Explain the internal forces for change in organizations.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. Pressures for change that originate inside an organization are generally recognizable by symptoms such as declining effectiveness. A company that experiences its third quarterly loss within a fiscal year undoubtedly experiences a pressure for change. Some companies react by instituting layoffs and massive cost-cutting programs, whereas others look at the bigger picture, view the loss as symptomatic of an underlying problem, and seek out its cause.A crisis may also stimulate change in an organization. Strikes or walkouts may lead management to change the wage structure. The resignation of a key decision maker may cause the company to rethink the composition of its management team and its role in the organization.Changes in employee expectations can trigger change in organizations as well. A company that hires a group of young newcomers may find that their expectations are very different from those of older workers. One reason for changed expectations is that the workforce is more educated than ever before. Although this has its advantages, workers with more education demand more of employers. Furthermore, today's workers are concerned with career and family balance issues, such as dependent care. And the many sources of workforce diversity hold potential for a host of other differing expectations among employees.Still another pressure is a change in the work climate that produces a workforce that is lethargic, unmotivated, and dissatisfied. Such symptoms are common in organizations that have experienced layoffs. Workers who have escaped a layoff may grieve for those who have lost their jobs and may find it difficult to continue to be productive. They may fear that they will be laid off as well, and many feel insecure in their jobs. Please see the section "Forces for Change in Organizations" for more information.