Concord Bookshop Change Theory

Introduction

According to University Of Phoenix Read Me First (2014), change should be planned, organized, and implemented only with significant thought as to the ultimate outcome of the change and the steps necessary to make such change. The building of the foundation is essential to the success of any change. The tendency to “just do it” can lead to many failed changed efforts. As an example of this tactic, Concord Bookshop developed a Strategic Plan to create a “new face” for competitiveness and viability for the employee, owners, suppliers and customers. However, despite the plan, their approach to the reform implementation led to resistance, conflict and resentment. This resistance was the result from lack of leadership and mismanagement of the change process. Recognizing the need for change is a vital step, but successful implementation is required translating that recognition into an adequate response (Spector, 2010). Listed below are examples of failed phases in the organizational change process that led Concord Bookshop into chaos.

Failed Organizational Change Phases that Led to Concord Bookshop’s Breakdown

One failure of organizational change process that was the disregarded by the Concord Bookshop’s president was a failure to communicate the renewed strategic plan with the intent of regaining sustainable competitive advantage to the managers and employees. The strategic plan was not communicated timely, along with the vision, which led employees to conclude they were expendable. To implement a renewed strategy, it is vital for leaders to engage in the change process. They need to support internal process, structures and systems to the new strategy. The goal would be to create lasting alterations in patterns of employee behaviors in order to support strategic renewal.

A second failed phase of the organizational change process that was disregarded by the Concord Bookshop was the lack to create a coalition. It is important to note that convincing people of the urgency for change is as significant as the change process itself. Furthermore, a member of the management team that is perceived as trustworthy must present the change process. The Concord Bookshop’s president led the change by leaving out the management in the change process; this stirred dissent opposition, which threatened the very success of the new strategic plan. The president of the bookshop seemed to be telling the management “it’s either our way or the highway” instead of getting their buy in or listening and addressing their concerns.

According to the renounced psychologist of change theories, Kurt Lewin, only informing participants of the need for change will not motivate new behavior. (Spector, 2010). A third failed stage the Concord Bookstore made was during the unfreezing phase. This is where all forms of learning and changes start with some form of frustration generated by data that disconfirm our expectations and hopes (Spector, 2010). The resisting managers at the Concord Bookshop denied the validity of the president’s claim that financial performance had never been worse. To truly unfreeze behavior, we must accept information and connect it to something we care about (Spector, 2010). Because the bookshop employees did not believe the validity of the owners’ terrible economic analysis, they resisted the proposition for change. Conclusion

In conclusion, to remain financially sustainable, the Concord Bookshop needed to respond to challenges inflicted by new competitors, evolving technologies and expectations of the store owners. Prescribed new behaviors, however, need to remain consistent with the company’s values, strategies and business model. The struggle to change occurred due to employees’ and customers’ perception that the store’s owners violated rather than reinforced those standards. A leader must display several qualities to engage change. A solid knowledge of how to manage change, actions required to facilitate change, and strong communication skills to convey the strategic plan and business model for the change are examples of some of these qualities.

References

Spector, B. (2010). Implementing organizational change: Theory into practice (2nd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

University Of Phoenix. (2014). Read Me First. Retrieved from University Of Phoenix, HCS/587 website.