In today’s fast-paced and global community, most organizations are faced with constant change. Research contemporary organizations that are currently responding to a significant change within the industry, such as disruptive technology; state, government, or industry regulations; environmental constraints; judicial or legislative rulings; etc.
Choose one organization from your research that has recently responded to major change, or is currently responding to change. Write a paper (1,250-1,500 words) discussing how well the organization is responding to the change dynamics. Include the following:
- Describe the organization and the change to which it is responding.
- Discuss the degree to which the change has been disruptive and how the organization has responded to the dynamics created by this change.
- Evaluate the strategies the organization used in its change plan and determine the level of success the organization experienced with the strategies.
- Determine the effect the change had on stakeholders, and to what degree stakeholders have resisted. Assess how well stakeholder resistance was addressed.
- Evaluate the overall implications the change had on interdepartmental collaboration.
- In your opinion, how well did the leaders of the organization respond and prepare for the change? What worked and what did not work with the strategies they implemented?
- What modifications would you suggest the leaders of the organization make in order to better address the change dynamics? What additional strategies would you recommend to assist the organization through this change?
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Managing change is an inevitable aspect of organizational development in the current dynamic business environment. Organizations must respond effectively to the environmental constraints, disruptive technologies, regulatory policies, judicial rulings among other aspects to remain competitive and relevant. This paper aims to analyze the response of an organization to a significant change within the industry. The organization in question is the Apple Inc.
1. Describe the organization and the change to which it is responding.
Apple Inc. is a leading global technology company that develops and sells a range of electronics, computer software, and online services. The company is renowned for its high-end products such as iPhones, iPods, iPads, among other gadgets. In 2021, Apple released its new operating system, the iOS 14 that was a significant change and upgrade from the previous version. The iOS 14 was designed to improve on many features present in the older version such as better Siri, a new home screen with customizable widgets, and a translate app.
2. Discuss the degree to which the change has been disruptive and how the organization has responded to the dynamics created by this change.
The change brought about by the iOS 14 was disruptive at different levels. First of all, the new home screen design impacted how users interact with their devices. Some users found it challenging to navigate, while others enjoyed the new look. Additionally, the new privacy feature that notifies users when an app is using their data was lauded by some users but criticized by app developers such as Facebook. Apple responded to the criticism by maintaining that users should have control over their privacy, and the developers should make adjustments to accommodate the new feature.
3. Evaluate the strategies the organization used in its change plan and determine the level of success the organization experienced with the strategies.
Apple employed different strategies to effectively manage the change dynamics created by the iOS 14. The company conducted extensive research to identify areas where the older version was underperforming. By doing so, Apple was able to focus on developing new features that would address users’ needs adequately. The company also invested heavily in marketing the new operating system through various channels such as social media, YouTube, and TV ads. The company’s efforts paid off as they experienced a high adoption rate of the iOS 14 by users.
4. Determine the effect the change had on stakeholders, and to what degree stakeholders have resisted. Assess how well stakeholder resistance was addressed.
The change brought about by the iOS 14 impacted different stakeholders such as users, app developers, and marketers. While users had mixed feelings about the changes, developers and marketers had to adjust their strategies to accommodate the new features such as the privacy notification feature. App developers such as Facebook resisted the change by stating that it would negatively affect their business models. Apple addressed the resistance by maintaining that privacy should be a fundamental right for users, and developers should make adjustments to their business models to stay competitive in the industry.
5. Evaluate the overall implications the change had on interdepartmental collaboration.
The new operating system had a positive impact on interdepartmental collaboration within the organization. Different teams worked together to ensure that the new features were adequately integrated into the iOS 14. The marketing team worked closely with the development team to create ads that would effectively communicate the new features to users. This collaboration was critical in ensuring the successful adoption of the new operating system.
6. In your opinion, how well did the leaders of the organization respond and prepare for the change? What worked and what did not work with the strategies they implemented?
The leaders of Apple Inc. responded well to the change and prepared adequately for the new operating system. The company conducted extensive research to identify gaps in the older version and invested heavily in marketing the new operating system to ensure a high adoption rate. The company’s focus on new features such as the privacy notification feature was a critical success factor for the new operating system.
7. What modifications would you suggest the leaders of the organization make in order to better address the change dynamics? What additional strategies would you recommend to assist the organization through this change?
One of the modifications that Apple Inc. could make to better address the change dynamics is to enhance communication channels between app developers and the company. This would enable the developers to provide feedback on the new features and address concerns arising from the new operating system. Additionally, the company could work on creating more interactive user guides that would help users navigate the new features better. The company could also conduct webinars to educate app developers on how to accommodate the privacy notification feature in their business models.
