Managing change at Bingham Business College Essay

Managing change at Bingham Business College - Essay Example The paper tells that in recent years, organizations have experienced increased need for change in order to remain relevant and be successful. The inevitability of change in organizations has been brought about by several factors key among them; competition, technological advancements, new innovations, and increased customers and public expectations. As a result, managers have been forced to initiate and implement change in the organizations to meet the new organizational challenges that are emerging. Forest argues that in as a much as managers understand the importance of introducing and implementing change, they are often unsuccessful in managing change. Most change processes do not achieve their intended purpose; sometimes change has more adverse effects to the company. Managing change in organizations often present managers with challenges that if not well addressed may lead to unintended consequences of change. Learning Organization framework is a critical tool that can be used t o identify and analyze problems and challenges that managers face in while implementing change within the organization, both in the short and long term. According to Senge, learning organization is defined as the organization where individuals continually expand and enhance their capacity in order to create their desired results, where expansive and new thinking patterns are nurtured, where aspirations are set free collectively, and where individuals are learning continually to see the whole together. Learning organizations are characterized by full involvement of employee in a collectively conducted process, and collectively accountable change that is directed towards shared principles or values (Smith and Tosey, 1999, p. 73). It is important to note that learning organization is ideal towards which organizations need to evolve so as to be in a suitable situation to respond to the various challenges and problems that the face at a given time (Finger and Brand, 1999, p. 136). Learni ng organization is a powerful tool for transforming employees and places where they work. It creates room where people can learn from experience, even though it does not usually do so when individuals are learning on behalf of the system (Ellinger, Yang, and Ellinger, 2000, p. 106). Senge (2006, p. 13) explains that Learning Organization framework is made up five major disciplines namely systems thinking, mental models, team learning, shared vision, and personal mastery. These disciplines provide framework in which change management problems can be identified and analysed. Senge (2006, p. 40) identifies systems thinking as one of the concept that underpins Learning Organization. According to him, systems thinking aim at bringing about change and promoting interdependency within the organization in order to achieve organizational goals. Under this concept, the focus is mostly on the whole rather than individual parts. Also, systems thinking concept evaluates the long- term goals vers us short- term benefits. It is based on the belief that better appreciation of systems will lead to more appropriate action (Smith and Tosey, 1999, p. 70). The second concept that underpins Leadership Organization is mental modes that entail generalizations and assumptions deeply ingrained within an organization. Senge (2006, p. 46) argues that there should be