Read the Case Study below carefully and, answer the questions that follow:

DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE AT BELTON COMPANY

Belton Company has been implementing real organisational change. As part of the mobilization process, all managers and a cross-section of all staff were invited to give feedback as to how they saw the organization, what the key issues were and what some of the solutions could be. The following were the main themes to emerge from the discussion Companys and interviews with managers. Some managers and staff were very clear about what the Companys vision and values were. Others were not so sure. People needed more clarity about what the new organization would look and feel like in the future. People saw the need to further develop the vision and values for the organization through greater communication and engagement, both vertically and across the organization. Balancing the drive for growth whilst maintaining and improving the level of current service emerged as quite a creative tension. Ways had to be found to increase management capacity and capability. Managers needed to shift the balance from managing the increasing complexity of the Company (planning, organizing, controlling and problem solving) to demonstrating leadership and strategic thought (through setting a direction, aligning people, motivating and inspiring). More creative and innovative ways of doing things were needed to get to grips with the challenges. That included creating an environment where some risk taking was more acceptable and mistakes were inevitable but could be learnt from. Managers needed to be able to match their efficiency (doing things right) with their effectiveness (doing the right things). As roles, responsibilities and structures change the challenge on an organizational level seemed to be, Where should managers time best be deployed and how much can they empower their staff? Managers acknowledged the shifting culture and are generally and genuinely signed up to developing it and taking their part in shaping it. However, it might be difficult to step fully into the new role of manager and leader and even more difficult to develop staff to play their part. A series of workshops were designed to address these issues: to help managers share knowledge and understanding across the whole Company; to develop skills to better manage change; for managers to understand their management style and the impact it has on others; and to address the important and pressing issues arising from a dynamic and changing organization. Managers and staff were involved, in a variety of ways, with developing the ongoing agenda for change. In addition to the workshops there were staff briefings, staff discussion Companys and a staff conference (which now continues annually) where the forward agenda was communicated, ideas generated, and potential obstacles highlighted and worked on collaboratively. A key component of the Companying was the bringing together of all the managers from both organizations. They spent time together over two days addressing the following challenges: meeting and getting to know one anothers organizations and ways of working; developing a shared view of Asters strategic opportunities; identifying some of the practical synergies for individuals and constituent businesses; and agreeing key lines of ongoing organizational development. As a result of the workshop three working parties were set up, initially with managers from across the Company and then involving staff. The key themes to be addressed were: Direction guided by Asters vision and values and taking account of the strengths and weaknesses of the Company, where would you want Aster to be in five years time? Improvement examine current service improvement practices to confirm, a) whether they are appropriate for Belton Company and, b) how they can better engage and be made more meaningful to staff and customers. People taking account of the staff surveys across Testway and former Silbury Company, examine and made recommendations of what we need to do to make the Belton Company a better place to work. At the time of writing a further housing association has joined and once again managers and staff have been enfolded into the Company. Roles and responsibilities, synergies and business opportunities were all discussed openly and frankly. Whilst still embedding the previous Companying, Mendip Housing Association approached Aster as it was desperately seeking a partner. It needed support, protection, guidance and advice. Aster GMT recognized the resource implication and recruited a dedicated person to deal with these aspects of the Companys development. The joining criteria were different for Mendip.

Required

a) Drawing examples from Belton Company, examine the four main elements/factors of an organisation

b) Discuss any four ways on how Belton management dealt with resistance to change management

c) Identify and discuss any three elements of politics that Belton management had to deal with

d) Discuss any four ways by which bureaucracy was reduced by Belton Company management