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Diagnostic Change Models applied to the Tech Division

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Discuss three different diagnostic models in relation to the Tech Division. Discuss the important aspects of each model, including the strengths and weakness of each. Explain and defend which model would be the best one for the CF&F Team to support them through their stages of change.

Some of the models we are going to look at include:

The Analytical Model- Differentiation Integration Model; the Emergent-Group Behavior Model;
The Management Consulting Model; the Sociotechnical Systems Model; Cause Maps; Social Network Analysis Model; and the Force-Field Analysis Model. Please remember that no one model may work alone. Sometimes as OD specialists we need to take bits and pieces of several models to make the right diagnosis.

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Solution Summary

In reference to the CF&F Team Scenario, this solution discusses three different diagnostic models in relation to the Tech Division. It explains the important aspects of each model, including the strengths and weakness of each, and also recommends which model(s) would be the best for the CF&F Team to support them through their stages of change. Supplemented with a highly informative article on participatory management to apply to the Tech Division.

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Please see response attached for better formatting for tables and charts (Posting 67253.doc), including one supporting article. However, the response is also presented below. I hope this helps and take care.

RESPONSE:

CURRENT SCENARIO

CF&F has recently had a large turnover of upper management and has hired a number of new middle management persons from other companies. It has also integrated a few engineers freshly out of college to help optimize production and lower cost. Historically, frontline supervisors have been promoted from within the company and without any management development training. Eighty-five percent of your hourly employees have been with the company 5+ years.

Since the new management staff has been in charge, hourly employees have complained that this group of managers has not been keeping their promises concerning employee training and promotion (problem: Lack of communication between managers and employees). Some of the employee?s even fear for their jobs if they complain about the work environment (culture of suspicion and fear versus culture of high morale as would be preferred for high productivity). Employees are also concerned that management is not adhering to company policies, yet are forcing the employees to follow company policies. Employees feel resentment over this. Some of the employees are voicing concerns that because of the lack of communication, professional development and leadership from management, personal safety is a major concern. (Not in the final analysis)

It is also evident that the frontline supervisors are not happy, either. Their concerns are that no one from upper management will back them up (authoritarian managerial style versus preferred participatory, team approach) when it comes to making technical or managerial decisions.

CF&F has an overwhelming production schedule. Due to this schedule, frontline supervisors are not training employees properly (lack of training and professional development = low employee morale, low motivation and low productivity) and are leaving the majority of the major decision-making tasks to the hourly staff. Frontline supervisors have not received the proper management development training and are therefore limited on what skills they can pass on to the hourly staff.

As you start to investigate the allegations from the hourly employees, you find that Frontline Supervisors are not happy (low motivation and morale with Frontline Supervisors), either. Their concerns are that no one from upper management will back them up (authoritarian versus participatory leadership/managerial style = low decision-making capacity, low job satisfaction, low morale and low productivity and the reverse is true with participatory/egalitarian/team approach) when it comes to making technical or managerial decisions.

The Department to Use in Evaluating this Scenario

THE TECH DIVISION

Only 12 years old, the Tech Division is the newest division of the organization. This division has grown from manufacturing and producing a single product to a total of seven products. The Tech Division is a non-union facility, which has a staff of 92 managers and 300 hourly employees. This division uses fermentation technology to convert dextrose (sugar) into a variety of food and feed ingredients. This division operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. A survey was given out to the employees of the Tech Division, including frontline supervisors. 75% of the surveys were returned. (Excellent!)

FINDINGS

The following points indicate the major results of the study:

1. There is no real concern for safety, environmental and/or quality controls among the employees.
However, the organization should look into the cause of the investigations and allegations of
Company mismanagement.
2. Tech?s managers use an authoritarian approach to managing human resources. This approach over the years has built many barriers between the hourly employees and management and there has been some talk of unionizing.
3. The plant manager?s responsibility is to make all the daily production decisions. His staff of production supervisors is to monitor the production cycle and report to him for direction.
4. Frontline Supervisors have been promoted from within the company. There was no apparent consideration to who would be promoted and no guidance and training was given to them.
5. There is a history of nepotism that runs throughout the culture of this division.

Up until now, the Corporate Human Resource department has been responsible for all of the Human Resource activities for each of its divisions.

END OF SCENARIO

Let?s look at how the force-field model fits:

EXAMPLE ONE: Force-Field Model (adapted)

Kurt Lewin as an assessment tool for organizational change originally developed this technique. It involves creating a force field of driving forces, which aid the change or ...

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