Strategies for change: Position Paper on Change Intervention

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Strategies for Change Intervention

Change simply means the alteration of status- quo. Even in the most stable organizations, change becomes necessary just to keep the level of given stability (Ahls, 2001). The economic and social environment is so dynamic that even the most successful organizations will be left behind, if the changes are not affected according to the changes taking place in the environment (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2008). Change is the necessary way of life in almost all organizations.

Organizations desire change so as to remain competitive and to remain in harmony with ever- changing environment (David, 2004). As change is a law of nature, so simultaneously, it is also like a law for the organization and its management.
It is human nature that we are never satisfied with the present and hence, there is a cry for change in every nook and corner of the world (Ahls, 2001). Change that is induced by the internal and external forces of trade, commerce and industry through science and technology, demands a rapid individual and social adjustment and it renders obsolete, many products and processes, skills and attitudes of the employees and jobs (David, 2004). Meeting these challenges of changes is the primary responsibility of the management (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2008).

In order to develop the organization, changes are necessary. The first step of organizational development depends on the adoption of change from the environment by the organization (Ahls, 2001). Organizational development focuses our attention on innovations and planned change in the organization. It is an intervention strategy that uses group process to focus on the whole culture of an organization in brings about planned change (Faust & Bethge, 2003). It seeks to change beliefs, attitudes, values, structure and practices so that the organization can adapt technology better and live with the fast pace of change (Faust & Bethge, 2003).

It is basically a long- range program attempting to change the behavioral attitudes and performance of the total organization. It is not one- time training and development program but it is an on- going and cycling process (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2008). In other words, organizational development is designed to integrate the needs, goals and objectives of the organization with the needs of the individual in order to encourage his involvement and help his growth and development in the job (Ahls, 2001).

The FMC Corporation is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based manufacturing company (FMC Corporation, 2009). The most famous units of FMC are Green River and Aberdeen (FMC Corporation, 2009). The Green River unit operates in chemical manufacturing. The unit was started in 1948. The company has large number of operations, due to which there are several problems in its organizational behavior (FMC Corporation, 2009).

The employees have problems with salaries, job satisfaction, ethical problems, leadership practices, communication problems, carrier development etc. (McKenna, 2000). The site manager of the unit wants to implement some new recommendations to solve these problems. The mission of the company is to have good productivity through the supply of best products to the industries and maintain a good organizational culture (FMC Corporation, 2009). The vision of the company is aimed to have top position in the global business environment. The vision of the company forces its efforts towards high profitability (FMC Corporation, 2009). The objectives of the company are also very high. The company considers the objectives as the final results of the planned activities (FMC Corporation, 2009). The objectives state what the company wants to establish. The goals are the end statement of the companies about what the company wants to accomplish (FMC Corporation, 2009).

The goals of Green River unit have a wider scope. The company wants to increase its assets and sales for high growth (FMC Corporation, 2009). It wants to increase the profitability by increasing the overall profits of the company. For high growth, the company wants to do appropriate utilization of its resources (Ahls, 2001). It is also necessary for the company to cope up with the changing environment of the industry in a positive ...