let them know
the impact of that change towards the organisation and its success in further time period.
This will help the employees to accept it and work together in order to implement on it in
a positive and successful way.
 A bad culture shift planning- The people or team of planning will therefore concentrate
only on planning the administrative structure, work area responsibilities, job
responsibilities and also the reporting structure of a work. Thus, the planning team
always fails in making decisions that are based on feelings and intuitions. The way that
can be used by the organisation in breaking the barrier basically requires understanding
that M&S must not overlook the feelings of that of employees.
 Unknown current state- Change management process is very much difficult for M&S that
leads in lacking the idea of their current state. Further, by making it possible in order to
introduce and further to implement it in an organisation without conducting any kind of
assessment and also in understanding the actual process that is going on in Marks and
Spencer (Nelson‐Brantley and Ford, 2017). Hence, the best way to overcome this barrier
is that they have to try in order to understand the current status of a particular
organisation before implementing any kind of change or making any kind of plan
regarding it. Later on it becomes smooth and easy in order to plan transition in the future
state in M&S.
 Organisation Complexity- There is a time when particular organisation begins in order to
develop complex processes where there is high level of complexity in planning and also
in implementing change. Thus, the complexities includes some type of complex
procedures, products and systems all which is therefore contributed towards change
barriers because they are actually difficult for everyone to understand. Further, it is very
much essential in order to break the barrier by introducing such approach that is full of
skills in order to tackle the fast growth in terms of organisation fast growth and also the
complex issues. In order to break this barrier with the help of leading high quality project
in an effective manner.
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LO 4
P5. Applying different leadership approaches in order to deal with change in range of context of
organisation.
Leadership is defined as that process through which particular member of an organisation
leads in directing, guiding and influencing the behaviour and also the work of various members
that are involved towards the accomplishment of particular goals in a particular situation that is
being raised at that particular time period (Prajogo, 2016). In other words, it is being defined as
a capacity that leads in influencing the workers of M&S in such way that leads in achieving
particular goal that is being desired. Thus, the leadership style that is being used by Marks and
Spencer has been discussed as per below context-
 Situational leadership- Situational leadership is that style in leadership which is basically
developed when the leader or manager of a particular enterprise has to adjust their style
of leading the organisation in such way that it further fits the development level of that of
followers those whom they are basically trying to influence. Thus, the leader and
manager of the cited organisation Marks and Spencer adopts this style of leadership as
per the change in situation and also the level of development of the members of a
particular team. In addition to this, it is being termed as one of the most effective way in
the leadership approach that would help in adapting the needs and requirements of a team
and also of the entire firm they are working with.
 Democratic leadership style- In this style of leadership the members that are involved
with Marks and Spencer are therefore involved in order to make their kind of decisions.
Thus, the leader that adopts this style basically have an ability of holding up the final
responsibility but is known for delegating the authority to other people that are involved
in determining work projects of the stated enterprise. Further, communication plays
active role in this democratic leadership style which involves fairness, competence,
creativity, courage, intelligence and honesty (Saleem, 2017).
 Kurt Lewins change management model- This model is the most popular one that leads in
making people possible in understanding organisational and structured change. Further,
change is being termed as one of the common thread that leads in running through all
business in terms of size, industry and age. There are three main stages that are involved
in this which includes the following points that is being discussed as per below context-
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 Unfreeze- This is the first stage in the change management process where
preparation for change is basically needed or required. Thus, in preparing
Marks and Spencer in a successful manner, they have to start at its core
where they are required to challenge the beliefs, attitudes, values and also
behaviours that define all this in current manner. This is the first part
which is actually difficult and stressful. Here the members that are
involved in an organisation are prepared for change by motivating them in
such way that they accept the fact that change is very much crucial to be
implemented in an enterprise. This phase plays an important role there are
number of people who tries to avoid and resist any kind of changes that
takes place. Therefore, it becomes significant for the stated organisation
M&S in order to explain the way that brings profit by accepting change.
 Change- At this stage, the actual transition or change comes into existence
and gets implemented. This is actually time consuming process as usually
time is being taken by people in order to embrace new happenings,
changes and also development. Thus, at this stage of change management
process, good leadership and management is essential because all this
aspects not only lead in the correct direction but may also make the
process as the most easiest for the workers that are involved in M&S. In
addition to this, both communication and time are the keys for this stage in
order to take place in successful manner (Thorpe, 2016).
 Refreeze- At this stage, the change is being accepted, embraced and
further implemented by members that are involved or the organisation in
order to become stable and this is the reason this stage is known as
refreeze. Thus, at this stage when staff and process begin to refreeze and
things start going at normal routine. And this stage also leads members in
terms of making sure changes that are used all the time and further
implement it even after the objective is being achieved that is being
targeted by Marks and Spencer. Further, workers get comfortable and
confident in acquiring changes that is being taken place over there (Wang,
2019).
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Force field analysis
 Describing plan- firstly, plan or goal has to be decided in which change is being needed
for further success of business.
 Identifying forces for a change- They have to bring forces that are driving change into
consideration. There are both internal and external drivers where outdated machinery or
product lines, declining the team morale are internal forces and disruptive technology,
changing demographic trends are external drivers
 Identifying forces against change- Here, internal and external factors are involved. Under
internal factors there includes existing organisational structures. Further, external factors
includes existing commitments to the partner organisations, government legislations and
obligations towards the customers.
 Assign scores- Further, the score is being drawn according to degree of influence that
everyone has on that plan and later has to add up the scores for each side.
 Analyse and apply- Here, decision is being taken whether to move forward or not for a
particular change decision that has been taken.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been analysed that leading and understanding change plays
extremely significant role in terms of sustaining the business environment that is quite complex.
Further, both leaders and managers of particular company M&S has to determine the internal and
external drivers that further leads in impacting the leadership style and also individuals in an
adequate manner. In addition to this, various measures in been taken by company that will
further leads in minimising negative impact that leads to changes. Moreover, Marks and Spencer
uses various leadership theories like situational leadership in order to deal with change that takes
place in particular organisation in an adequate manner.
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