Activity 1

To provide you with an opportunity to identify strategic change needs through an analysis of
organizational objectives.

Why is it important to analyze the organization’s objectives when identifying change

requirements or

opportunities?

Strategic objectives, often referred to as goals, are the desired outcomes identified by senior
management for the entire organization. The objectives are what guide management planning,
organization, leadership and control functions, and all of these functional activities are designed
to achieve them. Broad strategic objectives are generally officially communicated in
organizational publications and on its web and social media pages, to communicate to
employees and other stakeholders what it wants to achieve. There are also detailed objectives
that are communicated internally and are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time
framed. These are known as SMART objectives (or goals) and they assist in driving
organizational activity

Give three examples of the types of strategic change that may be required as a result of an
analysis of

organizational objectives.

1. A good example of incremental change is the Rolls Royce motor car. If you look at a picture of
a 1930s Rolls Royce compared with a current model, they look like they are completely
different cars. If you look at a 1930s model, then a 1940s one and every decade until the
present day, you can actually see the evolution of the car and how some key features have
been maintained, but yet each decade has brought with it new models which reflect modern
tastes and technological advances. As a business, Rolls Royce recognized that standing still with
their successful 1930/40s model was no guarantee of long-term success. They have continually
evolved and developed the technology, the styling, the performance of the vehicle to keep up
to date with the rest of the market.

2. Restructuring the organization to reduce staff costs, relocating merging with or acquiring
another organization or introducing new technology throughout the organization.
3. If the organization’s business plan is to break into a new territory with new products, using
new equipment, in a new location, then there is clearly a need for change on a number of
different levels. This will impact on many things such as; staff, skills, resources and procedures.

Activity 2

To provide you with an opportunity to review existing policies and practices against strategic
objectives to identify where changes are required.

Why should existing policies and practices be reviewed against strategic objectives?

Ultimately a review of policies and procedures is to:

 Ensure that they are implemented as they were intended

 Assess how often they are used and to gather responses on how
accessible/practical they are
 To determine if changed circumstances (legislation, resident population group,
etc.) render them less relevant

68.3% of staff responding to questionnaires for the development of the TC Standards

and this Support Package indicated that they have been involved in developing or
reviewing policies and procedures at their TC. Comments made by staff in this
questionnaire indicate the importance of their own and resident member participating in
reviewing relevant policies and procedures as a means to ensure consistency,
knowledge, awareness of the rationale of procedures and relevance/applicability.

Imagine that an organization has a new strategic objective concerning the introduction of
new technology throughout the business which will affect all employees. Which types of
policies and practices may need to be reviewed in the light of this objective?

New technologies are often complicated and may require extensive training. As a result,
you can expect some resistance from potential users. Before deciding on the
introduction of specific technology into your small business, consulting employees and
identifying problems will ease the transition. Those affected need to understand how the
change will help them in the long run. Clearly presenting the issues that the new
technology addresses is a key to gaining acceptance from the people whose work it will
affect. A well-designed introduction based on a collaborative effort has the best chance
for success.

Fundamental change
Fundamental change makes a more noticeable impact on the organization. It can be considered
to be more of a revolution than evolution; a ‘big bang’ or reactive change. Examples might
include; introducing new technology throughout the organization. When fundamental change
has taken place, it’s visible within the organization; this is not always the case with incremental
change.

Activity 3

To provide you with an opportunity to monitor the external environment to identify events
or trends that impact on the achievement of organizational objectives.

Give six examples of the types of external trends or events that may impact on achievement
of the

organization’s objectives.

1. Impacts from Severe Weather

If man could control the weather, vacation resorts would know exactly when to charge
the highest room rates. Storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires are outside your
purview of controllable business factors. In addition to the direct impact a storm may
have on your ability to open your doors at any given time, widespread weather events
often carry a substantial trickle-down effect to a wide range of businesses.
2. Changes in Local Infrastructure
Zoning laws, highway construction and housing development are particularly important
to retail establishments, restaurants, manufacturers and other businesses that rely on a
location for success. Changes in the local infrastructure may prove either disastrous or
fortuitous to your company.
3. Changes to Laws
State, local or federal changes in the laws can have a direct impact on your business if the
service or product becomes highly regulated or outlawed. Cigarette manufacturers
 learned this lesson when public smoking was outlawed in many areas and smoking
indoors has become practically nonexistent. Government regulations such as those that
affect the environment or communication are beyond your control and could have a direct
impact on your business.
4. Changing Trends and Technology
While you may spend a good part of your profits on marketing in the hopes of favorably
influencing trends, some are beyond your control. An increase in technology use by your
customers may be built into your strategic planning, but you may not have planned for
the widespread use of social media that could affect your business. Celebrities who
become advocates for a cause or decide to boycott a certain business practice can start a
trend that could seriously affect your business if you're on the wrong side of the trend.

5. Changing Customer Base

Your target customer base may change suddenly or slowly over a period of time. The
changing makeup of your neighborhood that attracts more singles or young renters can
affect your business for example if you cater to a more upwardly mobile, family-oriented
customer base. Cultural implications of a changing neighborhood may affect your
business negatively or positively depending on your ability to meet the needs of changing
demographics.
6. Finance and Credit

Wall Street and the solvency of big banks and financial institutions may not seem
to have much to do with your business, but eventually they may affect your ability
to continue doing business. Interest rates, the availability of credit and consumer
loans are external factors you rarely can control.

Using the PESTLE analysis tool, identify three current factors in each category which affect
your industry sector.
 Current factors

Political factors
 Government stability/instability
 Corruption level
 Tax policies
Economic factors
 Growth rate
 Interest rate
 Inflation rate
Social factors
 Population size and growth rate
 Birth rates
 Death rates
Technological factors
 Technology incentives
 Automation
 R&D activity
Environmental factors
 Weather
 Climate
 Environmental policies
Legal factors
 Discrimination laws
 Antitrust laws
 Employment laws

Activity 4

To provide you with an opportunity to identify major operational change requirements due
to performance gaps, business opportunities or threats, or management decisions.

Give 3 examples of each of the following factors which may result in change in an
organization:
 Factor

Performance gaps:

1. Take a look at the overall design of your performance management process. 

2. Take a second look at the amount of time your managers are spending with their
people. 
3. Review your performance review process.

Business opportunities

1. Understanding the current state of the organization.

2. Competently envisioning and laying out the desired future state of the
organization.
3. Implementing the change in an orderly manner. This involves managing the
transition effectively. 

Business threats

 Legislation could impact.

 Environmental effects would favor larger competitors.
 Existing core business distribution risk.

Management decisions

(1) identify the points of decision and alternatives available at each point

(2) identify the points of uncertainty and the type or range of alternative outcomes at each
point

(3) estimate the probabilities of different events or results of action and the costs and gains
associated with these actions
Imagine that a graphic design company has found that they are only delivering 70% of
customer projects on time; that customer satisfaction is low and that a competitor has
started trading on the same business park, targeting the same customer base. What changes
might arise from this set of circumstances?

Following are the changes that can/might arise from this circumstance:

The people might go to other vendors for their graphic design needs

The customers will stop giving the company good reviews

The competitors will get an edge over the company

The employees to might get pooched by other companies and they may end up joining as well
The competition may become unhealthy

Activity 5

To provide you with an opportunity to review and prioritize change requirements or

opportunities with relevant managers; and to consult stakeholders, specialists and experts to
assist in the identification of major change requirements and opportunities.

Why is it important to review and prioritize change requirements or opportunities with

relevant managers and specialists?

 Prioritizing Requirements – Everybody does it but often too late.

 Prioritization helps you manage your requirements and your resources.

 Prioritization also helps manage the unknown unknowns. 

 With prioritization, you improve communication because you’re taking the guesswork out of the project.

 With prioritization, people tend to rethink their requirements.

 Prioritization is also helpful when releasing software in phases.

Group and case study questions – to be conducted and assessed by the trainer.

In groups of three/four, the learner should consult with the group:

Meet with a group of managers about proposed new changes in manufacturing processes to
improve productivity and reduce waste for the supply of ready-made sandwiches. Draw up an
agenda for a meeting with this group and consult them about the proposed changes and their
priorities.
Agenda for Meeting Discussion
Meeting Agenda: Ready-made Sandwiches
Group Name: Relevant Managers
Date: 2/10/2019
Time: 09:00 am
Venue: Kent Institute

Agenda:

1. Welcome

2. Minutes from the last meeting

3. Team report about the new change

4. Tea Break

5. Current actions:

a. To improve productivity

b. To reduce waste

6. Correspondence

Case study exercise – to be carried out in pairs, the learner should brief:

Brief a contractor to support you in identifying opportunities for a major change in your
organization/example organization. What key points would you wish to include in this
conversation?

Key points: Opportunities

 Potential income

 Potential productivity improvement

 Human forces

 Technology

Develop change management strategy

Activity 6

To provide you with an opportunity to undertake cost-benefit analysis for high priority
change requirements

and opportunities.

Why is it important to undertake a cost-benefit analysis for high priority change requirements
and

opportunities?

Imagine the graphic design company has decided to invest $50,000 in new equipment, staff
training and

consultancy support to streamline its work flow. What are the potential tangible and
intangible benefits to be

achieved from this investment?

Activity 7

To provide you with an opportunity to undertake risk analysis and apply problem solving and
innovation

skills to identify barriers to change and agree and record mitigation strategies.

What is the purpose of a risk analysis when developing a change management strategy?

Imagine that the graphic design company is introducing new technology and working
practices. What barriers
might be encountered?

What mitigation strategies could be implemented to avoid the barriers identified in the
previous question?

Activity 8

To provide you with an opportunity to develop change management project plan.

Why is it important to develop a change management project plan?

What key information should be included in the change management project plan?

Activity 9

To provide you with an opportunity to obtain approvals from relevant authorities to confirm
the change

management process.

Why is it important to gain approval from relevant authorities for change management
processes?

In pairs, the learner should carry out the following task:

You are applying for access to a funding partner’s grant for businesses such as yours (or
example business).
You are seeking their approval for a change programme in which you are requesting a $5,000
investment in

developing new procedures and staff training.

Consult with and ask the funding partner for approval

You may want to include the following points in your consultation:

 Review the funding partner’s criteria for awarding the grant

 Ask the funding partner for examples of the types of projects that they have invested in
before, and

the types of projects which they will support in the future

 Brief the funding provider on your proposal and how it satisfies their criteria and benefits
the business,

staff and customers

 Share the change management strategy and project plan with them

 Sell the benefits of your change programme

 Seek information about any conditions that they might impose on the funding and assure
them of how

these will be incorporated in your plans.

Activity 10

To provide you with an opportunity to assign resources to the project and agree reporting
protocols with

relevant managers.

What resources might you allocate to a project?

Identify a current, small scale work (or non-work-related) project that is taking place in your
organization (or

example organization). Identify the resources that would be required to successfully

implement this project.

For the project above, identify who needs to be updated as to the progress of the project,
how this is done and

how frequently.

Implement change management strategy

Activity 11

To provide you with an opportunity to develop communication or education plan, in

consultation with

relevant groups and individuals, to promote the benefits of the change to the organization
and to minimise

loss.

Develop a communication plan for your organization, or an example organization, as part of

implementing

change strategy and consult with two other members of your group, as acting stakeholders.

Think of a recent change that took place in your organization or another organization that
you know. What
were the benefits of this change?

Thinking of the same change as in the previous question, what types of loss were experienced
by people

affected by or involved in the change? How could this be taken into account in the
communication process?

Activity 12

To provide you with an opportunity to arrange and manage activities to deliver the
communication or

education plans to relevant groups and individuals.

Imagine that you are planning a series of briefing sessions to brief the staff about a
forthcoming office move.

What should your briefing cover?

What practical arrangements do you need to consider when arranging and managing
communication/training

activities?

Activity 13

To provide you with an opportunity to consult with relevant groups and individuals for input
into the change

process.

Imagine that you are planning a consultation event in your own organization as part of a
change program to
introduce new equipment (hardware or software).

Please answer the following questions:

How would you select members of the consultation group/s?

When, where and how will the consultation/s take place?

What key questions will be asked as part of the consultation process?

What will happen to the results/output from the consultation process?

In groups of three or four – the learner should perform the following consultation to their
‘acting

colleagues’:

Following on from the questions above, consult with your group of colleagues and ask for
their input into

how the changes may affect them.

Activity 14

To provide you with an opportunity to identify and respond to barriers to the change
according to risk

management plans.
Imagine that you are managing the project which you considered in Activity 3C. What barriers
might you

encounter and how might you respond to them?

Activity 15

To provide you with an opportunity to action interventions and activities set out in project
plan according to

project timetable.

Choose three of the following possible interventions and actions which may occur on a
project plan. Thinking

of the context of your own organization, describe how you would ensure the
correct/appropriate

implementation of these actions:

 Action research

 Career planning

 Job redesign

 Sensitivity training

 Succession planning

 Surveys (with feedback)

 Team building

 Termination or redeployment

 Training

 Transition analysis.
Activity 16

To provide you with an opportunity to activate strategies for embedding the change.

Why is it important to activate strategies for embedding the change?

Imagine that you are managing a change programme to implement a series of complex new
procedures which

are designed to reduce waste and improve quality and efficiency. What strategies might you
use to embed the

change?

Activity 17

To provide you with an opportunity to conduct regular evaluation and review and modify
project plan

where appropriate to achieve change program objectives.

Why is it important to evaluate and review progress during a change management

programme?

What methods can be used to evaluate and review progress of a change programme?

Following on from Activity 16, in a group of three, evaluate the change programme that has
been
implemented for a series of complex new procedures designed to reduce waste and improve
quality and

efficiency. Include the methods you would use to review progress towards achieving your
objectives.