Urban Geography And The Human Agency - 1212 Words

With the sources provided it is evident how influential the social structure is on urban geography and the human agency in the continuum of the socio-spatial dialect. The talk by Wilkinson outlines social problems that correlate to inequality that is widening throughout developed countries. The Figures provide statistics of the inequality within Canada and the patterns that are not temporary but also not inevitable as discussed in the article about the Three Cities of Toronto. The article analyses the social and geographic transformation that has occurred in Toronto through the past 35 years by looking at census tracts and illustrating the disparities that are occurring and will continue to without a change of policy. Together, the sources†¦show more content†¦Sweden who has a fairly equal society had low results for social problems. Wilkinson also made a point to state that national income and economic growth had no correlation to life expectancy in the developed world anym ore. Wilkinson goes on to state that the bigger the income gaps within societies lead to a deteriation of these social problems within societies. The difference when comparing societies and looking within societies was income only made a difference when looking within societies. This is a result of an idiographic approach where we look at the relative income within a specific society to understand the social status patterns that’s occurring. It links to the idea talked about in class about scale and comparing information from the blockface data versus the census tract. The blockface data has extreme detail (or spatial variation) and the census tract does not have as much information (reduces variability). In this analogy, societies would be the blockface data and different countries would be the census tract. Turning our attention specifically on Canada, we can examine Figure A and see the inequality that has been rising to an unprecedented high of income inequality. Although we are see that through taxation this inequality has been reduced, the problem still remains significant as we can see the household inequality is drastically rising in all the major metropolitans in Canada especially from 2000-2005. This is

Classical Analysis Free Essays

Alyssa Huskinson COMS 100B, Fall 2012 8 October 2012 Classical Analysis In an Absolut World Absolut vodka is based on 500 years of tradition originating in Sweden. Under the original name â€Å"Absolut rent branvin,† which means â€Å"absolutely pure vodka,† Absolut was introduced in the United States in 1979 and since has become one of the world’s most famous spirits. The advertisement campaign, In an Absolut World, was just another successful entry in the company’s advertising history, and Absolut advertising continues to be recognized as pure genius (cite). We will write a custom essay sample on Classical Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now The purpose of the In an Absolut World campaign was to convey the idea that Absolut is indeed in a world of its own. The campaign challenges customary view points by presenting a refreshing optimistic perspective of everyday life, in a world of its own. One specific artifact, called the â€Å"taxi† piece, illustrates a few people leaving a bar and having to navigate the aisles of persuasion by choosing which cab to take home (since, in this particular world there is a sea of taxis from which to choose). The question to be answered remains: what if everything in the â€Å"real† world was a little more â€Å"Absolut† and perfect? The message presented across the various examples within the campaign remains constant, as to reveal a work of art, for the audience to explore and communicate within the world of Absolut. Kenneth Burke (year) defined the rhetorical function of language as â€Å"a symbolic means of inducing cooperation in beings that by nature respond to symbols† (p. #). If this campaign sparks any response in beings, then according to Burke, in an Absolut/absolute world, the power of language is identification. This campaign visually indentifies the language of the text as being luminescent, while asking a question about what would happen if everything in the real world could be perfect. The allure of Absolut vodka captivates the audience by conveying a unique invitation to be a part of the Absolut World. With the inception of the Internet and increased availability, advertisements have the opportunity to influence society in a tremendous way. In these advertisements, â€Å"Drinkers are invited to imbibe ‘in an Absolut World,’ a fanciful, even surreal, place where common sense prevails and just deserts are always on the menu,† (Elliot, 2007, p. #). The advertisements in the campaign were created to show the view of Absolut’s World, so that the consumer has the opportunity to respond and react. [You’ve given us a somewhat abrupt transition from campaign-level (general) to artifact-level (specific)†¦try to ease me into it a bit more gently. I think a new paragraph is in order as well. ] The basis of the content in the artifact being analyzed here represents an example of the perfect world as Absolut sees it; in this example, a parking lot is full of taxis lined up and ready to go, and the patrons of the bar have multiple options for transportation home (none of which include driving themselves). The scene in this artifact takes place at night, under the glow of the street lights, which capture the mystic notion of the evening lifestyle. The taxis here are symbols for transportation, but they also portray the message of the Absolut World. [This last statement is quite powerful, but I don’t feel as if you developed it enough to leave it alone yet. What do you mean that they portray the message? Here’s what I THINK you’re saying: the taxis are how we know that we are viewing an idealized world, not the real world. In an idealized world, no one who enjoyed Absolut would have to worry about how she/he would get home safely, because the taxis would be there. The taxis deliver to real viewers and the fictional people in the artifact. ] This powerful campaign provides a framework for the culture of Absolut to establish a different viewpoint about the world in which people live; not only does this campaign function on multiple business levels, but it also speaks to consumers on a personal level by capturing pure emotions. This artifact depicts the desire for the perfect life. If taxis were always available, then would there be less drinking and driving? Could the Absolut world be the answer to drinking and driving? Given the opportunity, would people still take taxis home from the bar or use a designated driver, or is this notion of â€Å"absolute safety† real only In an Absolut world? According to the Center for Disease and Control (year), U. S. drivers got behind the wheel after drinking too much about 112 million times in 2010; of those 112 million, 4 out of 5 men were responsible (81%) for that statistic. [I think you should mention here that one way to ensure a complete end of drinking and driving would be to end drinking; however, such a solution would be ighly negative to Absolut’s bottom line, which is why a perfect world according to Absolut still has drinking in it. The fact that they would ignore one solution to the social problem (drinking and driving) while advocating a second solution calls their credibility (ETHOS) into question, which also damages the effectiveness of the artifact. Don’t forget to connect to your method! ] Given the description, then, doing things differently can lead to extraordinary growth. Absolut’s message promotes a different impression of the brand. To establish this kind of message, it can be anticipated that it is useful to recall the past and to make guesses at the future (Stoner Perkins, 2005). The In an Absolut World campaign comes from a credible company; the new campaign started after the successful 25 year run of another campaign, â€Å"Absolut _______† (which included memorable pieces such as â€Å"_____† and â€Å"_____†) (cite). [It’s another point about ethos, as far as I see it. Absolut built on the credibility it had from the â€Å"Absolut ______† campaign to convince the audience to accept the â€Å"Absolut World† concept. Cicero’s canon of invention proves to be a useful lens with which to view and understand the artifact; given that the purpose of the piece is persuasion, the rhetor uses pathos and logos to enhance the article (in addition to the previously mentioned ethos that is also used). The need for a sober driver in any given situation is a logical argumen t. As indicated by the artifact’s warning to â€Å"Enjoy with Absolut Responsibility,† the company knows that drinking and driving leads to X deaths in the United States annually (cite). Absolut’s advocacy for a world where drinking and driving never mix is a suggestion based upon sound logic, and Absolut hopes the audience will respond favorably to that logic. Also, the artifact maintains a call of action to join the Absolut World—and in this perfect world, the creators ask their consumers to maintain the illusion. According to the New Scientist article, persuasion is a key element of all human interaction, from politics to marketing to everyday dealings with friends, family and colleagues. Persuasion is a basic form of social interaction,† says Eric Knowles (year), or a way in which people â€Å"build consensus and a common purpose† (p. #). Therefore, Absolut needs those who view the artifact to be persuaded not just to buy Absolut vodka, but also to believe in Absolut’s version of the world, in an attempt to bring that â€Å"Absolut† world to reality. Such lofty goals require expert use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Accordin g to Kenyon and Hutchinson (2007), Absolut advertisements include various socio-cultural references. The artifact simultaneously requests the responsibility of viewers in the real world, and celebrates the responsibility of the participants in the Absolut world. [Again, a really elegant point, but the explanation that followed, the part you wrote (and I deleted), did not help make that great point concrete. Instead, you should point to pathos. The people in the Absolut world are presented as smart, responsible, and fun (you would include examples from the text to make that point†¦they are smiling and safe†¦whatever). The viewer in the real world wants to be seen as smart, responsible, and fun. Absolut creates here a feeling of wanting to be included and celebrated, which once again draws the audience closer to the brand. ] Absolut vodka has managed to maintain (and grow) the brand’s credibility, the emotions of the audience, and the logic of the message; therefore, the â€Å"In an Absolut World† taxi artifact is a successful example that builds a world of its own. This campaign and this artifact specifically make the viewer excited about the perfect world, while accepting and participating in the real world. Thus, the artifact has two results: the viewer feels positive about Absolut and may choose Absolut over another vodka brand, and the viewer might choose to embrace the Absolut world and the Absolut responsibility of avoiding drinking and driving. Would it really be so bad if the Absolut World intertwined with reality? Life is not designed to be easy, but if in fact it was the perfect, then imagine how different society would be. [Alyssa, you have lovely ideas†¦you just need to work on making the ideas full and complete, and then making sure your organization is seamless and smooth. ] +168/200. Works Cited Burke, G. K. (1932) â€Å"Towards a Better Life: Being a Series Epistles or Declamations, a Novel,† Harcourt, Brace and Company Ltd. CDC Features – Drinking and Driving: A Threat to Everyone. (n. d. ). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from http://www. cdc. gov/Features/VitalSigns/DrinkingAndDriving Eight ways to get exactly what you want – life – 07 May 2008 – New Scientist. (n. d. ). Science news and science jobs from New Scientist – New Scientist. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from http://www. newscientist. com/article/mg19826551. 400-eight-ways-to-get-exactly-what-you-want. html Elliot, S. (2007, April 27) â€Å"In an ‘Absolut World,’ a Vodka Could Use the Same Ads for More Than 25 Years,† The New York Times. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2012. www. nytimes. com. Kenyon, J. A. , Hutchinson, L. P. (2007) â€Å"Exploring rhetoric: alcohol and Absolut Vodka advertisements,† British Food Journal, Vol. 109 Iss: 8, pp. 594 – 607. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2012. www. emeraldinsight. com. Stoner, R. M. , Perkins, J. S. (2005). â€Å"Making Sense of Messages: A Critical Apprenticeship in Rhetorical Criticism,† California State University pearsonhighered. com/educator/academic/product/0,3110,0205564518,00. html The official ABSOLUT website. (n. d. ). The official ABSOLUT website. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from http://www. absolut. com How to cite Classical Analysis, Essay examples

Game Theory and Report Teachers Association free essay sample

Ridgecrest School Dispute Initial Report Teachers’ Association 11/15/12 In order to maximize combined interests and reach the Pareto Efficient Frontier, our strategy is to build trust by sharing information about our interests and priorities. In addition, sharing information can help create a positive relationship with the Board of Education and can increase the chances that they will reciprocate that behavior by giving away information about their interests and priorities. Given that many people are reluctant to share information with the other side, we also plan on asking the Board of Education many questions so that we can learn from what is not said as well as from what is said. Another strategy we will use to create value is to make multiple offers simultaneously because it helps to collect valuable information and it makes us appear more flexible. This is a particularly important strategy given that we can compromise on various issues if the other side is willing to offer us some concessions on other matters in return. We will write a custom essay sample on Game Theory and Report Teachers Association or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For instance, we would be willing to accept a formula in which any pay received for performing civic duty would be deducted from regular pay if the board is willing to meet our demands for salary acceptably (See planning document for what is acceptable). The cost-cutting strategy is useful in that it allows for one party to get what it wants while the other has the costs associated with its concession reduced or eliminated. This is a strategy we will use by proposing to the other side a budget that we have come up with that minimizes our concessions while still allowing them to get what they want (See attached Budget Proposal). We have prepared this budget so that when the other side claims that there is no other way expenditures can be cut, we can show them an alternative solution. In addition, we also want to trade off differences in interests and priorities in order to create value. We plan on doing this by trading issues that are most important to us such as salary and workload for issues that are most important to the other side. We realize that this might be a problem if the interests that are most important to us are also most important to the other side. But, there might be issues that are significantly more important in terms of other issues to one side than they are to the other side. Finally, we plan on searching for post-settlement settlements in order to look for an agreement that is better for both sides. Once we have created the most possible value that can be created, we will use strategies to claim value. First, we will open aggressively given that initial positions act as anchors and affect the perception of what outcomes are possible. We will do this by asking for more than our target (See planning document for target). For example, we will ask for a $7,000 increase in salaries for lower levels and reduce the pupil/teacher ratio to 13:1. We realize that the other side will not agree to this, but it will still be helpful as an anchor. Another strategy we will use to claim value is to give credible reasons for our interests whenever possible (See Issues Analysis for several reasons). For instance, the reason we want an increase in salaries is because we have not had any salary increases in years and our workday is longer than the NJ average (See attached for NJ average). If we do not have a credible reason for an interest, then we will use a pseudo reason. In addition, we will know what interests we are willing and not willing to give concessions on (See planning document for concessions). This is important given that there are so many issues in this negotiation that we can compromise on if the other side is willing to give us something else in return. Finally, we are prepared to make smaller concessions to indicate that we are reaching our bottom line without revealing our bottom line. This is always an important strategy because we want a deal that is close to our target, but are willing to accept any deal that is at or above our bottom line.

Types and forms of organizational change free essay sample

Organizational change is an ongoing process with important implications for organizational effectiveness. An organization and its members must be constantly on the alert for changes from within the organization and from the outside environment, and they must learn how to adjust to change quickly and effectively. Organizational change is the movement of an organization away from its present state and toward some future state to increase its effectiveness. Forces for organizational change include competitive forces; economic, political, and global forces; demographic and social forces; and ethical forces. Organizations are often reluctant to change because resistance to change at the organization, group, and individual levels has given rise to organizational inertia. Sources of organization-level resistance to change include power and conflict, differences in functional orientation, mechanistic structure, and organizational culture. Sources of group-level resistance to change include group norms, group cohesiveness, and groupthink and escalation of commitment. Sources of individual-level resistance to change include uncertainty and insecurity, selective perception and retention, and habit. We will write a custom essay sample on Types and forms of organizational change or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Lewin’s force-field theory of change, organizations are balanced between forces pushing for change and forces resistant to change. To get an organization to change, managers must find a way to increase the forces for change, reduce resistance to change, or do both simultaneously. Types of change fall into two broad categories: evolutionary and revolutionary. The main instruments of evolutionary change are sociotechnical systems theory, total quality management, and the development of flexible workers and work teams. The main instruments of revolutionary change are reengineering, restructuring, and innovation. Often, the revolutionary types of change that result from restructuring and reengineering are necessary only because an organization and its managers ignored or were unaware of changes in the environment and did not make incremental changes as needed. Action research is a strategy that managers can use to plan the change process. The main steps in action research are (a) diagnosis and analysis of the organization, (b) determining the desired future state, (c) implementing action, (d) evaluating the action, and (e) institutionalizing action research. Organizational development (OD) is a series of techniques and methods to increase the adaptability of organizations. OD techniques can be used to overcome resistance to change and to help the organization to change itself. OD techniques for dealing with resistance to change include education and communication, participation and empowerment, facilitation, bargaining and negotiation, manipulation, and coercion. OD techniques for promoting change include, at the individual level, counseling, sensitivity training, and process consultation; at the group level, team building and intergroup training; and at the organizational level, organizational confrontation meetings. CHAPTER OUTLINE 10. 1 What Is Organizational Change? Organizational change is the process by which organizations move from their current or present state to some desired future state to increase their effectiveness. An organization in decline may need to restructure its competences and resources to improve its fit with a changing environment. Even thriving, high-performing organizations such as Google, Apple, and Facebook need to continuously change the way they operate over time to meet ongoing challenges. Targets of Change Organizational change includes changes in four areas: 1. Human resources are an organization’s most important asset. Because these skills and abilities give an organization a competitive advantage, organizations must continually monitor their structures to find the most effective way of motivating and organizing human resources to acquire and use their skills. Changes made in human resources include investment in training, socializing employees, changing norms to motivate a diverse workforce, monitoring promotion and reward systems, and changing top management. 2. Each organizational function needs to develop procedures that allow it to manage the particular environment it faces. Crucial functions grow in importance while those whose usefulness is declining shrink. Thus, key functions grow in importance. Organizations can change structure, culture, and technology to improve the value created by functions. 3. Technological capabilities give an organization an enormous capacity to change itself to exploit market opportunities. Technological capabilities provide new products, change existing ones, and create a core competence. Improving the reliability and quality of goods and services is an important capability. Organizations may need to restructure to achieve the benefits of new technology. 4. Organizational capabilities are imbedded in operations. Organizations use human and functional resources to seize technological opportunities through structure and culture. Organizational change often involves changing the relationships between people and functions to increase their ability to create value. 10. 2 Forces for and Resistance to Organizational Change Forces for Change If managers are slow to respond to the forces of change, the organization will lag behind its competitors and its effectiveness will be compromised. (Refer to Figure 10. 1) Competitive forces spur change, because unless an organization matches or surpasses its competitors it will not survive. Managing change is crucial when competing for customers. To lead on the dimensions of efficiency or quality, an organization must constantly adopt the latest technology as it becomes available. To lead on the dimension of innovation and obtain a technological advantage over competitors, a company must possess skills in managing the process of innovation. Economic, political, and global forces, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or other economic unions, are significant forces of change. The European Union (EU) includes over 27 members eager to take advantage of a large protected market. Global challenges facing organizations include the need to change an organizational structure to allow expansion into foreign markets, the need to adapt to a variety of national cultures, and the need to help expatriate managers adapt to the economic, political, and cultural values of the countries in which they are located. Demographic and social forces include an increasingly diverse workforce. Changes in the demographic characteristics of the workforce require managers to change their styles of managing all employees and to learn how to understand, supervise, and motivate diverse members effectively. Many workers want to balance work and leisure. Managers need to abandon stereotypes and accept the importance of equity in the recruitment and promotion of new hires. Ethical forces such as increasing government, political, and social demands for more responsible and honest corporate behavior are compelling organizations to promote ethical behavior. Many companies have created the position of ethics officer. If organizations operate in countries that pay little attention to human rights or to the well-being of organizational members, they have to learn how to change these standards and to protect their overseas employees. Resistances to Change Resistance to change lowers an organization’s effectiveness and reduces its chances of survival. Resistances or impediments to change that cause inertia are found at the organization, group, and individual levels. (Refer to Figure 10. 1) Organization-Level Resistance to Change Power and conflict: When change causes power struggles and organizational conflict, an organization is likely to resist it. If change benefits one function at the expense of another, conflict impedes the change process. In the old IBM, for example, managers of its mainframe computer division fought off attempts to redirect IBM’s resources to produce the PCs that customers wanted in order to preserve their own power. Differences in functional orientation: This means that different functions and divisions often see the source of a problem differently because they see an issue or problem primarily from their own viewpoint. This tunnel vision increases organizational inertia. Mechanistic structure: Mechanistic structures are more resistant to change. People who work within a mechanistic structure are expected to act in certain ways and do not develop the capacity to adjust their behavior to changing conditions. A mechanistic structure typically develops as an organization grows and is a principal source of inertia, especially in large organizations. The extensive use of mutual adjustment and decentralized authority in an organic structure makes it less resistant to change. Organizational culture: Organizational culture, values, and norms cause resistance to change. If organizational change disrupts taken-for-granted values and norms and forces people to change what they do and how they do it, an organization’s culture will cause resistance to change. Group-Level Resistance to Change Many groups develop strong informal norms that specify appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and govern the interactions between group members. Often, change alters task and role relationships in a group; when it does, it disrupts group norms and the informal expectations that group members have of one another. As a result, members of a group may resist change because a new set of norms must be developed to meet the needs of the new situation. Group cohesiveness, the attractiveness of a group to its members, also affects group performance. A highly cohesive group may resist attempts by management to change what it does or even who is a member of the group. Groupthink and escalation of commitment also make changing a group’s behavior very difficult. Individual-Level Resistance to Change People tend to resist change because they feel uncertain and insecure about what its outcome will be. Selective perception and retention suggest that people perceive information consistent with their views. If change doesn’t benefit them, they do not endorse it. People’s preference for familiar actions and events is a further impediment to change. Lewin’s Force-Field Theory of Change Force-field theory is a theory of organizational change that argues that two sets of opposing forces within an organization determine how change will take place. When the forces are evenly balanced, the organization is in a state of inertia and does not change. To get an organization to change, managers must find a way to increase the forces for change, reduce resistance to change, or do both simultaneously. Any of these strategies will overcome inertia and cause an organization to change. (Refer to Figure 10. 2) Managerial Implications Managers must continuously monitor the environment to identify the forces for change. They must analyze how the change will affect the organization and determine which type of change to pursue. 10. 3 Evolutionary and Revolutionary Change in Organizations Evolutionary change refers to change that is gradual, incremental, and specifically focused. It adds small adjustments to strategy and structure to handle environmental changes. Sociotechnical systems theory, total quality management, and the creation of empowered, flexible work groups are three instruments of evolutionary change that organizations use in their attempt to make incremental improvements in the way work gets done. Revolutionary change refers to change that is sudden, drastic, and organization-wide. It has repercussions at all levels in the organization—corporate, divisional, functional, group, and individual. Three ways to implement revolutionary change are reengineering, restructuring, and innovation. Developments in Evolutionary Change: Sociotechnical Systems Theory Sociotechnical systems theory is a theory that proposes the importance of changing role and task or technical relationships to increase organizational effectiveness. It emerged from a study of changing work practices in the British coal-mining industry. The socio-technical systems theory argues that managers need to fit or jointly optimize the workings of the technical and social systems. A poor fit between an organization’s technology and social system leads to failure, but a close fit leads to success. When managers change task and role relationships, they must recognize the need to adjust the technical and social systems gradually so group norms and cohesiveness are not disrupted. By taking this gradual approach, an organization can avoid the group-level resistance to change. Researchers suggest that a team-oriented system promotes values that enhance efficiency and product quality. Total quality management uses sociotechnical systems theory. Total Quality Management Total quality management (TQM) is a technique developed by W. Edwards Deming to continuously improve the effectiveness of flexible work teams. It was embraced by Japanese companies after World War II. Changes frequently inspired by TQM include altering the design or type of machines used to assemble products and reorganizing the sequence of activities—either within or between functions—necessary to provide a service to a customer. Changing cross-functional relationships to help improve quality is important in TQM. The changes associated with TQM are changes in task, role, and group relationships. Implementing a TQM program is not always easy because it requires workers and managers to adopt new ways of viewing their roles in an organization. Managers must be willing to decentralize control of decision making, empower workers, and assume the role of facilitator rather than supervisor. The â€Å"command and control† model gives way to an â€Å"advise and support† model. Flexible Workers and Flexible Work Teams In implementing socio-technical systems theory and TQM, many organizations are finding it easier to achieve their goals by using flexible workers and teams. Flexible workers can be transferred between departments and functions as demand changes. The advantages of flexible workers include quick response to environmental changes; reduced boredom and increased incentives for quality; better understanding by learning one another’s tasks; and combining tasks to increase efficiency and reduce costs. A flexible work team is a group of workers who assume responsibility for performing all the operations necessary for completing a specified stage in the manufacturing process. A flexible work team is self-managed; members jointly assign tasks and transfer from one task to another. In a flexible work team, separate teams assemble different components and turn those components over to the final-product work team, which assembles the final product. Each team’s activities are driven by demands that have their origins in customer demands for the final product. (Refer to Figure 10. 3) Developments in Revolutionary Change: Reengineering The term â€Å"reengineering† has been used to refer to the process by which managers redesign how tasks are bundled into roles and functions to improve organizational effectiveness. It involves rethinking business processes, activities that cross functional boundaries. Instead of focusing on an organization’s functions in isolation from one another, managers make business processes the focus of attention. A business process is an activity that cuts across functional boundaries and is vital to the quick delivery of goods and services or that promotes high quality or low costs. Because reengineering focuses on business processes and not functions, an organization must rethink the way it approaches organizing its activities. A good example of how to use reengineering to increase functional integration comes from attempts to redesign the materials management function to improve its effectiveness. In the traditional functional design the three main components of materials management—purchasing, production control, and distribution—were typically in separate functions and had little to do with one another. Thus coordinating their activities is difficult. Each function has its own hierarchy, and there are problems in both vertical and horizontal communication. Today, most organizations put all three of the functional activities involved in the materials management process inside one function. Three guidelines for performing reengineering successfully are as follows: Organize around outcomes, not tasks. 2. Have those who use the output of the process perform the process. 3. Decentralize decision making to the point where the decision is made. Reengineering and TQM are highly interrelated and complementary. E-Engineering This is a term used to refer to companies’ attempts to use all kinds of information systems to improve performance. The importance of e-engineering is increasing as it changes the way a company organizes its value-creation functions and links them to improve its performance. Restructuring Restructuring is a process by which managers change task and authority relationships and redesign organizational structure and culture to improve organizational effectiveness. Downsizing is the process by which managers streamline the organizational hierarchy and lay off managers and workers to reduce bureaucratic costs. The drive to decrease bureaucratic costs results from competitive pressures. Mergers and acquisitions in many industries, such as banking, have led to downsizing because fewer managers are needed. Other companies have reduced staff to match competitors. The negative effects of downsizing include overworked managers and lost opportunities. Companies that fail to control growth must downsize to remain competitive. The terms anorexic or hollow are used to refer to organizations that downsized too much and have too few managers to help them grow when conditions change. Restructuring, like other change strategies, generates resistance to change. Often, the decision to downsize requires the establishment of new task and role relationships. Because this change may threaten the jobs of some workers, they resist the changes taking place. Innovation Innovation refers to the process by which organizations use their skills and resources to develop new goods and services or to develop new production and operating systems so they can better respond to the needs of their customers. 10. 4 Managing Change: Action Research In Lewin’s view, implementing change is a three-step process: (1) unfreezing the organization from its present state, (2) making the change, and (3) refreezing the organization in the new, desired state so its members do not revert to their previous work attitudes and role behavior. Action research is a strategy for generating and acquiring knowledge that managers can use to define an organization’s desired future state and to plan a change program that allows the organization to reach that state. Figure 10. 6 highlights the steps in action research. Diagnosis of the Organization The first step in action research requires managers to recognize the existence of a problem that needs to be solved and acknowledge that some type of change is needed to solve it. In general, recognition of the need for change arises because somebody in the organization perceives a gap between desired performance and actual performance. Determining the Desired Future State This step also involves a difficult planning process as managers work out various alternative courses of action that could move the organization to where they would like it to be and determine what type of change to implement. Implementing Action 1. First, managers identify possible impediments to change at all levels. 2. The second step is deciding who will be responsible for actually making the changes and controlling the change process. The choices are to employ either external change agents or internal change agents or use some combination of both. 3. The third step is deciding which specific change strategy will most effectively unfreeze, change, and refreeze the organization. The types of change that these techniques give rise to fall into two categories: Top-down change is implemented by managers at a high level in the organization, knowing that the change will reverberate at all organizational levels. Bottom-up change is implemented by employees at low levels in the organization that gradually rises until it is felt throughout the organization. Evaluating the Action The fourth step in action research is evaluating the action that has been taken and assessing the degree to which the changes have accomplished the desired objectives. The best way to evaluate the change process is to develop measures or criteria that allow managers to assess whether the organization has reached its desired objectives. Institutionalizing Action Research Organizations need to institutionalize action research—that is, make it a required habit or a norm adopted by every member of an organization. The institutionalization of action research is as necessary at the top of the organization as it is on the shop floor. Managerial Implications Managers must develop criteria to evaluate whether a change is necessary, and carefully design a plan that minimizes resistance. 10. 5 Organizational Development Organizational development (OD) is a series of techniques and methods that managers can use in their action research program to increase the adaptability of their organization. The goal of OD is to improve organizational effectiveness and to help people in organizations reach their potential and realize their goals and objectives. OD Techniques to Deal with Resistance to Change Education and Communication: One impediment to change is that participants are uncertain about what is going to happen. Through education and communication, internal and external agents of change can provide organizational members with information about the change and how it will affect them. Participation and Empowerment: Inviting workers to participate in the change process is a popular method of reducing resistance to change. Participation complements empowerment, increases workers’ involvement in decision making, and gives them greater autonomy to change work procedures to improve organizational performance. These are key elements of most TQM programs. People that are involved in the change and decision-making process are more likely to embrace rather than resist. Facilitation: Both managers and workers find change stressful. There are several ways in which organizations can help their members to manage stress: providing them with training to help them learn how to perform new tasks, providing them with time off from work to recuperate from the stressful effects of change, or even giving senior members sabbaticals. Bargaining and Negotiation: Bargaining and negotiation are important tools that help managers manage conflict. Because change causes conflict, bargaining is an important tool in overcoming resistance to change. Manipulation: Sometimes senior managers need to intervene, as politics shows that powerful managers have considerable ability to resist change. Coercion: The ultimate way to eliminate resistance to change is to coerce the key players into accepting change and threaten dire consequences if they choose to resist. The disadvantage is that it can leave people angry and disenchanted and can make the refreezing process difficult. OD Techniques to Promote Change Counseling, Sensitivity Training, and Process Consultation: Recognizing that each individual is different also requires them to be treated or managed differently. Sometimes, counseling will help individuals understand that their own perceptions of a situation may be incorrect. Sensitivity training is an OD technique that consists of intense counseling in which group members, aided by a facilitator, learn how others perceive them and may learn how to deal more sensitively with others. Process consultation is an OD technique in which a facilitator works closely with a manager on the job to help the manager improve his or her interactions with other group members. Team building is an OD technique in which a facilitator first observes the interactions of group members and then helps them become aware of ways to improve their work interactions. The goal of team building is to improve group processes to achieve process gains and reduce process losses that are occurring because of shirking and freeriding. Intergroup training is an OD technique that uses team building to improve the work interactions of different functions or divisions. Its goal is to improve organizational performance by focusing on a function’s or division’s joint activities and output. Organizational mirroring is an OD technique in which a facilitator helps two interdependent groups explore their perceptions and relations in order to improve their work interactions. This technique is designed to get both interdependent groups to see the perspective of the other side. Appreciating others’ perspectives allows the groups to work together more effectively. Total Organizational Interventions: A variety of OD techniques can be used at the organization level to promote organization-wide change. Organizational confrontation meeting is an OD technique that brings together all of the managers of an organization at a meeting to confront the issue of whether the organization is meeting its goals effectively.