The following essay will critically discuss the role of strategic leadership in an organizational change process using relevant ideas and example. The objective of this paper is to come up with a solution of the numerous issues that occur in the process of organizational change through applying proper control. Organizational change identifies a predicament whereby a business adopts a new strategy in the manner it carries out its activities and management for better or cleans away a significant section or an functional division (McNamara, 2011). Proper command on the other hand refers to the implementation of strategies in the management of workers in any corporation. Organizations always go through change, at times progressive and other times extreme throughout their normal life routine whereby organizational market leaders may create change driving forces within the business. For instance, radical changes might take place in an organization resulting in structural transformation by which organizations attempt to revitalize business orientations through changing the reporting composition. Other changes, for instance, merger and acquisition, changing the most notable management of an organization, reorganization and restructuring of the company may affect the business culture and functions. Most of these transformations in group are mainly meant to down size how big is the business (Pryor et al, 2008).
However, organizational change is not always embraced positively by the employees and the stakeholders thus it is a very challenging process (Appelbaum, St-Pierre & Glavas, 2000, Pg 293). Most people are either reluctant or unwilling to test something new and they may go ahead convincing their counterparts usually. In other circumstances, organizational change is seen like a danger by those people who have been used to the old system (Pryor et al, 2008). . For example, whenever a certain unproductive team may be scrapped from the business by the management, the employees feel threatened to loose their careers thus resisting this change. This may lead to demonstration and when the authority is not so careful, they may wrap up frustrated and may even neglect to achieve their aims and goals. That's where leaders must embark on proper change management in order to accommodate the views of each party also to make proper decision which won't have an impact on the overall performance of the business (Thompsons, 2008, p5).
When a business is going through change, proper change management is essential in order to use the business through proper and successful change. This is a period when the leaders and the managers need to exercise their leadership fully. Leaders should be the role models and the best samples to all of those other employees in the implementation of change showing the good attitude which change can be done. Aside from action, they ought to explain the necessity for change to the employees, showing the power and the importance of change in order to make a positive attitude even as they work at the change. After the employees find the frame of mind that their market leaders have towards change, they will be willing to find out more about the change and they will be encouraged to get involved more in implementing the change (Pryor et al, 2008).
Several ideas will be reviewed in the essay pertaining the business change and change management. We will also look at the economic need for strategic management in change management. This will likely be in regards to the Arabic nature of the organization culture.
Strategic leadership
Strategic leadership entails use of technique to manage workers within an group (Cyprus, 2010, Para1). Strategy refers to a long-term plan of action that is laid down by a company to be able to attain competitive advantage, by meeting the marketplace needs and the stakeholders' competition, through proper combination of resources (Johnson & Scholes, 2011). The basic strategy that managers utilize in organizations is determination of workers to allow them to be productive at the end of your day. For strategic leadership to reach your goals, the managers ought to be critical thinkers also to apply the ideas of proper planning. Market leaders are the most important assets of the business since their function of leadership decides the future of the company and the output of the workers. Their suggestions to the company also to the employees inspires these to take the appropriate action thus laying the foundation for the future of the company (Cyprus, 2010, Para1).
Strategic control works handy with proper planning, competitive benefit and comparative edge. Competitive advantage identifies an advantage a person or a corporation has over his competitors by offering goods and services to the market at a lesser opportunity cost (Annon, 2011). It really is a theory that will try to address some of the criticisms of comparative edge which refers to the ability of a firm to create goods and services at a lesser opportunity cost as compared to its rivals.
Since competitors can simply learn any strategic position, it has become so challenging for leaders to maintain competitive benefit over their competitors. Also, there has been acute and drastic global competition and technological changes that require the leaders to be up to date and we place with the existing affairs to be able to protect the continuing future of their organizations. Tactical market leaders are therefore always targeted and looking ahead as well as examining the present to prepare the business enterprise for what may be in advance (Cyprus, 2010, Para1). The major aspect in tactical leaders is knowing of the market, current as well as is feasible future occurrences, critical thinking out of action, adaptability as well as progress oriented. They put into practice their leadership jobs by training the employees to get things done by merging resources in order to come up with the best results for the business (Cyprus, 2010, Para1).
Organizational Change
Organizational change identifies a situation whereby an organization adopts a new strategy in the manner it carries out its activities and management for better or takes away a major section or an functional section (McNamara, 2011). Organizational change could also occur when the business evolves through development with time from that which was established to another thing after suggestions of resources. This is the development that an organization benefits as it develops and it is a major and incredibly significant process of corporation change. Since no organization remains static or the way it was proven, the topic of firm change has become a very common and widespread matter among people as well as scholars (McNamara, 2011).
Strategic command is very central in the process of organizational change in order to embrace this change in an optimistic and satisfying way as well as avoiding negative impact of change to the company. Leaders and professionals are faced with a challenging job to perform successful and significant change whereby some achieve beyond our expectations whereas others have difficulty a whole lot and fail.
Reasons for organizational Change
Organizational change is as a result of different reason, a few of which can be from the management whereas others are out of individuals control. Natural catastrophe and acts of terrorism are a few of the major reasons that may cause organizational change. The Arabic community has been facing many of these kinds of dangers in their continents directly or indirectly which has made it important to embrace the culture of firm change in their organizations. For instance, the long time battle in Afghanistan and Iraq has influenced many organizations leading to execution of new strategies and dynamics. It is because the terrorist disorders may sometimes target a business in that manner that it's not possible to keep with its normal culture. Also, major disasters in america have been from the terrorist groups in the Arabic community so that it is very difficult for the two parties to conduct business together thus need for organizational transformation to accommodate these changes.
Change management theories
An company must be in a position to comprehend the changes itmight be going through for it to manage it successfully, normally, any change is doomed to serious problem and failing. Some of the change management strategies include recognizing the brief, diagnosing the change through exploration to be able to understand the change, handling the stakeholders carefully, planning for change by making a bullet evidence plan, controlling change job by making it happen used, investing in means of turning the programs in to simple fact, designing the business in such a manner that it'll hold the changes and efficiently move from the old firm in to a new organization, utilizing change techniques that will instill personal change among the list of parties involved in the organization to make it easy in to reality and adopting the 4D change project platform that is proficient at managing organizational change jobs (Annon, 2002-2011, Chapman, 2005-2010).
Scholars attended up with various theories that points out change management some of which include the action research theory, Lewins three step modal, Schein's Extension of Lewin's Change Model, The Lippit, Watson and Westley style of designed change which widened Lewin's Three-Step Model to a Five-Phase Model, Kotter's Strategic Eight-Step Model, Mento, Jones and Dirmdofer. s Twelve-Step Model, Jick's Ten-Step Model and Shield's five-step model (Pryor et al, 2008 & Kritsonis, 2005).
Let us look at some of the change management theories in details.
Action Research Model
Action Research Model or Theory requires several and diversified tactic of utilizing change. It entails a blend of changing the attitudes and behaviors as well as crosschecking and screening the change strategy to be used. Changing of frame of mind and behavior typically involves the authority and the worker (Pryor et al, 2008). This is the very important stage whereby the leaders and the managers must exercise their leadership and help their juniors in to the change process. This calls for training the employees concerning the change process that may be required as well as giving them an example by operating as their role models. At this time, the management should take their period to allow employees and the stakeholders the significance, reasons and benefits associated with change process that needs to be undertaken to be able to make a good attitude in them and give them morale towards wanting to learn more regarding the new change in the business. This part of changing the actions and behaviours of the people mixed up in company is action focused because the ultimate goal is to make change happen.
The other part that is protected in the action research theory involves tests the change method being applied. In this particular part, the market leaders revolve around attempting different frameworks in a real situation as a means of tests or confirming if the theories can yield their objectives. They could also apply different theories in different situations they have got identified in the business that require change. The basic necessity in this part is to comprehend the change itself in order to avoid repeated try and error but to recognize the matching theory easily. You will find three major steps that lead to the execution of the change through tactical leadership. It needs first to diagnose the necessity for change in an organization probably as a consequence to global and technical changes or any other reason. After determining the need to do organizational change, it is followed by introducing an intervention and finally evaluation and stabilizing change. The above three steps of change are regular with the three steps to be discussed in the Lewins Model (Pryor et al, 2008)
Lewins Model/ Theory
Lewins model is seen as a three major steps of utilizing change which include 1) Unfreezing the present- This calls for diagnosing the need for change in an organization. 2) The second step entails moving from today's by introducing intervention. That's where the parties engaged stop using the old and the normal methods in jogging the organization and begins using the new evolved techniques. 3) Refreezing- This is actually the final level of action as observed in the Lewins Model and it consists of final analysis and stabilizing of the change process. This is where the business community is now persuaded that the path the authority took is the foremost and the results could even be believed (Pryor et al, 2008).
For the Lewins model to be significant and long lasting it is important to carefully follow the above mentioned steps, otherwise, the impacts will be short lived. It's important to move from the present without supplying room to the likelihood of moving back again. It is a well planned change whose acceleration has substantially increased in today's day. However, the Lewins model can be employed in unplanned changes in times where there is a big probability that change will occur. For example, in the circumstances of natural catastrophe like hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, the likelihood of change occurring is high whereby, these occurrences happen unplanned. It is therefore possible to use this model on preparation of a disaster to occur in some undiscovered time. Generally, the public may well not be willing the changes proposed by their market leaders whereby the three stages aren't carefully followed which results in damage when the public is captured unawares (Pryor et al, 2008).
Schein's Model
This theory can be an expansion of Lewins Model which describes how the three periods of action should be implemented. It explains on the best ways of unfreezing, moving from the present and freezing. Schein explains that for unfreezing to work, or diagnosing the need for change in an organization, to be able for people to adopt the change, they must first see the dependence on change, whereby they aren't satisfied with the prevailing position quo. That's where people start to see the difference between your existing talk about and the expected status. Once people realize the gap between what is prevailing and what is expected, they are really motivated to work towards change in order to bridge the space and achieve their goals. In order to achieve or accomplish the desired goal, people must be assured that taking the action of change won't humiliate or frustrate them in any way (Pryor et al, 2008).
The second level of organizational change requires moving or changing from today's to the near future or the expected goal. Schein identifies this stage with cognitive restructuring which helps people choose another type of view of event from the present to the future. He represents that for cognitive restructuring to be effective, people must identify with new role models as well as acquiring new and relevant information relating the new changes to help them progress (Pryor et al, 2008).
The third level of organizational change according to the Lewins style of change management is the freezing level. This stage is involved with stabilizing the change so that it is permanent and ensuring that it is not short-lived. In his description over this stage, Schein has divided this level in to do it yourself and relation with others. He represents that for the change to be secure and long term, people must professionally adopt the adjusted way of doing things and make it comfortable and normal to work through things using that method. In relationship with others, they need to ensure that their frame of mind and behavior are aligned for the new system entirely (Pryor et al, 2008, p9).
Lippitt, Watson and Westley's Expansion of Lewin's Change Model
This model expands and changes the Lewins model by causing the steps of change five rather than three. The five levels of the expanded model include unfreezing, building a change romance, moving, refreezing and lastly achieving a terminal marriage (Pryor et al, 2008, p10)
Kotter's Model
Kotter's model of change management can be an eight stage theory whereby each step is maintained a certain period and flaws in one period make a difference the success of the complete plan. This model is best suit in tactical leadership and proper management whereby through changing the perspective of an organization, it is possible to change the perspective of the business. The eight phases of Kotter's model include 1) Creating a feeling of urgency 2) Proper handling of the repellent communities 3) Creating an idea of action 4) Proper communication of change to the organization 5) Doing the required training relating the new idea 6) Short terms rewards to those people who have embraced change 7) Process evaluation and implementing the necessary changes 9) demonstrating the partnership between new habits and organizational success change to reinforce making the change long term (Pryor et al, 2008, p10)
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Role of Strategic Control in Group Change
Strategic leadership entails the use of strategy in the management of a business. In cases like this, leaders are extremely instrumental in making certain organizational change establishes and is also permanent. There will vary types of market leaders a few of which cannot be able to look out of a process of change while some are very proficient at it However, credited to specialization, the two kinds of leaders to discussed briefly below are necessary in an organization setting in the process of change (Centre for Creative Authority, 2005, p1).
The charismatic leader- This sort of a leader has personal quality and ability to mobilize and sustains a n activity within an organization. During the process of change, a charismatic innovator, through personal action and identified personal characteristics, is able to mobilize the employees and maintain a competent adoption towards new dynamics. A charismatic leader can easily change a person's principles, goals, needs and aspirations. Though he is the popular kind of an leader, his control is observable and definable since his behavioral characteristics are incredibly clear. A charismatic leader has three major components: envisioning, energizing and enabling which are extremely key in the procedure of organizational change (Schneier, 2011, Pg 281).
Instrumental head- This sort of a leader ensures that every person in the management team as well as all the employees follow the proposed type of change to ensure that the process is steady and long lasting. He invests in building of experienced teams, clarifying the line of action to his team, both market leaders and the employees, building in measurements and supervision of rewards and punishment depending how individuals handle the process. An instrumental leader ensures that the established process of change is not temporary but lasts permanently (Schneier, 2011, Pg 281).
Effective organizational transformation requires both charismatic and instrumental market leaders. A charismatic leader is proficient at generating energy, creating commitment and directing individuals on the new procedure of the organization. An instrumental head eurs regularity in the adoption of te new organizational approach. Let us take a look at some of the functions of strategic management in organizational change management (Ireland & Hitt, 2006, p63).
As mentioned previously, corporation change is not necessarily embraced positively in an organization. In cases like this, strategic command should be capable of introducing the news about change in a very professional and conducive way to ensure that the gatherings involved receive them favorably (Heller & Bonno, 2006). This includes proper prior training, workshops and acting as role models to the rest such that all of those other people are determined and are eager to find out more and adopt the change. It is necessary to introduce the procedure of change in piecemeal to reduce chances of amount of resistance (Appelbaum, St-Pierre & Glavas, 2000, pg 294).
Once the organization is aware of the planned change and the means and dynamics of implementing change, it is the role of leaders to ensure that the steps are carefully implemented. This involves constant monitoring and analysis of the employees, satisfying those who prosper to encourage them whereas those who captivate laxity are faced with the correct repercussion. When the leadership is consistent with monitoring and evaluation functions, adoption of the new authority techniques may take root quickly and the employees will forget the old system and get accustomed to the new one (Schneier, 2011, Pg 281).
The success of the management impacts the success of change management a good deal. During the original stages of any change process, a head ought to be envisioning in a way that the guy can create a picture into the future which people can identify with and work at its achievement. People are more likely to be dedicated when working towards a goal (Schneier, 2011, Pg 281).
Another role o a proper leader is era of energy and motivation of staff in the business to motivate them to work at the set in place goal. The common method a innovator may use in energizing the employees is through demonstration of personal enjoyment through personal contact with the business employees. Once employees identify the assurance in their leaders, they may well not hesitate to be involved along the way of change (Schneier, 2011, Pg 282).
Furthermore, strategic leadership is in charge of aiding people psychologically to be able to perform when faced with troubles. After everything has been done for the employees and is set to do the work, it is important to provide them psychological support in times of need. An excellent leader can pay attention to his employees, understand their problem and participate in coming up with a solution. Employees generally have more confidence for the reason that kind of the innovator whereby a charismatic leader is better suit because of this position (Schneier, 2011, Pg 282).
Economic importance of strategic command and change management
Strategic authority in change management has got its own benefits in the entire community of the business. A few of its benefits towards the organization include, providing the personnel with way and focus, Building the foundation for goals and strategies, Inspiring positive thoughts about the organization, Ensuring unanimity of goal and Helping solve divergent views among employees. It's the basic central of an organization that can determine success or frustrations in it (Bondenm, 2009).
However, strategic authority may sometimes be biased and fail to supply the benefits that's meant to bring in an organization. For example, the strategic perspective to be effected by the market leaders may only be favoring the hobbies of the leaders while failing to consider the hobbies of the subordinate and normal employees. Also, senior executives use failingprone routines, may engage in or condone unethical conduct, may pay little or no attention to productivity, quality, and advancement, may allocate time and money unwisely and may apply too much intuition and too little rational examination (Bondenm, 2009).
Conclusion
Strategic management and change management are two very close areas which are incredibly interdependent. Change management can be very frustrating and sometimes disappointing if it is accompanied by poor leadership. To acquire proper and effective corporation change, it's important to hire good management whose source is from the leaders. This is why it is important as the essay pertains, to learn the partnership between your two, including the theories explaining them, their economic importance as well as the role of strategic management in change management.
Every firm has its culture and in this specific case, the organization change must maintain brand with the Arabic culture. It is because each community has its beliefs which will vary from the rest in the whole globe. However, since diversified kinds of individuals are likely to work within the organization who might not exactly be automatically Arabs, it is important to have plans and changes within the business that are available to the global and technical changes.
Organizations always go through change throughout their life routine. It is because an organization begins when it's small and as people carries on buying it, it remains growing and there could be need for change in one area or another. Also, the prevailing global and technological changes have got so much impact on the physical condition of an organization. For instance, launch of the internet has reduced the world directly into a cyberspace whereby almost all of organization needs to choose these changes. Technology has also reduced the necessity of so much manpower since almost all of the work can now be achieved using the device. This has led to severe organizational changes whose goals I mainly to downsize the companies. This results to laying off of staff whose solution has been as a result of the introduction of 24 hour working switch that means that work is done on a regular basis.
Organization change may either be prepared or unplanned. H prepared change s mainly indicate to improve the conditions of the business while the unplanned is determined by its nature. For example, natural unnatural disasters r not planned and the change enforced by them may not maintain positivity whereas technical and global effects impacts organizations positively and they're not planned. Strategic leadership is vital in managing both of these changes to ensure that their results ar always positive.
Several ideas have been laid right down to show the partnership between strategic leadership in change management. When learnt keenly, it is clear that change includes stages which market leaders should forget about carefully since a blunder in one level of change may have an effect on the entire results of the change process. It is also clear that the market leaders should be in the front lines in the implementation of the change process. First of all, they should be the role models to the rest of the organization; they need to make proper communication to the people and really should ensure that the employees adhere to the set plan to ensure persistence.
Though strategic management has got lots of benefits, it generally does not lack a few troubles that affect the potency of the change process. For instance, there may lack proper authority to put into action the change process or the change may be biased. Also, the city may avoid change rendering it hard to allow them to achieve their goals. Through proper authority and proper preceding preparation, It is possible to prevent negative ends up with a change process.
