Module 1 discussion 1
Understanding Change
Introducing change within an organization is both, chaotic
and invigorating, stressful and satisfying, and as creative a process as it is
a rational one.
Respond to the following:
• Why is change, both, a creative and a rational process?
Provide examples to support your response.
• Which of the two processes is a greater determinant of
successful change in an organization? Provide examples to support your
conclusion.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 1 Discussion 2
Images of Changes
As stated in Palmer, Dunford, and Akin (2009), “images we
hold of organizations affect our interpretations of what we think is going on,
what we think needs to happen, and how we think things should happen”.
Respond to the following:
• Compare and contrast two images of managing change by:
º Including a succinct definition of each image.
º Describing a circumstance, or situation, wherein a manager
might prefer to choose one image over the other.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already provided
by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it
throughout the module. Each post should be 100–150 words and written in your
own words. All quoted text must be cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Reference:
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing
organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Module 2 Discussion 1
Types of Changes
There are commentators who suggested that organizational
change prior to the mid-late twentieth century was likely to be incremental and
infrequent. However, by the latter part of the century, such change was likely
to be significant and traumatic. The question is, why has this occurred?
Some contend there is a preoccupation with second-order,
transformational change without sufficient attention paid to the importance of
first-order change. Considering this, respond to the following:
• Describe the conditions where second-order change is
necessary for an organization to survive.
• Explain why first-order change may be insufficient—over
the long term—as a method of change given the tumultuous, globally competitive
environment. Provide examples to support your conclusions.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade..
Module 2 Discussion 2
Common Changes
Not all changes are of the same order or magnitude.
Therefore, a manager must face the challenge of identifying the change
approaches and strategies best suited to address each type of change.
Respond to the following:
• Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of
utilizing downsizing, technology, and mergers and acquisitions as a change
strategy to address organizational challenges.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it
throughout the module. Each post should be 100–150 words and written in your
own words. All quoted text must be cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 3 Discussion 1
Diagnostic Models
There are numerous diagnostic instruments that can be
applied to the management of change. When highlighting a particular aspect of
the change process, there are management experts who provide important tools to
guide an organization through this often-contentious process.
Respond to the following:
• Using aspects or components of the various models
contained in Chapter 5 of your textbook, create a diagnostic model that can be
applied to the management of change. For instance, your model can use
components of the 7-S Model or the Star Model.
• Then, discuss in what situations your model would be best
utilized and how it differs from at least one other model as detailed in
Chapter 5.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 3 Discussion 2
Change Readiness
The degree of attention managers pay to the process of
managing change is a reflection of the fraught nature of the process. In this
regard, successful change strategies occur when the organization is most
prepared for the modifications that impact its basic operations and
organizational culture. In short, knowing when to change is as important as
knowing what to change.
Respond to the following:
• Discuss how an organization assesses its readiness for
change, including any tools or strategies it can utilize to determine the most
opportune time to change itself.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 4 Discussion 1
Resistance to change
Unless an organization and its managers are aware of the
reasons employees resist change, they are unable to recognize not only the
signs of resistance but also the solutions required to resolve this resistance.
This discussion focuses on the general reasons that employees resist change and
provides you with an opportunity to devise a strategy to reduce this
resistance.
Respond to the following:
• In Chapter 6 of
your textbook, there is a list of 14 reasons why some employees may resist
change. Choose the two primary reasons that you believe people resist change,
and then, offer one strategy an organization may pursue to lessen resistance in
that particular circumstance.
• Explain why the
strategy you chose would work best in this particular circumstance.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 4 Discussion 2
Organizational Development
From Apple to Microsoft, Best Buy to Sears, the competitive
nature of the marketplace is affecting many organizations. Those that have not
yet been required to change their operations may be required to do so in the
near future. Use this discussion as an opportunity to review the basic tenants
of organizational development and assess how this tool can be utilized to
better manage the change process.
Respond to the following:
• Select a company
that is experiencing profound change.
• Briefly summarize
the change in question.
• Describe how
organizational development could be a useful tool for that organization to
consider as it embarks on its intention to change its organization.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade
Module 5 Discussion 1
Change Management Models
Models are helpful to guide organizations and managers
through the arduous process of change where the outcome is uncertain and the
path is complex and laden with barriers. Choosing the right model can be as
important as the result you are trying to achieve. This discussion allows you
to better understand some of the criteria that should be considered when
choosing the right change management model.
One of the more difficult actions involving change is
selecting the right change management model to guide your actions and
processes. Considering this, respond to the following:
• Present the criteria/factors you would review to determine
a preferred change management model to use in a given situation.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students Remember to read the feedback to
your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post should
be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be cited using
APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 5 Discussion 2
Vision
A vision states the long-term aspirations, and directions,
of an organization. Visions are not static and must evolve as an organization
evolves, especially in a rapidly changing world. Without question, you need to
select the right vision if you wish to achieve a successful organizational change.
This discussion provides an opportunity to create an invigorating, functional
vision statement and explain why it is applicable to the organization.
Hinterhuber and Popp state that “having a vision is
behind any new, entrepreneurial activity or major corporate change
program” (as cited in Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2009, p. 249).
Considering this, respond to the following:
• Choose any company you are familiar with and develop a new
vision statement that is more appropriate to their future.
• Subsequently, detail how that vision is linked to its
competitive advantage, organizational performance, and sustained organizational
growth.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students.Remember to read the feedback to
your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post should
be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be cited using
APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Reference:
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing
organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Module 6 Discussion 1
The Simple Model of Communication
As given in your textbook by Palmer, Dunford, and Akin
(2009), a KPMG survey of managers in 131 of Canada’s top corporations found
that managers viewed communication as the most important factor in achieving
successful changes such as mergers, downsizing, and reengineering (p. 291).
Learning the components of the Simple Model of Communication is fundamental to
the communication process, and this discussion allows you to extensively debate
this model.
Respond to the following:
• Provide a brief overview of the principal components of
the Simple Model of Communication.
• Determine the stage of the communication model that
presents the greatest challenge to most leaders and managers along with a
strategy that leaders and managers should consider to overcome this challenge.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it
throughout the module. Each post should be 100–150 words and written in your
own words. All quoted text must be cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 6 Discussion 2
Emotion
Some believe the communication process is too rational and
cognitive and does not account for the role and influence of emotions. From
experience, we know that emotions often affect an individual’s ability to think
reasonably and rationally. Thus, it becomes incumbent upon leaders and managers
to learn to control their emotions throughout the change process.
Respond to the following:
• Discuss the impact
of emotions—fear, egotism, self-interest, anger, or frustration—on the overall
change process and, specifically, on the ability of leaders and managers to
communicate a clear, consistent message during the change process.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it
throughout the module. Each post should be 100–150 words and written in your
own words. All quoted text must be cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 7 Discussion 1
Communication Skills
There are a number of reasons why communication falters in
organizations. The communication channels may be inadequate, the individuals
communicating the message may not be properly trained, or there may be language
barriers that cannot be overcome, such as speaking different languages or not
understanding the local culture. In such circumstances, strong and flexible
communication skills become an integral component of a leader’s skillset. The
following discussion activity will elaborate and reinforce the need for managers
to develop a specific set of skills to be utilized in the change process.
Respond to the following:
• Briefly describe
the four skills involved in engaging others in the change process.
• Examine how these
skills affect the delivery and impact of a leader’s message during the change
process.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post should
be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be cited using
APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 7 Discussion 2
Common language
When individuals, involved in discussing and implementing
change, fail to adopt a change language with common meanings, then the change
they are seeking to implement is likely to be problematic. This discussion
question debates the preferred course of action one should take in determining
the most appropriate words to utilize in the communication process.
Respond to the following:
• Choose three words
that are commonly misunderstood in the communication process.
• Based on the chance
that mistaken and misunderstood words can interfere with the communication
message, determine more appropriate words that can be utilized than the three
commonly misunderstood words you chose.
• Describe the method
or manner a communicator can follow to ensure that he or she utilizes the most
appropriate words and language when communicating with others.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it
throughout the module. Each post should be 100–150 words and written in your
own words. All quoted text must be cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and correct
any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
Module 8 discussion
Sustaining Change
Change must become an integral part of the organization.
Eventually, it should not be seen as a change but as the regular way in which
the business operates. This discussion question debates the manner in which
change can be sustained throughout the organization.
Respond to the following:
• It has been stated
that change enacted must become the way we do things around here. Propose two
actions or strategies that an organization should consider to ensure that
change within the organization becomes part of the new culture, along with one
strategy the organization should consider if the change begins to fail to
become part of that culture.
Post your primary response. Read any postings already
provided by your instructor or fellow students. Remember to read the feedback
to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module. Each post
should be 100–150 words and written in your own words. All quoted text must be
cited using APA format (6th edition).
See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and
responses.
Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a
Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you’re ready to make your initial
posting, please click on the “Create Thread” button and copy/paste the text
from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and
correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.
Evaluation Criteria
Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the “Start
Here” section of the course for more information on grading criteria.
Together, all discussions comprise 20% of the total course grade.
