MGMT 451 - Managing Organizational Change

Spring 2002


Topics

Dates &
Tasks

Introductions, orientation and expectations

  • To WebCT
  • To each other and our collective expertise
  • To the course content
  • To my style of leadership, expectations and incentives
  • To building a collaborative team and the team projects
Jan. 8 - 17

Tasks # 1

The case for change: revolutionary vs. continuous

  • the case for revolutionary change
  • the case for continuous change

Kotter's model: the change problem and solution

Jan.22 - 24

Tasks # 2

The types and purposes of change

  • Scope of change: developmental, transitional, transformational
  • Level of change: enterprise wide, group, individual
  • Targets of change: strategic issues, technology, structure, human resources, human processes
  • Approaches to change: internal design vs. consultant's package
  • Purposes of change: single goal (maximize economic value) vs. multiple, complex goals (develop organizational capabilities)  

 

Jan. 29 - 31

Tasks # 3

Timing of change and the resistance to change

Managing change: Kotter's Step 1 - Establish a sense of urgency

  • When is the best time for introducing change?
  • What are the sources of complacency?
  • How are they overcome? 
  • What kind of catalyst is needed?
Feb. 5 - 7

Tasks # 4

Leadership of change

Managing change: Kotter's Step 2 - Creating a guiding coalition

  • How should organizational change be led?
  • Why are change initiatives beyond the abilities of a single person?
  • What power resources are needed within the leadership team?
  • What are the contributions of leaders versus managers to change initiatives?
  • How can a team build the trust and commitment to a common goal so necessary for a successful change initiative?

A case study on the failure of leadership: John Smithers at Sigtek

Feb. 12 -19

Tasks # 5

The role of vision

Managing change: Kotter's Step 3 - Developing a vision and a strategy

  • What is an effective vision statement?
  • How does an effective vision benefit an organization?
  • How do visions fail?

Managing change: Kotter's Step 4 - Communicating the change vision

  • What are the best ways of communicating the change vision?
  • Why is it such an enormous task?
  • In what contexts must it be expressed and modeled?
  • How can the vision be communicated by example?
Feb 19 - 21

Tasks # 6

Mid-term exam

Feb 26

Presentation of Team Project # 1

Feb 28 - March 7

Removing the obstacles to change

Managing change: Kotter's Step 5 - Empowering employees for broad-based action

  • How do you align the organization's structure with the vision?   
  • What kind of training should be provided? 
  • How do align the personnel system so that it reinforces the vision?
  • How do you align the information systems with the vision?
  • How do you align strategic planning with the vision?
  • How do you insure all supervisors are in step with the vision?

A case study on realigning strategic objectives: Northwest Airlines: Coping with Change

March 19 - April 2

Tasks # 7

Implementing change

Managing change: Kotter's Step 6 - Generating short term wins

  • What is a losing scenario? a winning scenario?
  • What are the critical factors for obtaining short term wins?
  • Why are short term wins so necessary?
  • Why do some leaders fail to plan for short term wins?

Managing change: Kotter's Step 7 - Consolidating gains and producing more change

  • What is a losing scenario near the end of a change initiative?
  • What kind of resistance can still surface to defeat the vision?
  • How can the corporate culture prevent change? 
  • How can organization's interdependence thwart change? 
  • How can a leader reduce it?
  • How can an organization manage multiple change projects at once?

April 4

Tasks # 8

Anchoring change in the culture

Managing change: Kotter's Step 8 -Anchoring the change in the culture

  • What is an organization's culture?
  • Why does cultural change come last?
  • How is it changed?
  • How do you know when a change project is finished or a success?
April 9 - 11

Tasks # 9

What will be the characteristics of organizations in the future?

April 16

Tasks # 10

What are the characteristics of an effective change agent?  How can you become one?

April 19

Tasks # 11

Presentation of Team Project # 2 - Plan for changeApril 23 - 25
Final exam

See finals schedule