The Feature of Change in Organizations

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The Feature of Change in Organizations

“The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created- created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found but made and the activity of making them changes both the marker and the destination.”

John Schaar, futurist

2.0 Introduction

Change is an everyday occurrence. An example of such everyday change is the people coming to richer countries seeking a better life. An organization’s base is its people. Each new person brings something new to an organization.

In a couple previous years were introduced four types of changes:

• “Introduction of major new office technologies

• Introduction of major new plant, machinery or equipment

• Major reorganization of workplace structure

• Major changes to how non-managerial employees do their work”

Source: Morgan, D. and Zeffane, R. (2003) ‘Employee involvement, organizational change and trust in management’. International Journal of Human Resource Management. Vol. 14, No. 1, p.64.

3.0Change versus stability

In a changing world the organization must change to survive and prosper. Moreover, while it is doing so it must still deploy people to produce goods and services as normal, even if extra effort is demanded from them as they experience change. So the dilemma is that of balancing change with stability.

A further issue is how poor countries and weak organizations manage change.

4.0 PEST factors

Influence most of organizations, their strategies, structures and means of operating, including their human resource practices.

ORGANIZATION

Political factors • Government legislation

• Government ideology

• International law

• Rights

• Wars

• Local law

• Taxation

• Trades union activities

Economic factors • Competitors

• Suppliers

• Currency exchange rates

• Wages rates

• Government economic policies

• Other countries’ economic policies

• Lending policies of financial institutions

• Changes from public to private ownership

Socio-cultural factors • Demographic trends

(customers and employees)

• Lifestyle changes

• Skills availability

• Attitudes to work and employment

• Attitudes to minority groups

• Sexual role issues

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