Louisville Slugger: Hillerich and Bradsby

There are no "silver bullets" or single-shot methods of changing organizations successfully. Single shots rarely hit a challenging target. Usually, many issues need simultaneous attention, and any single, small change will be absorbed by the prevailing culture and disappear. Often, a total organization change can happen as a result of implementing a new enterprise resource system (ERP system), an IT system that integrates information across operations within the organization.

Total organization change involves introducing and sustaining multiple policies, practices, and procedures across multiple units and levels. Such change affects the thinking and behavior of everyone in the organization, can enhance the organization's culture and success, and can be sustained over time. In this activity, you will get to see how the company who makes Louisville Slugger baseball bats instituted and dealt with this type of change initiative. As you watch the video, consider the different concepts discussed in the chapter, and how they are played out as this organization underwent this change effort.

2. You just heard John describe how everyone at H&B is like a big family and how he wants to keep moving the organization forward so that everyone is motivated by knowing how important their job is to helping the company reach its goals. He is describing which of the factors that lead to sustained, superior performance?

strategy

markets

structure

culture

execution

3. We just heard John Hillerich talk about how most of Hillerich and Bradsby's focus is on the customer, and changing to implement the customer's ideas and meet their needs. This exemplifies which of the following key factors for companies achieving greatness?

structure

strategy

culture

markets

execution

4. The change the Hillerich & Bradsby went through was designed to accomplish what?

prepare to outsource

fill a leadership void

motivate employees

shift its external image

streamline its operations

5. We just heard how employees are "forced to abandon their habitual ways of working for all new methods." Which of the following general reasons for resistance might explain what the employees were forced to deal with?

markets

peer pressure

inertia

timing

surprise

6. Which of the following reasons for change was H&B able to answer "yes" to?

Will it match the old way?

Does it help add value?

Do competitors use it?

Is it inexpensive?

Will it be popular?

7. H&B had employees identify and list every problem they encountered with the current IT system so they could best select the replacement. This is an example of which method for managing resistance to change?

manipulation and cooptation

negotiation and rewards

explicit coercion

education and communication

participation and involvement