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A2 level Information Communication Technology - Unit 4

Change Management

Overview.

This section should be read in conjunction with Failure of an MIS.

Organisations can be thought of as organic and living thing. Legally an organisation has to be created and eventually it will have to be killed. The 'life' they take on has to change over time if the organisation is to survive.

In our case, if a new information system is introduced then the organisation itself must change to accommodate the new system.

Factors influencing successfully managing change.

Organisations should plan, well ahead, for the smooth introduction of new systems. If it's planned they should have anticipated problems and remain in control.

The benefits to the organisation should be explained to those involved but not exaggerated.

Managers should not try to change too much at once. The whole organisational structure and current working practices should be looked at to try to minimise the impact on working practices.

Everyone involved in the change should be consulted and their views encouraged and acted upon.

Training should be given in the requirements of the new system and the operational and organisational changes.

Staff at all levels must be reassured about the consequences to them personally of the new system (will they be made redundant, re-skilled, de-skilled, empowered, dis-empowered).

Opportunities.

Large organisations can't change quickly. New businesses have taken advantage of this with the growth of e-commerce.

For example, Amazon grew very quickly selling online books while the high street names feared for their market share.

Next overtook Marks and Spencer by reducing costs to the minimum by outsourcing, keeping no stock by operating a 'JIT' system and franchising their stores.

Dell, who established themselves as a telephone ordering service moved rapidly to online systems to beat the competition.

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