Practical Change Management A Practical Exercise

"Culture" evolves from and sets boundaries for interactions between people in an environment defined by rules, rule enforcement, and the example set by leadership. Conversely, culture can have a significant impact on which rule changes leadership can impose, as well as on the cost of these changes. New software systems invariably mean change. As a minimum, new software will require new procedures. In many cases, new systems herald significant organizational change. Managers responsible for implementing these systems must take an organization's culture into consideration when planning implementation. To see these challenges for yourself, find an example of a proposed rule change within your student government organization or any other group you belong to. Read about or monitor the debate, and interview representatives from each side of the issue.

a. Briefly describe the proposed change.
b. What group or groups oppose the change? What motivates them?
c. What group or groups benefit from the change? What motivates them?
d. Apply the change management principles outlined in this chapter to describe the steps you think leadership could take to ensure success at the lowest reasonable cost.