Nature and Factors of Organizational Change
Last updated on 30/03/2020Organizational change refers to any alteration that occurs in total work environment. Organizational change is an important characteristic of most organizations. An organization must develop adaptability to change otherwise it will either be left behind or be swept away by the forces of change. Organizational change is inevitable in a progressive culture. Modern organizations are highly dynamic, versatile and adaptive to the multiplicity of changes.
Organizational change refers to the alteration of structural relationships and roles of people in the organization. It is largely structural in nature. An enterprise can be changed in several ways. Its technology can be changed, its structure, its people and other elements can be changed. Organizational change calls for a change in the individual behaviour of the employees.
Organizations survive, grow or decay depending upon the changing behaviour of the employees. Most changes disturb the equilibrium of situation and environment in which the individuals or groups exist. If a change is detrimental to the interests of individuals or groups, they will resist the change.
Nature of Organizational Change
The term change refers to an alteration in a system whether physical, biological, or social. Thus organizational change is the alteration of work environment in organization. It implies a new equilibrium between different components of the organization- technology, structural, arrangement, job design, and people. Thus organizational change may have following features:
- When change occurs in any part of the organization, it disturbs the old equilibrium necessitating the development of the a new equilibrium. The type of new equilibrium depends on the degree of change and its impact on the organization.
- Any change may affect the whole organization; some parts of the organization may be affected more, others less; some parts are affected directly, others indirectly.
- Organizational change is a continuous process. However, some changes which are of minor type, may be absorbed by the existing equilibrium; others, which are major ones may require special change efforts.
Factors of Organizational Change
Organizational change as we have read is a strategic initiative impacting almost every aspect of its operations and functions. The factors that induce changes almost always require immediate attention. The major forces that drive this change in business are:
- Internal environment
- External environment
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The Internal Environment
The internal environment of an organization consists of factors within the organization over which it can exercise a fair amount of control. Some of the internal factors are:
(i) Employees: Employees are the human capital of the organization. An organization without a motivated and dedicated workforce will not be able to perform in spite of having the best products and capital. Employees must take the initiative to change their workplace, or changes in work tasks for more efficient and effective performance.
(ii) The Organizational Structure: The organizational structure is what governs and guides the effective operations of the company. It defines and scopes the authority and hierarchy in the company. However, over time the organizational structure needs reorganization to answer to the needs of an evolving entity and becomes an internal source of organizational change.
(iii) Organization Processes: The processes in organization are collections of activities that need to be undertaken in order to produce an output, and that will have a value for consumers. There are various processes in the organization that need to be constantly updated to keep serving the market like – manufacturing, distribution, logistics, information technology, etc.
Apart from the above factors like the company’s mission and objectives, organizational culture and style of leadership are factors typically associated with the internal environment of an organization and can have a considerable impact on the organization.
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The External Environment
The external environment of an organization are those set of factors which the organization cannot exercise control on. Though these factors are external to the organization, they have a significant influence over its operations, growth and sustainability.
(i) Economic Factors: The macroeconomic factors like the political and legal environment, the rate of inflation and unemployment, monetary and fiscal policies of the government, etc. are causes that have a high influence on companies and prompt for changes in the organization. Managers need to carefully track these indicators in order to make the right decisions for change.
(ii) Socio-cultural Factors: The local and regional conditions greatly influence people’s values, habits, norms, attitudes and demographic characteristics in the society. All of these factors highly influence the business operations or will do so in the future.
(iii) Global Environment: The increasing globalization of markets has made organizations sensitive to changes. Any change or crisis in the global market affects every business, and corrective measures are not often easy and immediately taken.
(iv) Technology: Technology has become an intrinsic part of business operations. It regulates processes in all aspects like manufacturing, distribution, logistics, finance, etc. Organizations have to be up-to-date with the ever-changing technological advancements in order to improve efficiencies and remain competitive.