Lesson 2 - Model of change

Activity 2

Identify a model of change to help explain change within an organization you have experienced.


(post by Leo)

One of the models of change is Kotter’s change model. (see in Source) It introduced eight steps in the cycle of change, including, increase urgency, build guiding teams, get the vision right, communicate the vision, enable action, create Short-term Wins, don’t let up and make it stick. In my organization – HKU SPACE, changes are always adopted to improve student learning. For example, a system call Personal Examination Timetable (PET) is launched few years ago to give student a platform to check their examination matters and timetable. As a list of all subjects examination time is post on the learning platform in the past, students need to look for the subjects which they have studied in that semester from the list of the timetable. Since student claim that this is a bit wasting time and easily look for the wrong information, we understanding their needs and plan to develop the PET system. The PET system gives an online platform for student to check their examination time. They need to login and only the subject they have taken in that semester will show in the page, so students can easily get the information they need and will not get it wrongly. This change is similar to the Kotter’s eight steps model. That is we have understood the student needs, work as leader to design and promote the system to school, get the right vision on why we need it, discuss the needs of the system, perform action to develop and launch the system, look for the perform of the system, collect feedback from student about the system, and at last improve it.


(posted by Steffani)

Based on the SITES study, I believe the model of change of the school I worked in is 'Catalytic Integration'. The school principal planned to change the administrative and teaching modes in school by putting in lots of IT resources. The class teachers used the E-class system to take attendance of the students. Teachers were required to attend IT lessons to learn how to use the online resources, software, etc. to teach and manage the daily matters in school including entering marks into the system, designing posters, etc. Teachers were strongly encouraged to use computer during the lessons, e.g. PowerPoint presentation, video clips, etc. As mentioned earlier, the posters posted in school area must be designed by computer software and well-printed. No hand-made boards or hand-write posters could be made/posted in the school. Not only the computer teachers used the computer labs, but also all other subject teachers used at least once a month to teach the students by using the IT facilities there.
Since the principal advocated the use of IT in teaching, 3 IT labs were built in the school and one of them was a interactive computer lab. IPads were placed and installed in every floor to let the students to book the school facilities. Teachers encouraged the students to submit the homework through the intranet. Projects, and some homework were saved in the school intranet. Teachers also put the notes and exercises onto the e-class. The school underwent a series of reforms to change the school practices to face the IT world.

(Post by Angus)

Implementing Transport Management System (TMS) is a change that I've experienced in my organization. By applying to the Kotter's 8 Step Change Process (Refer to Source), it is fit for describe the change of implementing the TMS. 

From my organization's experience, more and more transactions and documents need to handle when business expand. Few years ago, staff still using MS excel to handle all the documentation works and hard to retrieve the information from huge of documents. The productivity is very low even staff work very hard, therefore, management suggest to implement the TMS to reduce the duplicated documentation work and help staff to well organize the order information(Step 1). The company first form a project team from different department and gather different need for the system from different department(Step 2 - 4). After lot of discussion and meetings, IT department develop a TMS based on the needs from different user(Step 5). The system help them to reduce time in document works and information searching (Step 6). Until now, a regular quarter meeting have held (Step 7) to evaluate the system and get feedback from the users in order to enhance the system(Step 8). 

(posted by Marisa)
The information Transfer cycle model(ITC) model we once used in the media group is contributed for work schedule. When integrating with the Kotter's change model(in the source),it really happens in everyday's assignment in the workplace.
Information is taken through a number of processes before it s ready to be used.  The first process is the information creation process. The program is needed to be done represents the urgency, and then the groups formed to follow the case. The vital step of a group work is to set up a goal,for example to make 
a news reported clearly, interview ,writing report and clear narratage are important.Every one focus on there tasks to communicate their points of view. After that, staff forced to complete it in a short time to reach a goal. Last but not least, the editor and supervisor will monitor the prototype and make sure it fit the criteria and get the allowance to broadcast. The censorship will make it stick and to be a real program to show on TV.When the feedback received from the audience  and make promotion, the of producing a program is done.
The processes indicate the change model explain the ITC and the routine so well.

(Posted by Cyrus)
As a marketing department of an U.S. Health-care company, my organization responds to every sensitive changes externally and internally. Below is the experience of our re-branding project incorporated in Kotter's 8-Step Change Model. 

Step One: Increase urgency
Since our brand has over 20-year history but never changes its image, it's important to revamp and meet the needs in a new era. Thus, we have requested certain support from our customers, stakeholders, and experts in health-care / business on our re-branding project.

Step Two: Build guiding teams
A team for re-branding was formed to lead the re-branding project. Tasks to be done included designing the new logo, tagline, image, product design and the like. 

Step Three: Get the vision right
The core value of our brand has changed from 'True Health' to 'Your Health' because we have set our top priority as personalization in our marketing strategy.   

Step Four: Communicate the Vision

The team has recorded a video to introduce the new branding project for transferring the new message to different levels in the company for strengthening internal commitment.

Step Five: Enable action
Possible obstacle of the project was that we would probably receive thousands of inquiries from the customers by calls and emails. So, we have to set up supportive environment beforehand to cater these possible needs. Otherwise, the workload of the customer services would be overwhelmed and relative employees would be upset. 

Step Six: Create Short-term Wins
The first target was to revamp the design of five products. Since the most popular products were chosen as the first to go, the sales went well once the new design was available on shelf. We have achieved a short-term win as shown by sales figure.

Step Seven: Don’t let up
We continued to develop the project with all products in new look. Then, we started to develop it into other internal and external marketing materials like forms, notices, newsletter, etc, with revamped look and content. 

Step Eight: Make it stick
As the re-branding went well, we spread the message through media interviews and set up a special booth at our annual convention to market our new image. We made sure that this new value was shown in our day-to-day work as well as any special occasion.

Kotter（Model of change）

Idenifier a change model

In 1995, Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School and world-renowned change expert, introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, “Leading Change.”

Step One: Increase urgency

In order to change, we need to understand the need to do it. Time is required at this stage to ensure support for the change. The reasons need to be human, not business.

Step Two: Build guiding teams

Change needs leadership. This comes from influential people throughout the organisation, not necessarily the senior people. They need to work together as a team to build momentum around the change. All relevant points of view should be included.

Step Three: Get the vision right

We need to understand and remember why we are doing the change. A vision helps us to understand what we are trying to achieve. The vision must be inspirational and achievable.

Step Four: Communicate the Vision

The vision needs to be shared frequently and powerfully. It should be part of all communication. We need to see that leaders are practising what the vision says. Behaviour is more powerful than words.

Step Five: Enable action

There will be some processes and structures that get in the way of change. Some people will also resist it. We need to be rewarded and recognised for change, and supported to overcome barriers. Where there is resistance, honest discussion is needed.

Step Six: Create Short-term Wins

Look for things that you can achieve as you go along, set goals that can be met in the short-term so that everyone is motivated by the early successes and is rewarded for their effort. This makes everyone more positive and optimistic.

Step Seven: Don’t let up

Evaluate as you go along to see what is working and what needs to improve. Keep on building on the successes. Keep sharing the vision and get more and more people involved.

Step Eight: Make it stick

The change needs to be based on values that can be seen in day-to-day work. The change should be visible in all that you do. Culture change comes last, not first and happens because people can see the new way is better than the old.

Reference： 

Kotter’s Theory of Change 

http://www.changecards.org/change-theory/kotters-theory-of-change/

Lesson 1 - Organization

Activity:

Report on your present or previous experiences in the workplace. How best would you describe how your organization (or an organization of your choice) learnt.



(post by Leo)

Base on my present experience in my workplace. I use my organization – HKU Space as an example. ICT have been integrated in my school for several years. The e-learning system – SOUL is adopted for student to use in their learning. For example, they can see the notices on the web, get the notes and course materials, and submit their assignment throw this system. We will gather and analysis all enquires and problems brought up by students and teachers. So we can learn from errors and have further improvement, and hence it can be defined as Double-Loop learning. 

Also as teachers always work in group to share their views and work closely with school administration teams for disusing the issue about teaching, the school has perform the team learning.

(post by Steffani)

I worked in a newly developed DSS-school which encouraged team learning. Teachers were required to observed other teachers' lessons and feedback was given after the peer observation. Sharing and discussions relating to teaching methodologies were held on professional development days. Subject meetings, functional groups meeting were held every week, or every month to share their experiences. The Vice-Principal also invites experienced teachers to share their teaching and classroom management skills to the green teachers. The school also promoted home-school cooperation. Parents were welcomed to participate in school affairs and training. Therefore, the school practiced team learning.

(post by Angus)

I'm working in a 3PL-logistics company which the main operation is handling inventory in and out.  Based on my experience, I think the company perform well in organizational learning. Whenever incident occur like wrong cargo inventory or received complain from client on wrong delivery, the company will take action to correct the mistake immediately and it can defined as a Single-Loop learning.

After handling the incident,  the company will form a committee to identify the cause of incident and give suggestion. The suggestion include modifying the operation procedure or provide training change the staff's habit to prevent incident happen again and it can defined as a Double-loop learning.

(post by Cyrus)

I'm working for the marketing department of a health & wellness company listed on the NASDAQ in U.S. I can say my company is an organization that keen to learn from time to time. Recently, my company is undergoing a big change - rebranding program - that brand new logo and brand new corporate image are launched. This change is led by our visionary CEO who has a collective plan to bring about a comprehensive change on our organizational culture and practices. With certain autonomy from the management and based on our care for old (encouraging health-consciousness by hosting health-related events), our marketing team  have developed courage for new (renovating our product packing design to build up dynamic corporate image). Within our team, we have experienced Double-Loop learning when implementing the rebranding program. Every week, we organize a morning meeting to update the program progress status and provide a chance for learning. Whenever a problem exists, we discuss and identify the reasons so as to take further actions to improve.

(posted by Marisa)
As a full-time student, I am not employed by an company. However, I did 2 different kinds of internship during my college time.One is working as a saleswoman in a computer retail shopping mall,the other is working as an assistant in a media group.
Since the two organizations have different cultures, I learnt a lot from it such as how they contribute to a goal with a group of people,how they distribute assignment and evaluation the work results and how they made up a mistake when sth wrong happened.  For the clients, the two organizations conducted double-loop leaning,including training courses and sharing information. In order to promote the efficiency, the learning situation occurred everyday(morning meeting for group for review and plan the work schedule). The administration leader would evaluate each group monthly to supervise and make sure all runs well.

Welcome

Welcome to our Group Blog

Group Member:

Angus, CHEUNG HON KIT
Cyrus, CHENG YI MAN
Leo, FUNG SHUI HIN
Steffani, LAU PIK WAN
Marisa,Luo Kai yu

Learning Goal:

• Learn skill to improve organization performance and prevent same problem happen again
• Learn how to handle the change in our organization
• Learn how to develop a structural programme to make the school sustainable