Mba673organizational Changecase Study Analysiscase Week 4overviewyou ✓ Solved

MBA673/Organizational Change Case Study Analysis Case: Week 4 Overview You are an organizational change consultant —or “OD consultant‗and have been hired to assist with organizational diagnosis. Your analysis will be from YOUR OWN perspective role playing as the OD consultant. Put yourself in the OD CONSULTANT role . Your responses to the case questions indicated in this set of instructions will be based on your reading of your textbook and from your research on the company in the online library. Guidelines 1.

Title page – Follow standard format for the MBA program. Go to Doc Sharing and locate the document: “Title page for student papers.†1. Format – per APA manual 1. Double-spaced 1. Font: Times New Roman, 12 point 1.

Margins: per APA 1. Page numbers: upper right corner 1. Length – The total of your case analysis responses should be a minimum of six (6) pages in length. Most students will require more space for in-depth responses. 1.

Terminology and Concepts – Note that you are expected use and define organizational change terminology. You are also expected to make frequent references to and explain concepts from the text. 1. Opinions – Where appropriate, also offer and justify your opinions. 1.

Case References – Support generalizations with details from the case. 1. Citation, Please cite and use references per APA 6th Edition. Use the Student Resources Link to obtain helpful materials. Use the Writing Center and GROWS.

A minimum of 10 peer-reviewed references from the online library are required. HEADINGS AND TOPIC SENTENCES : For each question, include both the question number and the indicated boldface heading. Restate the question as a topic sentence at the beginning of your response. Submission of Assignment and Evaluation Please submit this case study analysis as a Word attachment by 11:59 on the indicated Saturday. 1.

You will receive a grade and feedback within 72 hours from the due date and time. 1. Twenty percent (20%) of your grade is based on the quality of your writing and eighty percent (80%) is based on the quality of content. Questions/Topics 1. Planned Change 1A.

Lewin’s Planned Change Model – 10% Explain how Lewin’s Planned Changed Model can be applied to this case. 1B. Action Research Model – 10% Explain how the first three steps of the Action Research Model have already been implemented in this case. Note that step two—consultation with behavioral science expert—equates to the “Entering and Contracting†process associated with you as an organizational change/OD consultant described in your readings. 1.

Collecting Data 2A. Method(s) In your role playing assume you have been given data. How would you evaluate the data collection process used by the organizational change/OD consultant? For example, what are the major advantages and disadvantages of the data collection method that was used to collect data from organizational participants? What other method(s)—if any--could/should have been used?

What about the sample? Would you have involved any other participants—e.g., first-line employees, customers, etc.? Explain your reasoning. This gives you an opportunity to show you understand methodology. 2B.

Questions Given your knowledge of organizational effectiveness, what questions would you ask participants in the data collection process? Identify 3-5 questions. Include an explanation of the importance of questions and how they are constructed. Remember to focus questions on diagnosis of the organizational problem—i.e., profitability. 1.

Feeding Back Diagnostic Data For questions 3A and 3B, assume the role of the organizational change/OD consultant who is assisting the organization’s leaders with the change process. 3A. Force-Field Analysis – 10% You have decided to begin your data feedback session with top management team of the organization by presenting a force-field analysis chart that provides an overview of forces for change (“driving forcesâ€) and forces for maintaining the status quo (“resisting forcesâ€). Consider forces that are identified in background information in the case. Complete a two-column chart or table.

Include an explanation of each element on your chart. 3B. Organizational Culture – 10% How would you present what you discovered about the organization’s culture in your interviews? What key points would you make and what would you say about them? In preparation for this aspect of your assignment, review the Organizational Level Model for Diagnosing Organizational System.

Note that one of the primary system design components that must be evaluated is “Culture.†Also consider what you learned about organizational culture in your Contemporary Management and Organizational Behavior courses. 1. Organizational Change Interventions According to the authors of your text: The term intervention refers to a set of sequenced planned actions or events intended to help an organization increase its effectiveness. For questions 4A and 4B, assume the role of the new general manager of The organization. 4A.

Action Plan – Short-term – 10% What actions would you take on an immediate basis to respond to the diagnostic information gathered and presented by the organizational change/OD consultant? In your response, consider the “Joint Diagnosis of Problem†and “Joint Action Planning†steps of the Action Research Model. Also consider communication with company employees. With whom should the new general manager talk, in what forum (e.g., private meetings, general employee meetings, etc.), about what, and when? 4B.

Action Plan – Long-term – 10% Provide 2-3 recommendations for organizational change interventions intended to help The organization increase profitability in the long term. The list of interventions on page 157 may inspire some ideas. You are not expected to have a detailed understanding of interventions at this point in the course or in your field of study. Apply your general knowledge to this question. In addition to the questions in the instructions above, let these question be part of your thought process.

Weave the answers into your analysis. Do not simply type a Question and Answer. 1. Would you consider Toyota to be an innovative organization? Why or why not?

Answer: Most students should see Toyota as innovative because of its continuous improvement philosophy toward processes. The constant improvement of how things are done with focus on reducing expenses and improving product are an innovation technique all companies should aspire to. 2. Do you think Toyota’s potentially inbred leadership hinders, or explains, its successes? Answer: It most likely explains the company’s successes.

The internal promotion of managers ensures a strong organizational culture based on continuous improvement is basic to the organization’s operations. The longevity of managers ensures a long-history understanding of the company and who it is. These strengths ensure consistent, incremental change for the better. 3. In 2009, Toyota reported a loss for the first time in its history.

Do you think that given its culture it will have more problems dealing with the loss than other automakers? Answer: Yes, report of loss for the first time is likely a very difficult psychological effect on Toyota. But, it is positioned to respond to the situation well. See for insight. 4.

The new president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda (grandson of the founder), has said, “Everyone says Toyota is the best company in the world, but the consumer doesn’t care about the world. They care if we are the best in town.†What do you think he means by that? Answer: Toyoda understands his customers. The customer doesn’t care about global positioning or competitiveness, he or she cares only that the car they buy is reliable, attractive, effective, and efficient. The customer’s concern is his or her pocketbook, not Toyota’s.

Source: Based on M. Graban, “Toyota Leaders Get a Lecture from a Toyoda,†Manufacturing Business Technology (June 28, 2009), www .mbtmag.com; M. Maynard, “At Toyota, a Giant Strives to Show Agility,†New York Times (February 22, 2008), pp. B1, C4; and J. Surowiecki, “The Open Secret of Success,†The New Yorker (May 12, 2008), p.

48. Case Details (be sure to supplement these details with research in the online library) Innovation–and Continuity–at Toyota If you ask experts in organizational innovation about Toyota, you’ll often see a bemused expression on their faces. Toyota is a bit hard to figure, innovation wise. On the one hand, the company has been one of the most successful corporations in the world for a generation. It is now the world’s largest car company and shows no signs of giving up that title anytime soon.

It must be doing something innovative to continue to thrive when business conditions, consumer preferences, government regulation, and global competition continue to change, sometimes rather dramatically. Toyota also produced the first, and to date the only, successful mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius. Other companies have attempted to follow suit, only to find their entries coming up short in expert ratings, new car sales, and resale value. On the other hand, Toyota’s products are widely thought to be more “liked than loved,†and its cars are often criticized for being imitations rather than innovations. The company is notorious for its “stodgy and bureaucratic†structure, for the fact that all its senior executives are Japanese males, and for its worshipping of the past (a bust of the company’s founder, Kiichiro Toyoda, appears in the lobby, and in its 74-year history only three individuals outside the Toyoda family have led it).

These hardly seem the hallmarks of an innovative, transformational organization. So is Toyota an innovative company, or not? The answer depends on how you define innovation. Judged by the innovations in its products, notwithstanding the Prius (which, despite its success, still amounts to a small percentage of Toyota’s sales), we would not deem it a particularly innovative organization. However, when we defined an innovative culture elsewhere in this text, we emphasized two points.

First, it is not judged only by an organization’s products. Production, service, marketing, and other business processes are less observable to the outsider but are arguably more important to sustained success. Second, innovation can be incremental. Is a company that loudly reinvents itself every 10 years really more innovative than one that makes steady, incremental changes more or less continuously? It’s clear that on both these points—innovation as process as well as product, and lasting incremental innovation— Toyota excels.

Toyota has made numerous workplace innovations, including the andon cord—whereby any worker can halt the production line when he or she sees a problem—and its focus on lean and nimble manufacturing processes that allow it to switch the vehicle being manufactured in nearly every plant within days. On the second point, kaizen manufacturing— a method of continuous improvement—is nearly synonymous with Toyota. As one expert commented, “Instead of trying to throw long touchdown passes, Toyota moves down the field by means of short and steady gains.†Studies consistently show that most efforts at organizational transformation fail and are abandoned. Perhaps if more companies thought about innovation the Toyota way—in terms of process rather than product and of slow and continuous improvement rather than radical change—they’d be more likely to realize the innovations, and organizational success, they wish to achieve. Additional readings are found at:

Paper for above instructions

Title: Organizational Change and Innovation at Toyota

Introduction

Organizational change is a critical aspect of modern business management, especially in dynamic environments characterized by technological advancements and evolving market preferences. The role of an organizational development (OD) consultant is pivotal in facilitating meaningful change, ensuring that organizations not only adapt but also thrive. This case study will analyze Toyota, a company renowned for its innovative production processes and continual improvement philosophy. Using established frameworks such as Lewin’s Planned Change Model and the Action Research Model, I will evaluate how organizational change can be effectively implemented at Toyota.

1. Planned Change

1A. Lewin’s Planned Change Model

Lewin’s Planned Change Model is comprised of three stages: Unfreezing, Change, and Refreezing. This model serves as an excellent framework for analyzing Toyota's approach to organizational change.
Unfreezing: At Toyota, the unfreezing stage involves recognizing the need for change, primarily driven by market dynamics and consumer preferences. For instance, after experiencing a loss in 2009 for the first time, Toyota had to understand the implications of this shift on its profitability and market share (Graban, 2009).
Change: During the change phase, Toyota’s leaders can implement strategic initiatives focused on streamlining production processes and enhancing product quality. The introduction of the Prius exemplifies this change; it showed Toyota’s capability to innovate and adapt to market demands while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability (Maynard, 2008).
Refreezing: Finally, in the refreezing stage, Toyota would need to establish new norms and practices that support ongoing change. This can be accomplished by fostering a corporate culture that embraces continuous improvement and collective learning (Surowiecki, 2008).

1B. Action Research Model

The Action Research Model consists of several steps, including problem identification, consultation with behavioral science experts, and data collection. Within Toyota, the first three steps have already been implemented.
Problem Identification: Analysts and consultants within Toyota have recognized key challenges in profitability stemming from past production strategies and market responses.
Consultation with Behavioral Science Experts: Collaborating with OD consultants is crucial at this stage. For instance, enhancing team dynamics and instilling lean methodologies could provide insights into how Toyota can improve its work culture and operational efficiency.
Data Collection: Initial data collection processes focusing on employee feedback, productivity metrics, and customer satisfaction reviews have likely been employed, providing baseline insights for further action.

2. Collecting Data

2A. Method(s)

To evaluate the data collection process utilized, one must consider both qualitative and quantitative methods. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are significant methods used to collect valuable insights from employees and organizational participants. While these techniques yield rich data, they also present certain challenges.
Advantages of the Data Collection Method:
- Qualitative Insights: Interviews and focus groups facilitate in-depth perspectives, offering nuanced understandings of employee sentiments (Creswell, 2014).
- Diversity of Perspectives: Engaging various stakeholders, including mid-level management, provides a broader understanding of organizational dynamics.
Disadvantages:
- Time-Consuming: Collecting qualitative data requires substantial time and resources, especially during interviews and focus group sessions.
- Potential Bias: Employees may provide socially desirable responses rather than genuine feedback, leading to skewed results (Hunt, 2016).
Alternative Methods: Alternative methods such as direct observation and quantitative surveys should also be considered. Surveys can quickly gather broad, anonymized insights from a larger sample without biases linked to group dynamics (Kumar, 2014). Including first-line employees, suppliers, and customers in the participant pool could also enhance data accuracy and provide direct insights into Toyota's operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

2B. Questions

In designing effective survey questions aimed at diagnosing organizational issues around profitability, the following questions may be useful:
1. What recent changes in your work environment have impacted your productivity?
This question pinpoints specific operational elements that either support or hinder productivity.
2. How does team collaboration affect your work goals?
Understanding collaboration is critical because it can significantly influence morale and accountability.
3. What barriers do you encounter that prevent you from achieving your targets?
Identifying barriers can provide actionable insights for management to address systemic issues.
4. Do you believe that leadership effectively communicates vision and objectives? If not, please elaborate.
Assessing communication effectiveness can expose gaps in alignment and engagement.
5. What suggestions do you have for enhancing our organizational processes?
Employees often have valuable insights on potential improvements or innovations.
The construction of questions should aim for clarity and neutrality to yield genuine responses. With open-ended questions, the analysis can capture unexpected issues and foster genuine dialogue (Stringer, 2014).

3. Feeding Back Diagnostic Data

3A. Force-Field Analysis

A force-field analysis identifies both driving forces for change and resisting forces against maintaining the status quo, creating a visual representation that can aid in decision-making.
| Driving Forces | Resisting Forces |
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Market demand for sustainable vehicles (Prius sales) | Established bureaucratic practices |
| Internal push for Lean Manufacturing initiatives | Leadership conservativeness |
| Employee demand for agile processes | Fear of job displacement due to new technologies |
Explanation: The analysis highlights the necessity for Toyota to embrace environmental sustainability while addressing deeply entrenched cultural patterns that may impede transformation. Leadership conservativeness refers to the potential reluctance of senior executives to adopt significant changes given their traditional approach to management (Kotter, 2012).

3B. Organizational Culture

In presenting findings on Toyota’s organizational culture, key themes would emerge from interviews. Notably:
1. Emphasis on Continuous Improvement: Employees acknowledge the kaizen approach; they feel empowered to initiate small, incremental changes.
2. Cultural Stagnation: However, many expressed concerns about bureaucratic barriers that stifle creativity and responsiveness. It is crucial to emphasize that a balanced culture embracing both tradition and innovation is vital for Toyota’s future (Schein, 2010).
3. Employee Engagement: While employees are often satisfied with Toyota's production philosophy, their insights reveal a desire for stronger leadership alignment with innovative practices.

4. Organizational Change Interventions

4A. Action Plan – Short-term

In response to diagnostic findings, the immediate action plan must focus on three key activities:
1. Initial Communication: I would conduct all-hands meetings explaining the rationale for change and gathering collective input.
2. Identifying Quick Wins: Targeting low-hanging fruits for improvement through kaizen events promotes immediate engagement and demonstrates value.
3. Leadership Training: Initiating training sessions on modern leadership practices that prioritize openness to innovation would help shift the organizational culture.

4B. Action Plan – Long-term

For sustainable profitability, the following long-term recommendations are suggested:
1. Implement Agile Methodologies: Adopt agile strategies in product development, enabling faster responses to consumer needs and market changes.
2. Focus on Collaboration and Cross-Functional Teams: Establish cross-departmental teams to facilitate communication and collaboration, leading to innovative solutions more organically.
3. Invest in Continuous Learning: Encourage a continuous learning environment through skill development programs, ensuring employees are equipped to respond to technological changes and market dynamics.

Conclusion

Organizational change is a complex process that requires a well-strategized approach. The insights derived from frameworks such as Lewin’s Planned Change Model and the Action Research Model provide vital perspectives on leading successful transformations. Toyota, despite its challenges, exemplifies the potential for industries to embrace both continuity and innovative practices through data-driven strategies and training. Continued iterations on culture, communication, and incremental improvements will fortify its position as a market leader.

References

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Graban, M. (2009). "Toyota Leaders Get a Lecture from a Toyoda". Manufacturing Business Technology.
Hunt, S. D. (2016). "The Role of Bias in Data Collection". Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 24(3), 241-246.
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Kumar, R. (2014). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. London: Sage Publications.
Maynard, M. (2008). "At Toyota, a Giant Strives to Show Agility". New York Times.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Stringer, E. T. (2014). Action Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Surowiecki, J. (2008). "The Open Secret of Success." The New Yorker.
Stewart, A. (2015). "The Future of Organizational Change: An Overview". International Journal of Business and Management Studies, 4(2).