Page 212 - DCOM102_DMGT101_PRINCIPLES_AND_PRACTICES_OF_MANAGEMENT

Principles and Practices of Management

Notes adaptability to change has no future. Adaptability to change is a necessary quality of good
management. Modern managers have the responsibility to devise management practices that
best meet the new challenges and make use of the opportunities for the growth of the organisation.

The topic of managing change is one that comes closest to describing the totality of a manager's
job. Practically everything a manager does is in some way concerned with implementing change.
1. Hiring a new employee—Changing the work group
2. Purchasing a new piece of—Changing work methods equipment

3. Rearranging work station—Changing work flows
All require knowledge of how to manage change effectively.
Organisational change refers to a modification or transformation of the organisation's structure,
processes or goods. Flexibility requires that organisations be open to change in all areas, including
the structure of the organisation itself. In a flexible organisation, employees can't think of their
roles in terms of a job description. They often have to change the tasks they perform and learn
new skills. The most flexible organisations have a culture that (a) values change, and (b) managers
who know how to implement changes effectively.

12.1 Forces for Change in Organisations

More and more organisations today face a dynamic and changing environment that, in turn
requires these organisations to adapt. Change has become the norm in most organisations.
Plant closing, business failures, mergers and acquisitions, and downsizing have become common
experiences for most organisations. Adaptiveness, flexibility and responsiveness are terms used
to describe organisations that will succeed in meeting the competitive challenges that businesses
face. In the past, organisations could succeed by claiming excellence in one area — quality,
reliability or cost. But this is not the case today. The current environment demands excellence in
all areas.

Table below summarizes six specific forces that are acting as stimulants for change.

Source: Stephen P Robbins, "Organisational Behaviour - Concepts, Controversies, Applications" (7th Edition)
Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1996) page 717.

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