This paper will highlight how crucial the process of adapting the change is and its impact on Sony. Firstly, I will stress what the organizational change is and adduce various views. Secondly, I am going to analyse 4 types of changes: in people, strategy, technology and structure. Furthermore, I will emphasize the internal forces such as management, restructuring, intrepreneurship and the external ones such as competition, technological progress, social changes, hacking, economy, politics, which create the need for the change in the company. Finally, I will analyse the process of resistance to change, the reasons why the employees do not want to adapt the new things easily. I will also mention the number of techniques, which could help to prevent the resistance by employees in the future.
Table of Contents
II. Executive summary
III. Introduction
IV. Types of changes
V. The internal and external forces
VI. Sources of resistance
VII. Strategies to minimise the resistance
VIII. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the critical role of organizational change, specifically analyzing its impact on Sony and identifying the drivers that necessitate such transformations within a competitive market. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how firms can effectively navigate the complexities of structural, strategic, and human-centric changes while mitigating employee resistance through management strategies.
- Analysis of four primary categories of organizational change: people, strategy, technology, and structure.
- Evaluation of internal drivers such as management styles, intrapreneurship, and organizational restructuring.
- Assessment of external pressures, including technological advancements, economic volatility, and shifting customer expectations.
- Investigation into the psychological roots of employee resistance and practical management techniques to foster acceptance.
Excerpt from the Book
The internal and external forces
The internal forces are the collection of the actions and the decisions, which occur inside an organization. According to Mullins (2013), they are easier to control and more predictable than the external ones. One of the internal factors, which affect the company, is management. Especially, the choice of someone, who can manage to run the company in the right way, offer a new strategy, be a good leader and the same time entrepreneur, is a key to success of the firm. To increase the performance of the company, Sony decided to take a risk and first of all, it changed its CEO, which was only the beginning of the internal changes within the business. Secondly, the internal factor, which has an influence on the company, is its restructuring. An organization from now on has to adjust the new strategies, innovative products or the global expansion, which means a significant disturbance of the hierarchy and communication in the firm.
The example of the changes in the structure in Sony, was giving to Sony’s Electronics division central decision making authority over key areas. The next internal force, which affects the organization, can be also an intrapreneurship. New ideas, risk-taking decisions and the change of the strategy can have the improvement and development of the firm in view. The intrepreneurship can involve new hires, new branding, reallocation of resource etc. One of the intrapreneurial changes in the Sony was the choice of new CEO (for the first time non-Asian), who implemented the number of the reforms regarding the technology and the structure, which have the improvement of the firm’s condition in view.
Summary of Chapters
Executive summary: This section outlines the paper's focus on the importance of adaptive processes at Sony, covering change categories, internal and external forces, and strategies to overcome resistance.
Introduction: This chapter defines organizational change as a natural necessity for development and introduces theoretical frameworks, such as Lewin’s model, to explain the process of unfreezing, movement, and refreezing.
Types of changes: This chapter categorizes organizational adjustments into structural, strategic, technological, and changes in people, providing examples from Sony’s corporate history.
The internal and external forces: This chapter examines the drivers of change, contrasting internal management-led decisions with unpredictable external threats like global competition, economic crashes, and natural disasters.
Sources of resistance: This chapter analyzes the psychological motivations behind employee pushback, differentiating between active and passive resistance linked to fear of uncertainty and loss of status.
Strategies to minimise the resistance: This chapter provides actionable management techniques, emphasizing communication and active employee involvement as primary methods to facilitate smoother transitions.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the main findings, reiterating that effective change management relies on understanding human behavior and responding proactively to evolving market demands.
Keywords
Organizational change, Sony, Internal forces, External forces, Employee resistance, Strategic change, Structural change, Technological progress, Intrapreneurship, Change management, Competitive advantage, Corporate culture, Human behavior, Restructuring, Globalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the critical nature of organizational change within a firm, using Sony as a case study to illustrate how companies adapt to internal and external pressures to remain competitive.
What are the primary categories of organizational change discussed?
The research identifies and analyzes four main categories: changes in people, changes in strategy, changes in technology, and changes in structure.
What is the overarching objective of this study?
The primary goal is to determine how organizations can navigate the change process efficiently by addressing internal and external drivers and mitigating the inevitable resistance from the workforce.
Which theoretical frameworks are applied in the methodology?
The author utilizes established models, specifically referencing Lewin’s three-stage change model (unfreezing, movement, refreezing) and various management theories from experts like Mullins and Robbins.
What does the main body cover regarding organizational forces?
The main body investigates internal drivers—such as leadership and restructuring—and external factors—such as economic instability, market competition, and social media-driven consumer shifts.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include organizational change, change management, employee resistance, internal and external forces, and strategic adaptation.
How does Sony’s hiring of Howard Stringer fit into the analysis?
The appointment of a non-Asian CEO is cited as a significant structural and strategic change, representing an attempt to reshape Sony’s organizational culture and decision-making authority.
What role does communication play in minimizing resistance?
The paper argues that upfront and transparent communication is the most effective strategy to help employees understand the necessity of change, thereby reducing fear and potential conflict.
How did external disasters impact the firm mentioned?
The text notes that the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake caused significant physical damage to Sony’s factories and infrastructure, leading to substantial financial losses.
What is the main conclusion regarding management behavior?
The conclusion highlights that effective management is not just about the technical process of change, but about understanding human emotions and addressing employee needs to ensure successful adaptation.
- Quote paper
- Katarzyna Szydlowska (Author), 2016, Organizational Change. Internal and External Forces, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/421559
