Section I: Organization
The company that I chose to discuss for my project is Microsoft. The main reason as to why I chose the company is because it is one of the biggest companies. The company is also highly competitive in the IT industry. It has been able to withstand massive competition from companies like Google and Apple. To be able to withstand such competition from big companies needs a well formulated strategy. One of the strategies that the company has employed is to make sure that it has the best human resource strategy in place.
The strategy that the company uses in Human Resource management is to make sure that it has the best programs in place. One of the programs is that the company makes sure that it has only the best and very skilled employees. The company also ensures that the employees are innovative and have the capability to cope up with the changes in the IT sector. This is one of the reasons as to why the company has been able to remain competitive in the IT sector. The company has also initiated sponsorship and internship programs where people from different demographics are given the opportunity to participate in the company development. It is one of the ways in which the company has been able to amass support from the community and its market.
Even with Human Resource Management programs, policies, procedures, and initiatives I think there is need for the company to improvement on the sector of app development. I think that the company should provide more incentives to its developers so that they can have the ability to develop more apps (Deb, 2009). Over the recent we have seen Google and Apple compete strongly against Microsoft on the sector of apps because they have better policies. Microsoft needs to do more in this sector. Developers should be compensated for their work if a company needs to stay competitive (Henderson, 2006).
Diagnosing Change
There have been many developments in the industry’s market bring the urge for the company to change so that it can be able to adapt to these changes. Most of these changes have been as a result of technology advances and the ease of innovation and creativity. The company has in the recent past ventured into the gaming, Smartphone among many other emerging industries with the aim of making sure that its customers are covered.
The number of employees working for Microsoft has always been increasing with a reported increase from 61,000 in 2005 to 118,000 in 2015. This means that the company is continuously expanding. Since its inception in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company has become a vast multinational corporation. The company has also centered its focus on diverse of its businesses keeping in mind that needs from the customers keep on changing from time to time. Recently the company has entered the cloud computing industry. “In 2016, the company ranked as the fifth most valuable brand in the world, with an estimated brand value of around 67 billion U.S. dollars, surpassed only by Apple, Google, Samsung, and Amazon”
HR Policy
The company is doing a great job in the HR sector inviting many more skilled people on board, but I believe there are some changes that should be done. The source of my suggestion some as a result of changes happening in other organizations like Google. When it comes to app development, Google has provided a free source platform where developers can feel free to develop their apps for free and can be easily adapted. This is something that has made many developers opt to use android to develop their apps. With the many applications available on android and Apple platforms, many people tend to purchase Smartphones run on these platforms as opposed to Microsoft Smartphones that have limited apps. I believe that it would be advisable for the company to make it easy for developers.
I also think the company needs to check on its compensation and benefits strategy. I believe that this is another area that other companies are taking advantage in getting the best talents. Improved salaries and benefits are elements that tend to attract many people and the company should move with speed in implementing a strategy that can work to its advantage. It is important that the company invests in research and development to make sure that it has the best strategy in the environment. The most important thing in the technological industry is to have the best innovative and creative workforce especially keeping in mind that the industry is constantly changing.
Reasons for Change
There are many reasons as to why the organization needs to change. The most important is to make sure that there is a better environment that can allow workers to focus on their work with no or minimum disturbances. It is important to indicate that the technology sector is improving day by day and many companies are emerging that pose a threat to Microsoft. As much as Microsoft might be superior in terms o resources and assets, there could be a challenge convincing employees to stay if the environment elsewhere is better.
The second reason as to why the organization should change its policy is because of the demand in the market. There are increasing demand for new products and increased quality of products that the company is manufacturing at the moment. The HR policy should be adjusted to make sure that new talents are absorbed easily. At the moment the policy is very challenging for emerging developers and new talents. This is something that can lock the emerging talents out, who could have been a big value to the company.
The third reason as to why the HR policy needs to change is because of the need for improved performance. There is a need to make sure that the employees are remunerated better. Remuneration is a fact that helps many when it comes to motivation. Employees need to feel part of the organization, and feel appreciated for the efforts they put in the organization. Better remuneration motivates not only employees in the organization but it also plays a very vital role in encouraging many other developers and creators to admire working for the company.
Readiness for Change
There are several factors to consider before determining if an organization is ready for change. The first thing is to make sure that the attitude in and out of the company is the best that can support the change. It is highly advisable to conduct research, and define the feelings of the stakeholders and shareholders in embracing the imminent change. Failure to do this might lead to resistance to the change process. The need for change should be clearly defined. Effects should be understood by everyone in the organization.
The other diagnostic tool to consider if the conditions present can support the change process and the ultimate change. There some factors to consider like laws, structures, systems, etc. necessary to mandate, support and manage the change. The company should make sure that it is operating within the frameworks of the law. If this is not the case, then the company risks facing issues with the law, which not only take a lot of time to solve but also money.
The third factor to consider n terms of readiness for change is the resources available. It is obvious that resources will be needed when making any change in the organization. It can be problematic increasing compensation when the company is not doing well in terms revenue generation. It can plunge the organization into more problems. The human, physical and financial resources needed to support or facilitate the change should be verified that they are the best.
Looking at the resources I believe that the organization is capable making the change. Both internal and external resources are already available to support the change. The organization also has the employees that are skilled and have the knowledge to effect the change that is needed. I believe the organization is in a good position to manage the change. Basing on this argument I believe that the organization is ready for change. However it is important to make sure that the approach to change is done adhering to all the set rules. The change should also reflect the strategic plan of the organization. I also believe that they should make it flexible just in case it fails to work, changes can be easily made. The main aim is to make sure that the organization functions better.
Section II: Kotter Change Plan:
There are 8 steps that Kotter suggests that play a key role in ensuring that the change plan is successful. In this organization all of them play a critical role in ensuring that the intended changes are achieved. Establishing a sense of urgency is important for Microsoft because it needs to address both short term and long term as soon as possible. Microsoft also needs to establish coalitions which in this case are the developers. It is also important for the company to establish a vision and strategy which might include opening up more to developers and equipping them. Microsoft has a lot of investors and it through communication that they will be able to know the activities of the company.
Also the company needs to empower broad based action which includes making sure that developers are equipped with the materials they need in order to perform. Short term wins and gains also need to be acknowledge, which will help the company make future decisions. In case of any more change, the company should be in a position to make them, and in this case we have seen that technology companies like apple and Google are entering the mobile phone industry. Every organization has its own culture, and it is up to the company to make sure that these changes are incorporated into its culture. In Kotter’s change plan, an organization can be very successful if it follows the suggestions to the latter. The most important thing is to make sure that communication becomes part of the implementation plan. Many organizations do not achieve the ultimate goal of becoming successful, because they do not pay attention to this plan.
It is also important for an organization to record not only short term wins but also long term wins. This is important because it helps the organization know which direction to take as far as change is concerned.
Section IV: Sustaining Change
There are a number of strategies that can be used to make sure that the change is sustained. The first thing is to make sure that there is effective communication in the organization. Communication acts as the linking factor between the management and employees. Every party can feel free to raise concerns whenever they feel something is not doing okay. In doing so, they can be addressed in good time hence avoiding cases of uncertainty. It should be noted that in the case where communication is not part of the organization strategy, there is a lot of resistance from the employees and other stakeholders. Effects of resistance are often characterized by slow growth, which in turn affects the development and performance of the organization. The most important thing is that the organization makes everything in its own capacity to identify areas of weakness and address them on time.
The other strategy that the organization can use in sustaining the change is to make sure that they leave the change process open for everyone. It is obvious that not everybody will be satisfied with the changes that might have been recommended or implemented. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and it is up to the management to make sure that this right is enjoyed by all. The thin to be done is to allow for recommendations to be made even after the change has been implemented. The benefit of this is the fact that mistakes can be corrected and the employees can develop a sense of belonging which is essential for togetherness. The goal of any organization is to always make sure hat they are going forward in terms of performance, and this can only be achieved if the organization is able to move as a block. The organization should make sure that it is always carrying out research and surveys to make sure areas of concern are addressed on time.
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