Introduction
Thousands of businesses must make major structural changes to survive today’s rapidly changing and intensely competitive environment. Birkinshaw, J. (2015) argues that internal and external influences are the most common drivers of organizational transformation. Dill (2012) and Bourgeois (2013) classify the external environment as either the general environment (economy, population, and society) or the task environment (competition, suppliers, and so on). The internal environment comprises the company’s primary business, management style, organizational culture, etc., and the external environment comprises the broader community.
This paper will analyze the effects of shifts in cultural norms and managerial style on the administration of companies in the Jerusalem Paint Industry (JPI). Helps explain the impact of the CEO’s ideals on staff behavior (Peters & Waterman, 2012) and highlights the disparity between established companies’ cultures and those of startups (Linstead et al., 2004, p. 100). Cultural friction and misunderstanding lead to ideological resistance among new and veteran workers. This document serves as a helpful reminder to property owners to consider JPI’s management style and other internal and external factors. The next step is for the company to determine the most effective method of incorporating the workforce in the change management process to lower or remove any existing resistance. It is, therefore, up to leaders to manage the resistance to change inside their organizations.
Lewin’s 3-step model (1951) and Kotter’s 8-step model (2015) are the two models considered. The Lewin model entails three distinct phases. To begin, there is the process of “liberating,” which involves figuring out what has to be done. The second stage, “change,” puts the change process into action while reducing resistance to the new way of doing things. In the final phase, “freeze,” we analyze the data and figure out how to push the transformation forward. However, it may not meet the needs of companies that must endure a challenging procedure that calls for constant adjustment to compete successfully in a highly competitive market. The 8-step Kotter Change Model (2015) is a thorough option change process from awareness through consolidation guaranteed to succeed.
However, this paradigm has two major drawbacks: (1) its gradual nature makes it inappropriate for organizations that require rapid transformation, and (2) it gives fewer resources to bottom-up management than top-down. Since JPI has been around in the “plaster and tile adhesive” sector for a while, they may not need to make a drastic shift immediately. They need to think about a more comprehensive and careful approach. Therefore, the 8-step Kotter model can work, and those steps will be factored into the analysis. Kotter’s (2015) 8-step model for development based on specific academic principles about leadership, communication, and resistance has been suggested as one of the techniques for determining the optimum application for the changes. It will also determine the nature of the planned thought needed, explaining why previous attempts to reform the Jerusalem Paint Company have failed.
This paper will examine the philosophy of leadership and the cultural perspective of JPI’s employees as it relates to the execution of organizational change. An examination of how JPI, a corporation whose principles are strongly ingrained in its operational philosophy and which functions much like a family business, is handling the challenge of expanding into a much larger and more diversified organization. It takes a new CEO to get the buy-in of seasoned workers so that old values may coexist with the new ones they bring to the company.
Phase of Application
Kotter’s (1996) three-stage model for managing process change considers the unpredictability of transformation. These stages are preparation, implementation, and maintenance.
Set-Up
The first stage is to plan the configuration. JPI uses a strategy that encourages its employees to take on leadership roles and develop their passion for the company to create a competent team. However, a cultural anomaly that hindered their good intentions derailed their rapidly expanding firm. A consultant was brought in to investigate the situation and determine its root causes. A review of internal operations has revealed that the company has hired several new workers and appointed a new CEO who does not share the Islamic concept set forth by the previous CEO and is at odds with the established company culture. Inadequate training in Islamic values and principles (Amanah, Taqwa, Shura, and Itqan) (cooperation, credibility, and honesty) led to the emergence of a subculture within the organization (Van Maanen & Barley, 1985). It highlighted the differences between the new hire’s value system and the outgoing worker’s.
According to Lewin’s idea (McAleese, Creed, and Zutshi, 2013), “collective decision-making” is crucial to an organization’s long-term viability. The conflict between cultures has pushed the organization to the cultural spectrum’s end, where chaos reigns (Clegg et al., 2018). CEOs must work together to establish and uphold company principles and consistent corporate culture. Because the interim CEO failed to communicate and reinforce the need for change management, this has occurred. Therefore, this analysis should center on the influence of leadership and the methods through which leaders choose to convey change, as this opposition was driven by a leadership style that refused to alter the JPI’s approach. The case study shows how long-term workers tried to train new workers to share their values and beliefs. The CEO must assess each interaction to understand how the two employees’ JPI is evolving. The new CEO needed to understand the company’s purpose, which is the first step in effective strategic change management and leadership (Ireland & Hitt, 2019). In place of formal socialization programs, he helps workers understand what actions are tolerated (Dawson and Andriopoulos, 2017).
The company’s traditional Islamic work culture must be kept from former employees and middle management. Therefore, the two sides’ ideals and ideas are at odds with one another, and they consult to shift toward a more individualistic perspective. While both groups devote the same amount of time to the work, the newcomers are less enthusiastic about the project as a whole. As a result, some opposition took place primarily in people’s brains instead of manifesting itself in overt ways. Employees are in a “high readiness” stage, and the CEO should apply a “coaching” style of leadership (Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson, 2000). A successful CEO provides leadership that fosters a unified organizational culture and encourages two-way communication among employees.
In addition, they need to put in the time and effort to build rapport with staff members so that they can offer assistance when called for. However, the leader opted for Follower-Driven Delegation because the long-term staff “can’t but are willing,” calling for a Leadership Coaching strategy. The method fails because of a lack of consistency in identifying and implementing the most effective forms of leadership throughout the organization. However, John Whitehead (John Whitehead, 2016) claims that there is no longer the best style. Because different HR models and levels of employees call for different approaches to management. Managers are more likely to succeed if they adapt their methods to suit each level of the organization. A strong leadership style results from a positive work environment and many opportunities for progress.
Roll-Out
To finish the task while reducing the resistance or pushback you experience during transition. During the implementation phase, the most important thing to focus on is maintaining open lines of communication between the senior management and the workers. Take JPI as an example; the company has recently chosen a new CEO and hired new staff who bring distinct views and ideas unrelated to the Islamic worldview. The backlash substantially influenced the organization, ultimately leading to the development of two crucial areas: resistance to change and communication.
Modification Resistance and Conversation
According to research by Jackson and Callon (2011), effective communication is a key factor in the success of any transformation. The case study reveals a distinction in the approach to communication between the first and second stages of JPI development. Prioritizing top-down information transmission to staff was a focus for the previous leader, who employed a program strategy (Russ, as described in Dawson and Adriopoulos, 2017). Unfortunately, the newly appointed CEO has not embraced a particular strategy for delivering change. Therefore there are no attempts to help or teach new workers.
With clear instructions, workers may become more relaxed when faced with unexpected challenges or unsure how to adapt to the former employee’s working style. “Resistance” describes this phenomenon (Eccles, 2014). Lack of communication from the new CEO and an inability to form a cohesive link among new workers regarding working styles leads to a decline in employee quality. It can be difficult for the new CEO to know how to proceed because the programmatic approach is no longer productive. The likelihood of encountering limitations is heightened due to the monologue in organizational communication that results from this approach, in which signals are communicated down to the lower level but rarely up (Russ, 2018). Furthermore, the new CEO needs to develop more credibility for people to believe in him because he needs a clear plan or direction for the organization’s actions.
Giangreco and Peccei (2015) define “resistance” as a kind of dissent expressed by members of an organization who feel that a recent change has negatively affected the group’s reputation. The four categories Kanter (1985) described as key influences on employees’ resistance to organizational change are personal interests, psychological impacts, habit strength, and maxim considerations. Redistribution. The strength of one’s habits is linked to resistance in this scenario. When workers tend to revert to tried-and-true ways. When new workers act in ways that run against the company’s long-standing beliefs, employees understandably worry about the potential bad consequences of this redesigning of the corporation.
Consequently, long-term employees suffer psychologically when former workers voice ideological resistance (Burke, as cited by Dawson and Adriopoulos). According to some research, coworker disputes can lead to negative feelings and tension. While reducing job satisfaction, teamwork, commitment to group decisions, organizational commitment, communication among team members, and job satisfaction. In reality, long-serving employees always consult with their peers before making a call, but new hires rarely demonstrate teamwork or the need for guidance before making a call. Because of these generational differences in how they interpret community and collective thinking, this behavioral conflict has arisen (Burke). Bringing about change in an organization is never easy, and the outcome is never guaranteed. Members who cannot adapt to new circumstances will be hard for a company with a culture that encourages innovation to keep. One of the main causes of organizational transformation initiatives failing is employee resistance. Therefore, managers need to consider the key issue of doing business while executing change programs or plans in addition to the company’s strategy, Organisational structure, or culture. The workforce in order to accept the new direction (Kotter and Cohen, 2012).
Follow-Through
The third step will involve leaders and managers adjusting to establish the optimal working environment and practices for employees. This will be accomplished by recognizing any difficulties and hurdles that still exist in the workplace. Before people can give their best effort, they need time to adjust to and become used to the new environment. In the case of JPI, it has been demonstrated that strong leadership and communication can reduce resistance to change, enhance ties between managers and their workforce, and boost morale and productivity. If, on the other hand, the internal team members do not have a sufficient amount of trust in one another, there is an increased risk that the project will fail.
Reflection
Successful leaders and managers can learn from academic studies and their own experiences. So now, I am going to talk about my personal experience. When an organization implements a transformation strategy, some employees will inevitably push back against the company’s goals (Furst-Holloway and Cable, 2018).
According to Robbins and Judge (2013), when employees are presented with a plan for organizational change, they will respond in one of two ways: (1) with a negative attitude toward organizational change and (2) with a positive attitude toward organizational change. Thankfully, the staff’s resistance level was low, and no adverse actions were taken. Therefore, it is suggested that managers learn to recognize signs of resistance and take corrective action before it is too late. Communication is especially important during a company’s period of transition. Thanks to my analysis, I now understand the importance of communication in any setting. Poor communication increases resistance to change and magnifies unfavorable outcomes (Smelzer and Zener, 2012).
To return to the case study, the disorder and confusion at JPI were exacerbated by the large information gaps and discrepancies that existed within the firm. However, it is also obvious that choosing the optimal communication approach within a firm to deal with change is incredibly complex and difficult. The new CEO was hired so swiftly that he was afraid to approach anyone for information or a plan for the company out of fear of resistance. However, he made the wrong choice here since a leader must delegate authority with a grain of salt. However, you will need guts and resolve to overcome obstacles. In addition, I see how senior employees played a crucial role in orienting newcomers to the company’s culture and ideals, but the CEO did nothing to reinforce this initiative. Therefore, the reorganization of the Jerusalem Paints Industry’s structure failed. This research provided concrete examples of the benefits of internal communication and actionable advice for improving my communication skills should the necessity arise.
JPI’s ability to properly implement its transformation depends on communicating its plans clearly and on time. Upon reflection, I see striking parallels between this and my time spent in high school as the group leader of a management team. The group I participated in had nearly the worst grades in the class. That is why I have been responsible for leading our team to greater success. I called a meeting of the group and laid out my vision for how I envisioned the team operating and what I expected from each member if we were going to achieve our goal of being the top-performing group in the course (Russ, 2018). Some argued (Jabri, 2012) and refused to listen to the explanations. After a few months, we still need to make headway. This hostility and indifference may stem from the way I express myself. People will feel valued, appreciated, and motivated to give them all if I invite them to come together and share ideas about what needs to be done and how to do it.
After giving it some more thinking, I realize that my aversion to an inability to implement change results from adopting an authoritarian, top-down team communication style (Armenakis and Harris, 2012). This was a major epiphany for me in terms of describing transformation. Based on what I have learned, I plan to use a bottom-up strategy when leading and explaining the change, soliciting opinions, backing, and assisting those affected by the transition. That means I need to work on my communication skills.
It is also no exaggeration to claim that life’s challenges have helped create my personality. It will help me immensely in making decisions about my professional future. I have come to understand that people are constantly, unknowingly, exposed to a change in all aspects of their lives. I do not understand why people fight it so hard when it is inevitable. Rather than trying to run away from or resist a challenge to my established routine, I will arm myself with the knowledge and skills necessary for adapting to new circumstances and go with the flow without resistance. This mental toolkit will give me the agility to succeed in my chosen field. When I was a part of the change myself, I also saw how difficult it was to overcome the opposition of my peers. In addition, the secret to handling these risks is showing compassion for those who are afraid and patience with those who are resistant. Instead of trying to force them to follow orders, I will act as if I am their friend, watching, listening, and considering what they have to say on how to advance the team’s goals best. Demonstrate that they can freely express themselves to you regardless of where in the world you may be, and encourage them to keep going just as the former CEO of JPI did by saying, “Good job, and keep going.” Employees have reported feeling more motivated after hearing such remarks; this is what every company hopes to achieve.
Conclusion
This study uses the 8-step model developed by John P. Kotter to emphasize the obstacles faced by JPI organizations and the reasons contributing to the failure of their attempts to implement change. In conclusion, this paper uses the model to highlight the factors contributing to JPI organizations’ failure to implement change. This research demonstrates that new CEOs and management must have a deep awareness of the organization to implement change successfully. Because certain employees may oppose any reorganization, the newly appointed CEO should first prepare internal and external strategies. A change in the leadership style could potentially significantly impact the internal discourse within the organization. Using this data to solidify our resolve and direct the company toward achievement would be amazing. Given that a company’s growth depends on internal consistency over the long term, it would be fantastic if we could utilize this data.
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