Concord Bookshop, Essay Example

Conflict can bring about changes that are beneficial to an organization. However, the benefits can only be maximized when the conflicts are handled professionally. Inability to manage change may undermine an organizations performance due to sabotage or false starts. This fact can best be explained by examining various phases in the organizational change process, isolate those phases that were not implemented or completed at the concord bookshop that lea to the change failure and how this scenario relates to health care organizations which like any other organizations is susceptible to conflicts (Jacobs, 1997).

Phases in the Organizational Change Process

For the change process to be successful, it must be informed by a number of steps (Kegan & Lahey, 2001). To induce employee motivation to enhance change, there is the need to create urgency which is the first phase in the organizational change process. Creation of a powerful coalition is the second phase. It brings together influential people with the requisite experience, job title and expertise. The third phase entails the development of a change vision. The next phase involves communicating the vision. The fifth phase involves the identification and elimination of crucial obstacles that could hinder the implementation of change. Creation of wins in the short term is the sixth phase while the seventh one involves building on change. When victory is declared prematurely, the organization runs the risk of failure. Therefore, there arises the need to build on short term gains to achieve the long term change in the long run. Entrenching change in the corporate culture is the seventh and final phase (Jaffe & Scott, 2003).

Discussion

Like any other organization, health care organizations are not exempt from conflicts. Conflicts are a catalyst for change and they can be beneficial if viewed positively. They can encourage innovation through discussion of different viewpoints. Individuals are prompted to articulate assumptions and their personal viewpoints while being concerned with others assumptions and viewpoints. Change can be enhanced by benefits arising from proper management of conflicts forming the basis for increased opportunity for creativity. To better understand this fact we can analyze the phases that were not implemented by concord bookshop, thereby creating a deadlock in the organizational change process due to inadequate management of conflict of interests (Kegan & Lahey, 2001).

The owners of the bookshop fail to communicate the vision and mission to the employees. The vision created is itself not complete. For the vision to succeed, it needed to be commununicated within a reasonable time frame. The professor of history, David Donald, Harvard, noted that, the employees had already concluded that they are expandable. The reason for this negative attitude of employees is the concords inability to communicate its financial difficulties to the employees in order for them to embrace change (Jaffe & Scott, 2003).

No coalition was ever implemented. The importance of change process goes hand in hand with the need to convince the employees of the necessity of change. The concord owners had chosen to isolate the management in effecting change. This led to widespread resentment of the owners by the vast group of management. By making it clear to the managers that they either follow the decisions of the owners or quit meant that even when new management was put in place, they would still be frustrated by the employees.

Conclusion

For the change process to be successful, it must be well planned for in advance. Eliminating obstacles and carefully selecting the right people to implement the change process ensures its success.

Works Cited

Jacobs, R. (1997). Real time strategic change: How to involve an entire organization in fast and far-reaching change. San Francisco. CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Jaffe, D.T. & Scott, C.D. (2003). Mastering the change curve  2^nd ed.. PA: HRDQ

Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2001). How the way we talk can change the way we work: seven languages for transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass