Change Management Assignment: Case Analysis of EatWell&ACME

Question

Task: Change Management AssignmentPart 1:
Case Study
In a recent leadership team meeting, Max Knowitall, the CEO of EatWell, a traditional UK chain of meat production, raised concerns that business is slow due to the lack of focus on innovation.

While EatWell had been very successful in marketing their products in the past, it is currently seeing a decline in sales. Max K. had previously challenged his leadership team to come up with innovative ideas to drive continued success, but results have not yet improved. The chain suffers especially because of the unexpected rise in demand for vegan food. Therefore Max K. started looking for a potential business partner to expedite the company's involvement in vegan products.

In addition to the possibility of acquiring knowledge and skills around vegan nutrition, EatWell is evaluating a merger with an innovative company that is based on Mainland Europe. This would also provide an opportunity to (at least partially) transfer production to save on costs and to secure access to the continent's market after Brexit. Concerning this possible merger, the business development manager has already started looking into potential legal issues.

As a next step, the business development manager worked on an analysis to identify where the company currently stands and what it wants to achieve in a new combined post-merger organization. Based on the findings, a decision was made to limit potential merger partners to companies that have similar target customers, i.e. a focus on retailers and restaurants, to build a sustainable combined business model. However, the company cultures of potential partners investigated could not be more different. EatWell’s employees benefit from long-term employment, working in a highly process-driven and structured environment. In contrast, the staff of companies that are rising stars in the vegan food space are usually very young teams, living in a company culture that is driven by flat hierarchies, pragmatism, and fast pace.

While Max K. is close to deciding regarding the merger, managers are reporting that morale amongst workers is declining. Employees are sensing upcoming changes but have not been informed officially. Therefore, many rumors exist, and a general anxiety is building up. Max K. has now requested his Chief Operating Officer to develop a communication plan within the next seven days.

Q1. Prepare a diagnosis of EatWell and identify the challenge that this firm is facing. You should select the most appropriate change diagnosis tools and factors and make explicit reference to them in your answer.

Q2. Based on the conclusions from Q1, identify what the vision for change for this firm would be. In addition, identify what drivers and constraints the firm must factor in when implementing a change management plan to achieve the set objectives

Q3. Propose different change strategies that this firm would need to undertake for a successful change. Justify with theory and examples to support your statements.

Change Management Assignment Part
Essay question
Q4. The new CEO of the mid-sized company ACME, a traditional European automotive supplier, has informed his management team, that his goal is to become the most sustainable company in their industry. Assess the impact of this plan from a change management perspective.

You have been assigned the role of Change Agent to lead this initiative.
• Provide an analysis of the external challenges and opportunities.
• Select two models of internal diagnosis, and critically evaluate which perspective would be the most helpful for the given situation.
• Propose a cross-functional task force and describe the member’s roles and responsibilities.
• Design a communication strategy and describe which audiences must be addressed with which message at what stage.
• Which change manager profile, according to the 6 images model of change management, would be your most effective partner in leading the operational teams through this change? Justify your choice.

Answer

Change Management AssignmentPart 1- Case Study Questions
A1.It is significant to note that from given case study, it is evident that EatWell has been facing challenges associated with lack of proper focus in terms of innovation. In this aspect, implementation of “The Six-Box Organisational Model”, can give understanding of adequate change diagnosis factors along with analysing challenge associated with EatWell in present organisational dynamics (Leeet al. 2020). Purpose of EatWell is to provide meat production but organisational problem lies in concern associated with lack of proper concentration on innovation attributes. As demand for vegan food is rising, EatWellneeds better leadership that will help in balancing their business performance, as existing leadership is not satisfying demands of organisation.

Challenges, also remains in maintain proper relationships, with their merger due to absolute different internal corporate culture. Structure of EatWell stays process-driven as well as long-term staff involved whereas companies, they look for merging with consists of pragmatism work culture with fast pace attitude and flat form of hierarchies (Aslamet al. 2018). The differences associated with their mergers tends to cause them anxiousness and lack of confidence in merger and acquisition process, affecting their motivation negatively in workplace. No rewards culture is present among their merger organisations, leading to lack of communication and appreciation for hard working and skilled employees. In this aspect, internal stakeholder’s interest is not been analysed completely by Eatwell and very little is done for fulfilling them, leading to great challenge and causing uncertainty among employees. Furthermore lack of helpful mechanisms, are leading to lower morale among workers and employee have been sensing different changes, which has not been informed to them on official terms.

A2.Visions for change in EatWell needs to be to enhance right consumer targeting and developing best possible relationships with their partners. They need to assure informing their employees about preparing for change and retain their hard working and skilled staff, which will improve their business procedure. Additionally, there are different drivers along with constraints related to incorporating “change management plan”, in Eat Well towards attaining best set targets (Skogland and Hansen, 2017). In this context, “Change Drivers”, will include, analysing properly external as well as internal environment of organisations.

Firstly, “Macroeconomic factors”, such as ‘PESTLE’ analysis needs to be done before implementing change (Akman, 2020). Political factors such as fiscal policies along with pressure groups are drivers of change while strict government trade norms can be constraints. Economic factors such as recession along with depression can be constraints while positive interest rates can drive change successfully, while social-cultural drivers enhances understanding of demographics along with targeted audiences. “Technological and Legal factor”, analysis will drive change through ensuring understanding of level of expense for incorporating right technology and enhance best possible regulation (Neill, 2018). Finally, analysis of “Environmental Factors” will drive change through assuring sustainability legislation adherence and mitigating any form of green constraints during process management.

Goal for a successful change also lies in analysing “Industry and Market”, therefore assuring that organisational delivered value is greater than competitor’s delivered form of value through appropriate strategic approaches (Skogland and Hansen, 2017). Driving factors include moderate power of suppliers or clients and low substitute products. Constraints also include industry rivalry along with more emergences of competitors in market. Therefore analysing micro-economic factors, acts as a potential driver to set change goals and incorporate a potential “change management plan”, in present organisational standards.

A3.EatWell needs to incorporate potential change strategies, for undertaking a successful form of change. It will involve “Shared Power”, that will engage establishing potential amount of support for change through enforcing personal commitments as well as values of EatWell. It will also assure involving empirical form of argument and implementing best form of managerial behaviour. Employees must not feel uncertain regarding change process; therefore, “Informal Efforts”, will be needed that will include utilising credible form of knowledge demonstrated facts along with logical argument and notifying them about change process (Vuonget al. 2018).

Strategies will also involve collaborative evolution and assuring stakeholders of EatWell to recognise requirement for changes in organisational performance and structure. “Collaborative Transformation”, in organisation will help in anticipating requirements associated with transformational change and assure internal stakeholders collaborate with organisation for implementing change process. Leadership of Max.K needs to be sense making and he needs to vision as well as envision future prospects of change management plan.

Along with this, it becomes important for leader to align a shared sense of potential business direction so that they and their partners can work together along with enabling mitigation of obstacles and empower organisational culture. Maintaining potential momentum is significant, which will help in sustaining business change. Planning of “Communication Strategy” is significant that will involve business clarity and empathy towards stakeholders (Neill, 2018). It needs to motivate employees along with bringing up best capability of decision-making attributes along with business knowledge.

Aligning “The Confucian/Taiost Theory”, will help in bringing implementation of change through engaging best constant flow along with reflux (Vuonget al. 2018). It will help EatWell to be processional along with engaging harmonious form of movement from one step to other and assure involving journey-oriented approach and maintain business equilibrium and lessen any kind of employee conflict of interests. It will observe as well as follow people that are involved in change and enhance a normal change process, which is best for organisational performance improvement. For example, it will learn about employee needs and organisational needs, and incorporate change that will be best for both. Furthermore, it will involve EatWell to accomplish change with help of their stakeholders. ?

Part 2: Essay Question
A4.Introduction
This essay will provide understanding associated with a change management plan for ACME, in terms of reaching its sustainability goals. It will lead to analysis of external scopes and challenges for organisation and assure best possible internal diagnosis. It will also describe roles along with responsibilities of cross-functional workforce and develop communication strategy targeting right audience. Furthermore, it will enhance suitable change manager profile, which is helpful in leading operational team through business change management.

Critical Discussion
Analysis of External Challenges and Opportunities
ACME needs to enhance a thorough analysis along with identification of “Macroeconomic Factors”. First aspect will be “PESTLE Analysis”, that twill involve understanding political stability along with government rules and trade union power of nation that ACME is operating in (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020.). Secondly, Economic factors will be analysed, which will enhance a clear understanding of interest rates, investment standards along with currency rates and price stability. Furthermore, “Socio-Cultural Factors”, will be analysed that involves demographics and cultural understanding of targeted population. ‘Technological factors’ will focus on R&D investment along with commercialisation rate and speed associated with technology factors. “Legal Factors”, will involve legislature structures along with different form of trade liability and any kind of governmental norms of country of operation (Priporaset al. 2019).

“Finally Environmental Analysis”, will bring out understanding of clear sustainability legislation along with level of awareness associated with sustainability in external environment. Secondly, there will be major challenge in thoroughly understanding “Industry and market”, which are drivers to potential change. In this context, a clear “5-C Framework”, analysis will help ACME to capture as well as establish business value (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020). Although thorough analysis of external environment is challenging, analysing them effectively can lead to best possible business scopes in present marketing environment.

Models of internal diagnosis
Two models for internal diagnosis, associated with AMCE would be “Physical Value Chain Analysis Model”, and “SWOT Analysis”. Physical value chain model will bring out a comprehensive analysis associated with AMCE’s infrastructure and their management, finance and legal policy understanding. It also brings out understanding of their inbound form of logistics along with operations (Xu, 2019). It will give a clear idea about their outbound logistics along with potential marketing as well as sales. Finally, it improves consumer value and helps in value-creating activities.

On the other hand, “SWOT Analysis”, will help in bringing out identification of AMCE’s strengths along with weaknesses (Gürel and Tat, 2017). It will create better strategies for utilising company’s strength for taking best advantage associated with external scopes. Weakness analysis will help in taking risk-management approach for mitigating further weaknesses. It will help in analysing AMCE’s opportunities for enhancing best possible “Corporate Social Responsibility”, and bring out better sustainability aspects in external environment. Furthermore, analysis of threats will help in assuring radical innovation and minimise on upcoming organisational threats. In this context, “SWOT Analysis Model”, will be best mode of internal diagnosis for AMCE, as it will help in understanding business on better terms along with capitalising on scopes and deterring threats. It will also help in establishing sustainability goals of AMCE and develop best possible strategies for attain them in European market.

Cross-functional task forces and team roles
A “Cross-functional Task force”, will be appointed that will help in encouraging effective form of communication among management team. Cross-functional team will be essential in terms of collaborating optimisation of use of time, money along with effort for improving best possible consumer satisfaction and help in meeting up AMCE’s sustainability goals (Nguyenet al. 2018).Among all members, roles and responsibilities are listed below.

Table 1: Segmenting member’s responsibilities and roles in cross-functional workforce

Table 2: Communication Strategy Change Manager Profile

After analysing “6 images model of change management”, most effective partner of change manager profile would be “The Interpreter”, as it will require making a more sense-making form of approach. It will lead to enact change and assure clear communication for purpose of change, that will be easily understood through management team (Aslamet al. 2018).As an interpreter, change manager will be able to potentially offer proper interpretations of change and enhance process of construction as well as reconstruction through which managers will be able to understand, interpret along with establish sense for themselves. It will lead least possible resistance towards change and help in faster change process, thereby ensuring best management of change in AMCE for meeting its organisational sustainability goals.

Conclusion
This essay concludes that analysis of external environment through PESTLE assures business to identify right scope for change. It also selects SWOT as best model of internal diagnosis associated with ACME. It appoints a cross-functional workforce and developed potential communication strategic approach for incorporating change-management. Furthermore, it choses ‘interpreter’, as best profile of change manager for being effective partner in terms of directing operational team of AMCE through change process for achieving its sustainable targets.

Reference List
Akman, M.K., (2020). Defence Management And Pestle Analysis. Ante Portas, p.93. http://anteportas.pl/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AP.XIV_.pdf#page=93

Aslam, U., Muqadas, F., Imran, M.K. and Saboor, A., (2018).Emerging organizational parameters and their roles in implementation of organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management.https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/marketing-communication-strategy-and-its-essence

Bayazovna, G.N., (2020). Marketing communication strategy and its essence. ???????????? ? ???????????, (1 (85)).https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/marketing-communication-strategy-and-its-essence

Gürel, E. and Tat, M., (2017). SWOT analysis: a theoretical review. Journal of International Social Research, 10(51).https://www.academia.edu/download/62389742/SWOT_ANALYSIS_-__A_THEORETICAL_REVIEW20200317-103393-rbe9nt.pdf

Jelassi, T. and Martínez-López, F.J., (2020). External Analysis: The Impact of the Internet on the Macro-environment and on the Industry Structure of e-Business Companies. In Strategies for e-Business (pp. 49-95).Springer, Cham.https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-48950-2_3 Lee, Y.J., Kim, C.G. and Lee, B.W., (2020). A Convergence Study on the Organizational Diagnosis of Public Health Center using Six-Box Model. Journal of the Korea Convergence Society, 11(8), pp.55-61.https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO202025465016343.pdf

Neill, M.S., (2018). Change management communication: Barriers, strategies & messaging. Public Relations Journal, 12(1), pp.1-26.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marlene_Neill/publication/327057178_Change_ Management_Communication_Barriers_Strategies_Messaging/links/ 5b757e2845851546c909dc07/Change-Management-Communication-Barriers-Strategies-Messaging.pdf

Nguyen, N.P., Ngo, L.V., Bucic, T. and Phong, N.D., (2018). Cross-functional knowledge sharing, coordination and firm performance: The role of cross-functional competition. Industrial Marketing Management, 71, pp.123-134.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nguyen_Nguyen77/publication/322037569_Cross-functional_knowledge_sharing_coordination_and_firm_performance_The_role_of_cross-functional_competition/links/5c5993f992851c48a9bbef8e/Cross-functional-knowledge-sharing-coordination-and-firm-performance-The-role-of-cross-functional-competition.pdf

Priporas, C.V., Kamenidou, I.E., Nguyen, N. and Shams, R., (2019). The impact of the macro-environment on consumer scepticism towards cause-related marketing: insights from an economic crisis setting. Change management assignmentInternational Marketing Review. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-48950-2_3

Rosenbaum, D., More, E. and Steane, P., (2018). Planned organisational change management: Forward to the past? An exploratory literature review. Journal of Organizational Change Management.https://www.academia.edu/download/56987827/Planned_Organisational_Change_Management_-_Forward_to_the_Past_.pdf Skogland, M.A.C. and Hansen, G.K., (2017). Change your space, change your culture: exploring spatial change management strategies. Journal of Corporate Real Estate.https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/2491165/Change%2Byour%2Bspace.pdf?sequence=1

Vuong, Q.H., Bui, Q.K., La, V.P., Vuong, T.T., Nguyen, V.H.T., Ho, M.T., Nguyen, H.K.T. and Ho, M.T., (2018). Cultural additivity: behavioural insights from the interaction of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in folktales. Palgrave Communications, 4(1), pp.1-15.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-018-0189-2

Xu, X., (2019). Value creation for intelligent connected vehicles: an industry value-chain perspective. In Digital Business Models (pp. 57-79). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96902-2_3