Environmental Forces in Organizations
Change is the only constant factor for organizations from time immemorial to the present day. That is the case since they are often subject to various environmental forces that they cannot control. As such, organizations in all fields are under obligation to institute strategies that will enable them to adapt to change. In essence, this discussion aims at illuminating the various environmental forces that steer the development of organization and strategies utilized to ensure success when responding to such changes. Additionally, it will establish the forces of change and their effects in an institution.
Primarily, several environmental forces are responsible for inspiring development in organizations that are worth noting. The forces can be either internal or external. A case in point of external environmental force is the technological advancement that has become the order of the day. With improved technology, institutions have a compulsion to move with it if their operations are not to become obsolete. Besides, organizations have to contend with marketing conditions, political and social factors as external environmental force (Burke, 2013). On the contrary, internal environment forces that organizations have to deal with include the nature of the workforce, change of managerial personnel and deficiencies in existing organizational structure (Burke, 2013). Clearly, given the constant need to adapt to such forces, organizations are thus bound to develop.
Secondly, most successful organizations use various strategies to respond to change that other institutions can utilize to become successful too. A befitting example of such strategies is the creation of urgency among the organizational members. An interest of this kind once enhanced, the leaders have a better chance of effecting the change without resistance from its subordinates. Another step that other institutions use is creating awareness about the change and communicating it to the subordinates before imposing it on them. Such an approach will forge a much-needed support for the change, which is a prerequisite for institutionalizing the change (Kotter, 2012). Evidently, with such strategies in stock, organizations are in better positions to respond successfully to change.
Lastly, a force of change that I have experienced in a work environment I have been operating in is a change in managerial personnel. The alteration led to the installation of a new director who came up with strict rules that the subordinates disagreed strongly. Consequently, this resulted in resentment from the subordinates and disconnect between the management and the employees. Worsening it further, the performance of the employees significantly reduced causing the top management to look into the situation. Ultimately, this led to the sacking of the new director and culmination of the situation.
In closure, indeed change is inevitable and all organizations must be ready to face it. However, failure to do so will result in harsh effects similar to the ones highlighted in this discussion. As such, going forward, organizations need to develop strategies that will enable them to adapt to the transition and evade such eventualities.
References
Burke, W. W. (2013). Organization change: Theory and practice.Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change.Boston: Harvard Business Review Press
