Organizational change in companies

First of all it is necessary to expose that the first thing is to be aware of the existence of a situation that requires organizational change, that there is a solution and that we must find it, this state of mind and conviction is necessary not only to transfer it to other workers but guarantee that it takes on an internal character in them.

"There is nothing more difficult as a company, more dangerous in its realization, or more certain of its success, than taking the lead in introducing a new order of things." Machiavelli

" Being able to generate change and direct it where we want it can be one of our most valuable intellectual assets."

INTRODUCTION

Change in a general sense is the action of changing. The latter is to give, take or put one thing for another; it is also to vary, to alter.

Through a brief reflection we realize that over time things vary, change, in multiple situations they grow, dwarf, acquire another form, grow old, die. The proposed can happen to living beings or any other material elements, as a consequence of external or internal factors, as the case may be.

Organizations are not exempt from the above, the possibility of change being affected may be in our social, family or work life, it may also have an effect on work teams and / or on the entire organization.

Any change causes anxiety, stress, fear of loss of balance, which must be counteracted to restore balance again.

We have studied organizations taking into account that they are open systems, and as such with an interrelation and interdependence with the environment, which makes them vulnerable to variations that occur in the environment. In the same way, as each organization forms a system, it is made up of subsystems whose variation in some of these entails an affectation in the others, as well as in the organization in general.

This work, in which we will develop organizational change, is of enormous importance, not because of fashion, but because of the impact that this phenomenon has on the emotional state and health of people, on the results of work and on compliance with the mission, and why not, for the survival or not, of any organization, as a consequence of inadequate management and / or lack of anticipation of change.

The study on organizational change is wide-ranging, and research and practical tests on it are still ongoing, so the topic does not end, however it is the author's consideration that what is discussed in it will be very useful to readers., due to its topicality, its approach and the way of presenting it.

THE CHANGE. ITS DEFINITION

Really, change has always existed, what is now presented with different characteristics, some time ago we could have some confidence since it did not have the current dynamics, both in its frequency and in its depth and generality, this allowed to some extent to act reactively, today where change is permanent, accelerated and with all the attributes seen, we should not and cannot afford that luxury, since there is a risk of succumbing, for this reason our action must be proactive and work according to the planned change, this aspect to be developed later.

As stated, change can arise as a consequence of phenomena that have occurred in the environment or in some subsystem of the organization. These phenomena can be due to social, economic, technological, and even political factors. It is also essential to keep in mind that change is not caused by a single force, in general, several of them act within a complex environment, then it can be said that it is multicausal and multidimensional.

Another important aspect of change is that it can manifest incrementally or transformationally, the first with small variations that increase and the second with deeper variations.

The important thing is that we are clear about various aspects such as:

What is change? How does it manifest? What effects can occur in the organizational system? How to face it? What actions to take?

It will begin with its definition and during the development of the topic other aspects will be studied. Let's see:

"A situation in which variations are made in structures, in technology, in the behavior of people, or another aspect, which allows adaptation to the environmental situation, allowing stability with which the mission can be guaranteed".

As the essence is appreciated, it is to move from an existing situation to another that is desired, where logically there is a dynamic, that is, there is movement and also transformation.

A change can be presented as a threat or as an opportunity, in any case it is required to give the appropriate treatment.

We must take into account something of utmost importance, change as a natural phenomenon and continuous occurrence is a reality, so it is necessary to try to act proactively, that there are no surprises that disorient us, then the best solution is change planned to create preventive actions, this aspect will be studied later.

CHANGE PROCESS

Today organizations are exposed to a myriad of difficulties that threaten their integrity and results, some of which may arise are: failure to meet the strategic objectives and the mission, waste of capabilities in both equipment and human resources, low quality of the products and services offered, high costs, low productivity, low return on investment, and many others.

These difficulties are caused by dissimilar causes, inadequate or indefinite organizational design, poor communication, poor organizational structure, inadequate mission and vision, incapacity of bosses and / or workers in general, among others. Logically, in situations like the previous ones, it is necessary to reverse the situation, that is, a variation, a process of change that is profitable, which we will analyze.

We know that the change does not constitute an isolated event, neither in its action nor in its repercussion, therefore it constitutes a process in which the following aspects stand out:

Why change? and what to change?

You must define the need for change and what are the aspects that will be part of the change.

Where should change go?

Once we have found what needs to be changed, it is necessary based on where we are to define the desired stage in the future.

How to change?

In this part of the process we must, with the evaluation of the present, define how to get from one stage to the other desired with planned strategies and actions.

In relation to this aspect, Kurt Lewin studied and proposed related elements to make a change effectively. He explained that there were two barriers to achieve the above which were:

The attitudes and behavior that people had for a long time were not in a position to change them. People kept doing things differently for a short time and would later return to their previous behavior.

However, the same author, presented solutions to eradicate these two barriers, developing a three-step model that consisted of:

1. Defrost.

It consists of exposing people, in a clear and precise way, all the information related to change with the aim that they easily assimilate it and reach an awareness so that they agree with it. As fundamental aspects of the preparation to be carried out, the reason for the change must be explained, what it is intended to change, the strategy to achieve what is desired, it must be detailed as much as possible so that there are no doubts about it.

2. Movement.

At this point, through the agent of change, all the actions that are planned are put into practice, this is done with a global focus, that is, towards people, groups and the entire organization as a whole.

New attitudes, values and behaviors to be established are established and inculcated so that everyone identifies with them. It is very important to guarantee systematic control and information on the results of the change process.

3. Freeze.

The essential thing at this stage is the reinforcement of the changes made so that they become part of the organizational culture of the entity and the new patterns of behavior become solid habits. If this does not happen the change will not occur.

FORCES ACTING ON CHANGE.

The forces that act on or towards change may be external or internal to the organization, this is where they come from, however, it is of interest not only to know this but also to keep in mind that in both cases there are forces that can favor, promote the change and that constitute an opportunity for the realization of change, other forces that tend to restrict, that is, resist change, constitute a brake on the execution and development of change.

There are many challenges that exist today, such as: the uncontrollable advance of technology, especially in the field of informatics, globalization as a phenomenon of development and the concentration of capital, which leads to ruthless and unequal competition, the rapid decrease in the life cycles of products and services, variations (or improvements) in raw materials and others.

So we reiterate that our possibilities or adaptations must be great and even better our forecast in the execution of a planned change.

RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.

Resistance to change is an obstacle to the development of new goals, methods or any other variation that may arise.

We saw that among the forces that influence change are those of resistance, those that have a double action, negative and positive, although this expression does not seem to be correct, let's see:

The negative sense constitutes the brake that offers the development of change, either to eliminate a threat or to take advantage of an opportunity, this makes it delay this progress or in the worst case, restrict it in such a way that it does not allow its development. The positive sense is that it acts as a stabilizing element, since if this phenomenon is not acting the behavior would be chaotic and of course we could have disastrous results instead of favorable ones.

Resistance to change can be individual, of the group or team or of the organization in general, it can manifest itself combined or jointly.

In the case of individual resistance, it can occur due to different factors, among them: threatened individual interests (salary, job security, power, customs, prestige, working conditions, and others); fear of an unknown situation; conservative against risks; lack of information; variations in organizational culture which is part of the integrity of the individual; incorrect perceptions about different aspects such as goals, results and objectives, to achieve.

Regarding group (or organization) resistance, resistance may be caused by the same previous causes manifested in the group or in the group, together with others such as: the inertia of the group or organization; the inertia of the organizational structure; as well as certain threats against the power of the group, the experience of the group, or against the resources assigned by the group.

Resistance to change can manifest itself in an “open” way, that is, frankly and immediately, or in a “closed” way, that is, overlapping and deferred.

Adequate care, in both cases, is essential, however open resistance is preferable since the other is much more complex to decrease or neutralize, also bringing demotivation, loss of loyalty, indiscipline in the workers.

Some of the tangible manifestations of resistance to change are: slowing down the development of work, absenteeism, rotation (fluctuation) of the workforce, praise and reinforcement of aspects of the past, inadequately criticizing or questioning the actions taken, or excess of them, others.

ACTION AGAINST RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.

The elimination or reduction of resistance to change is essential to achieve the effectiveness of change, this situation is not achieved automatically, but a will to solve it is essential, with joint action and high coordination.

In addition to the above, it is necessary:

Determination and identification of restrictive forces. Knowledge of the causes of resistance to change in as great a depth as possible. Assessment of these forces, their intensity, where and how they manifest themselves. Apply a communication process that guarantees conviction (not the expiration) to all staff (managers and workers). Use different channels such as: individual conversations, meetings, reports, depending on the situation to communicate the fundamental aspects. Use of the appropriate method depending on the situation. Follow-up, control and evaluation comprehensive action, to extract experiences for the future.

Remember that an idea can be great, but if it is not accepted, the desired results will not be obtained.

METHODS USED TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.

In practice, one of the main aspects is how to face resistance to change with appropriate methods and styles.

In this sense, Kotter, JP and Schlesinger, A. proposed a group of methods to overcome resistance to change, widely accepted in a general sense, which are set out below:

Education and communication. Participation and commitment. Facilitation and support. Negotiation and agreement. Manipulation. Cooperation.

Each method should be used depending on the specific situation presented since they are not general, each presenting advantages and disadvantages. Let's see some characteristics of each method.

It is used when the necessary information is not available or is not accurate. It is slow, but the willingness to help is good when people are convinced of what they are going to do, when they do not have the necessary elements for the design of change and certain opponents have a lot of power. It is also slow if a good design is not made, although the participants have a high level of commitment to change. It should be used when people are reluctant to change due to adjustment situations. It can be slow and expensive, but its operation is the best result under the situation. It should be used when the change brings disadvantage to certain groups and they can offer great resistance. It shortens time and work if done properly,Although it could bring difficulties if other groups want to use this route in different situations, although I personally do not like this method, it is used when there is little time and resources, it has a disadvantage and it is that the situation of manipulating people could bring conflicts. used when time is very important and agents have high power. It is very fast in its use, like the previous one it can bring conflicts. As the previous one is not pleasant for this author.It is very fast in its use, like the previous one it can bring conflicts. As the previous one is not pleasant for this author.It is very fast in its use, like the previous one it can bring conflicts. As the previous one is not pleasant for this author.

These methods, as can be seen, are used depending on the existing situation, each one with its successes and difficulties. In practice it has been shown that the participatory method is the one that integrally offers the best results.

PLANNED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.

In the introduction some of the essential characteristics of the change were exposed, also expressing the attention that we had to give it so that the results were qualified by a qualitatively and quantitatively superior leap.

In all organizations changes are constantly made, in most cases these are small, they are made as a consequence of events or situations that have already occurred and therefore have a reactive effect, although these changes are not necessary, the planned changes that are They carry out with an advanced vision, with a premeditated plan, that is, proactively.

The planned organizational change can be expressed in the following way:

"Intentional, premeditated and systematic process that through the redesign of the organization has the purpose of adapting to changes in the environment or developing new goals."

The planned change must be carried out for various reasons, both external and internal, in the first aspect due to the influence of the environment, the situation of which can create a threat that hinders the development of the organization and / or the fulfillment of its main objectives and at worst in cases such a threat may jeopardize its survival. In the second, the reasons can also be varied and related to the organizational structure, need for new technologies, situations with staff or others.

Now, this process of planned change must be participatory and requires from the members of the organization a true conscience and that the commitment of all to take care of it with all the necessary reflection and flexibility and that the actions to be developed be creative, innovative, take internal character. and with a proactive character as expressed, that is, with adequate planning, all this with actions that help and fundamentally allow work on the forces that hinder change.

The period of learning and assimilation of change by all members of the organization must be taken into account.

Planned change allows, in sufficient time, effective work to eradicate, or at least mitigate, resistance forces, as well as to strengthen the forces that drive change.

It also enables change agents to achieve change processes on the organizational structure, technology in all its elements and on the members of the organization, aspects that are highly interrelated in any organization.

Among the essential objectives pursued we have:

Influence and change the behavior of the members of the organization. Increase the capabilities of the organization, allowing its adaptation and adjustment to changes in the environment.

In relation to the planned organizational change, it is necessary to state that not only its approach and the goodwill of the change agents are sufficient, but that the understanding and action of the other members of the organization is essential, which is why the way in which that it is sent, as well as with an appropriate approach, for which we will propose some logical steps to follow, which do not constitute a scheme or a straitjacket but a guide that must be appropriate depending on each organization and the circumstances in which it develops.

The steps are:

1. Carrying out a diagnosis.

To carry out the diagnosis, a series of data must be collected that allows obtaining the precise information to determine exactly what the problem is (in addition, its location, its magnitude, those involved, frequency and others) based on the symptoms presented Once this is known, we must determine and analyze the causes that originate it, we emphasize the causes, since sometimes we think of a single cause when most of the problems are multicausal.

In other words, we must identify the what? and the why ?.

2. Planning of the actions to be carried out.

Each plan will be dependent on the problem, the organization and the situation, so these aspects must be evaluated for its preparation.

Together with the other elements, they are the general elements of a plan, that is, among other aspects, time for its development, resources to be used, cost, executors and managers.

In short, we must solve the how?

3. Development and monitoring of the action plan.

During the development of the actions, it is necessary to keep an adequate follow-up that allows seeing the difficulties that arise and make the pertinent corrections.

See how do the actions go to rectify them ?.

4. Evaluation.

Regardless of the fact that at the end of the process, we still cannot reliably express the results of the changes made, but it is healthy to evaluate what is permissible up to that moment, also evaluating the process itself, which allows taking experiences for subsequent processes, remember the current characteristics of the change.

APPROACHES TO PLANNED CHANGES.

Different approaches to planned changes are used, Harold Leavitt "Applied organizational change in industry: structural, technical and human approaches" in Stonner, JF "Administration" (p. 447) states:

"You can change an organization by altering its structure, its technology, its people, or with some combination of these aspects."

They broaden what has been stated, exposing that these approaches can make changes in different internal subsystems such as:

Structural change. In the redesign of the organizational structure, making it flatter and / or rearranging it; changes in the communication process; decentralization into smaller units that can adjust their structure and technology by themselves; change workflow.

Technological change. Changes can be made in equipment, in production or service processes, in research activities, in production methods.

Change in people. Generating the change in the behavior of workers in different aspects such as attitudes, skills, expectations and others.

The authors' statements also include the possible combination of some of these approaches given the interrelation between them within an organization.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PLANNED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.

The planned change process has a series of advantages that provide the organization with quantitative and qualitative benefits in the subsystems and in the integral system that it constitutes.

Among the advantages we can mention:

Changes and their effects are more lasting. As it is a participatory process, participants will be more motivated and interested in it. Actions to counter resistance to change can be carried out more effectively. Approaches to change will be carried out in time, allowing a work with better quality and better results. The desired objectives and goals can be analyzed and developed according to the needs.

ASPECTS THAT MAY FAIL THE CHANGE PROCESS.

Although the will to undertake change is an essential aspect for its achievement, this is not enough, it is necessary to take into account other elements that, if not taken into account, could slow down or make the process fail.

Among the most frequent we have:

Not allowing everyone to participate in the process of change. Lack of information and communication among those involved. The vision and objectives must be clear, precise and measurable. Lack of preparation in those who must take action within the change. Do not violate steps or Raise its completion until it really is not. Overconfidence or underestimating the scope of the work. Fearing or not taking the corresponding actions in the face of difficulties presented. The changes should be consolidated as there is a risk of going back to the initial state.

These are not the only aspects other may exist, so before, during and at the end of the process, an adequate follow-up must be maintained to take the actions at the right time.

Michael Green developed a model of eight obstacles exposed in Hatvany, I. "How to put pressure on the job." (Pages 112 - 115), which are set out below:

Lack of vision and mission Lack of corporate values Lack of convergence Lack of adaptation Lack of leadership skills The ineffectiveness of the senior team Individual ineffectiveness Employee resistance to change

These aspects are briefly expanded according to the criteria of the named authors.

If there is no vision in the organization there will be neither direction nor meaning, if there is no mission there will be no end, no purpose.

Organizations need principles, which are ways of conducting ourselves, which must be shared and form part of the organizational culture to carry out work with results.

If organizational objectives and goals do not coincide with individual objectives, convergence will be affected. If we do not act in correspondence with them, both convergence and adaptation will be affected and cohesion, consistency, trust, among other essential aspects, will not be achieved.

Without adequate leadership and an effective team, coupled with individual effectiveness, the expected change will not be guaranteed either.

Another obstacle raised by Green is the resistance of employees to change, an aspect that has been previously explained in detail.

SUMMARY

Above all, it is necessary to expose that the first thing is to be aware of the existence of a situation that requires a change, that there is a solution and that we must find it, this state of mind and conviction is necessary not only to transfer it to other workers but also to guarantee that takes internal character in them.

In the treatment on the subject of change, certain details were developed that I consider essential to master in order not only to give the right approach but to undertake the right solution.

The aspects are as follows:

What is change? How does it manifest? What effects can occur in the organizational system? How to face it? What actions to take?

Emphasis is placed on the forces that act on or towards change and that may be external or internal to the organization, that is, where they come from, also considering that it is essential to bear in mind that in both cases there are forces that can favor and promote change. and that they constitute an opportunity for the realization of change, other forces that tend to restrict, that is, to resist change.

The forces of resistance to change have a double action, negative and positive.

The elimination or reduction of resistance to change is essential to achieve the effectiveness of change.

We study the main methods to overcome resistance to change, these are:

Education and communication. Participation and commitment. Facilitation and support. Negotiation and agreement. Manipulation. Cooperation.

The planned change that is developed must be participatory and that the actions to be developed are creative, innovative and with a proactive character.

The work of the change process should not be arbitrary and should have an appropriate order through the following steps: