HRM 587 Final ExamSet 2 Answers
1. (TCO All) For the next set of questions, you will first select ONE of the TCOs of the
course. Then, you will be asked to write an essay about the project you worked on this term
over your two companies’ change program based on the TCO you selected above. Select the
TCO your essay question will cover:
TCO A - Given that progressive and successful companies require their employees to
embrace change, examine how changing work conditions impact the employees.
TCO B - Given the inherent reality that all organizations must experience change in
order to improve, demonstrate how “models” are used in Change Management, for
diagnosing an organization’s need for change.
TCO C - Given external, internal and/or multi-levels of organization factors that drive
change, assess and create a leadership model which supports and promotes each type of
change within the organization.
TCO D - Given that an organization’s mission and vision will determine its strategy towards
change, ensure that an organization’s change initiative is aligned with and capitalizes on its
culture and mission in preparation for change.
TCO E - Given a selected Change Management implementation “model”, determine
the causes of change and develop a plan of action to implement the change.
TCO F - Given that both organizations and their employees commonly resist change,
understand how to recognize and overcome barriers to change and develop a strategy to
manage resistance to change that will ensure successful implementation of change.
TCO G - Given that developing a “vision for change” and communicating that “vision” is a
critical part of the change process, analyze the key elements of the “vision for change” and
develop a strategy to communicate the change to the stakeholder.
TCO H - Given the organization’s goal of creating and implementing a sustainable change
while moving toward becoming a “learning” organization, develop a plan to implement
change in a sustainable manner that can be applied to any change.
Using the TCO you selected from the list above, which you felt was most relevant to your
project this term, write an essay answer explaining how the change management you saw in
one of your companies from your project this term followed or failed to follow the theory of
success ingrained in the TCO you have selected.
State the #1 thing you think that company’s change agent did which most contributed to the
success or failure of the change and why that relates to the TCO you selected.
· Include in the answer the name of the company you are discussing.
· Explain/analyze why you think this way.
(Points : 35)
,HRM 587 Final ExamSet 2 Answers
Ans
I have selected the TCO B which states that “Given the inherent reality that all organizations
must experience change in order to improve, demonstrate how “models” are used in Change
Management, for diagnosing an organization’s need for change.”
The Burke-Litwin Model highlights the main elements or source of major transformational
change and also the changes that are incremental in nature. The four transformational factors
are external environment, mission and strategy, leadership, and organizational culture. The
main cause that makes a company to make changes is the external environment. It can force
any organization to make changes to its mission, culture, leadership, and operating strategies.
Changes in the 12 drivers in The Burke-Litwin Model bring a series of change to the overall
structure. Various internal and external organizational factors that influence the changes in
the organization are:
Four transformational factors
➢ External environment
➢ Mission and Strategy
➢ Leadership
➢ Organizational Culture
Internal organizational factors
➢ Structure
➢ Systems (Policies and Procedures)
➢ Management Practices
➢ Work Unit Climate
➢ Tasks and skills
➢ Individual Values and Needs
➢ Motivation Level
➢ Individual and Overall Performance
Sources: (Palmer et. al., 2009).
For my research project, both airlines "Delta" and "United Airlines" have environmental
factors that have affected their performance. Jet Fuel prices have driven up the operational
cost of both companies. Internal factor such as unions and employee issues have impacted the
both the airliner’s performance and have also impacted the top line and bottom line of these
two merged companies. Both airlines have had to make some tough decisions in terms of
downsizing employees and dealing with unions. Leadership for both airlines has played a
chief role in changing the company's course of direction. The airline mergers and
bankruptcies have also influenced external factors for airline industry. There are guidelines
that have been put into practice by Federal bankruptcy courts on the future of the merged
airlines to avoid or deal with the bankruptcy issues.
Both the airlines have been making significant integration and restructuring efforts as part of
their mission and strategy. Both carriers had a lot of expectations from these mega-mergers in
the airline industry that made them the two largest airlines in the world. Delta executed well
in blending technology from Northwest and in keeping employee morale high whereas the
United has been struggling post the merger and have had some of the toughest year in
integrating the merger with Continental.
, HRM 587 Final ExamSet 2 Answers
Leadership team in both these airlines companies has played a crucial role in the post merger
and integration activities. Delta got its pilot unions to agree to a common contract. This has
helped Delta to have a crucial labor group on board from the start. Delta’s pilot union has
accepted equity ownership arrangement in the new company. Financially, the merger
provided a big boost to Delta’s bottom line. (Mouawad, 2012). In case of United Continental
Airlines, Jeff Smisek, executive and integration teams within the company have tried to
integrate various systems within the company and have made some tough decisions related to
operational issues like cleaning of airplanes, employees, perks to offer in the frequent-flier
program. That culture of cooperation existing in Delta contrasts with the poor relations that
Northwest had with many of its own labor groups. One of the things Delta has always had
with their workforce is flexibility, and that drives their culture. Delta is being rated as the
airline providing the best customer service. In Delta, employees strive for excellent customer
service standards and understand it as one of the important factor for Delta’s success as a
company. United Continental airline has struggled to deal with labor issues and seems to
have offended its most important customers, business travelers.
All these major transformational factors have had a major impact on the Structure, Systems
such as Policies and Procedures, Management Practices, work Unit Climate, Tasks and skills,
Individual Values and Needs, motivation Level and Individual and Overall Performance for
both these airlines.
The Burke-Litwin Model shows all these changes and also proves a point that any of the
factors of this model impacts the overall organization’s functioning. Delta has made great
strides and has been able to manage the high fuel prices and a macroeconomic downturn.
United Continental Airlines have not been doing well financially and have posted lower
earnings and they have also reduced their employee headcount. There are things which are
out of control for the company and the leadership team is trying to put the system in place. In
case of both these airlines, The Burke-Litwin Model clearly shows that both these companies
need to improve on the internal organizational factors and work to address the external
challenges faced such as high fuel prices, increasing competition, economic recession, low air
travel or demand and tough governmental regulation.
References:
Mouawad, J. (2012). For United, Big Problems at Biggest Airline. Retrieved Dated 16th
January, 2014 from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/business/united-is-struggling-
two-years-after-its-merger-with-continental.html
Palmer, I, Dunford, R. Akin, G. (2009). Managing Organizational Change: A multiple
perspectives approach. 2nd Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
2. (TCOs A,E) Your project this term asked you to compare and contrast two companies’
change projects or programs for change. This question will review what you learned about
the change projects in a continuation of your project. It will ask you to apply course
information to your project companies. For your answer, be sure to reference the names of
the companies you studied in your project this term to help your instructor determine the
score of your response.
Recall that external and internal pressures often impact implementation of change in
companies. For this question, please write an essay answering these questions:
1. (TCO All) For the next set of questions, you will first select ONE of the TCOs of the
course. Then, you will be asked to write an essay about the project you worked on this term
over your two companies’ change program based on the TCO you selected above. Select the
TCO your essay question will cover:
TCO A - Given that progressive and successful companies require their employees to
embrace change, examine how changing work conditions impact the employees.
TCO B - Given the inherent reality that all organizations must experience change in
order to improve, demonstrate how “models” are used in Change Management, for
diagnosing an organization’s need for change.
TCO C - Given external, internal and/or multi-levels of organization factors that drive
change, assess and create a leadership model which supports and promotes each type of
change within the organization.
TCO D - Given that an organization’s mission and vision will determine its strategy towards
change, ensure that an organization’s change initiative is aligned with and capitalizes on its
culture and mission in preparation for change.
TCO E - Given a selected Change Management implementation “model”, determine
the causes of change and develop a plan of action to implement the change.
TCO F - Given that both organizations and their employees commonly resist change,
understand how to recognize and overcome barriers to change and develop a strategy to
manage resistance to change that will ensure successful implementation of change.
TCO G - Given that developing a “vision for change” and communicating that “vision” is a
critical part of the change process, analyze the key elements of the “vision for change” and
develop a strategy to communicate the change to the stakeholder.
TCO H - Given the organization’s goal of creating and implementing a sustainable change
while moving toward becoming a “learning” organization, develop a plan to implement
change in a sustainable manner that can be applied to any change.
Using the TCO you selected from the list above, which you felt was most relevant to your
project this term, write an essay answer explaining how the change management you saw in
one of your companies from your project this term followed or failed to follow the theory of
success ingrained in the TCO you have selected.
State the #1 thing you think that company’s change agent did which most contributed to the
success or failure of the change and why that relates to the TCO you selected.
· Include in the answer the name of the company you are discussing.
· Explain/analyze why you think this way.
(Points : 35)
,HRM 587 Final ExamSet 2 Answers
Ans
I have selected the TCO B which states that “Given the inherent reality that all organizations
must experience change in order to improve, demonstrate how “models” are used in Change
Management, for diagnosing an organization’s need for change.”
The Burke-Litwin Model highlights the main elements or source of major transformational
change and also the changes that are incremental in nature. The four transformational factors
are external environment, mission and strategy, leadership, and organizational culture. The
main cause that makes a company to make changes is the external environment. It can force
any organization to make changes to its mission, culture, leadership, and operating strategies.
Changes in the 12 drivers in The Burke-Litwin Model bring a series of change to the overall
structure. Various internal and external organizational factors that influence the changes in
the organization are:
Four transformational factors
➢ External environment
➢ Mission and Strategy
➢ Leadership
➢ Organizational Culture
Internal organizational factors
➢ Structure
➢ Systems (Policies and Procedures)
➢ Management Practices
➢ Work Unit Climate
➢ Tasks and skills
➢ Individual Values and Needs
➢ Motivation Level
➢ Individual and Overall Performance
Sources: (Palmer et. al., 2009).
For my research project, both airlines "Delta" and "United Airlines" have environmental
factors that have affected their performance. Jet Fuel prices have driven up the operational
cost of both companies. Internal factor such as unions and employee issues have impacted the
both the airliner’s performance and have also impacted the top line and bottom line of these
two merged companies. Both airlines have had to make some tough decisions in terms of
downsizing employees and dealing with unions. Leadership for both airlines has played a
chief role in changing the company's course of direction. The airline mergers and
bankruptcies have also influenced external factors for airline industry. There are guidelines
that have been put into practice by Federal bankruptcy courts on the future of the merged
airlines to avoid or deal with the bankruptcy issues.
Both the airlines have been making significant integration and restructuring efforts as part of
their mission and strategy. Both carriers had a lot of expectations from these mega-mergers in
the airline industry that made them the two largest airlines in the world. Delta executed well
in blending technology from Northwest and in keeping employee morale high whereas the
United has been struggling post the merger and have had some of the toughest year in
integrating the merger with Continental.
, HRM 587 Final ExamSet 2 Answers
Leadership team in both these airlines companies has played a crucial role in the post merger
and integration activities. Delta got its pilot unions to agree to a common contract. This has
helped Delta to have a crucial labor group on board from the start. Delta’s pilot union has
accepted equity ownership arrangement in the new company. Financially, the merger
provided a big boost to Delta’s bottom line. (Mouawad, 2012). In case of United Continental
Airlines, Jeff Smisek, executive and integration teams within the company have tried to
integrate various systems within the company and have made some tough decisions related to
operational issues like cleaning of airplanes, employees, perks to offer in the frequent-flier
program. That culture of cooperation existing in Delta contrasts with the poor relations that
Northwest had with many of its own labor groups. One of the things Delta has always had
with their workforce is flexibility, and that drives their culture. Delta is being rated as the
airline providing the best customer service. In Delta, employees strive for excellent customer
service standards and understand it as one of the important factor for Delta’s success as a
company. United Continental airline has struggled to deal with labor issues and seems to
have offended its most important customers, business travelers.
All these major transformational factors have had a major impact on the Structure, Systems
such as Policies and Procedures, Management Practices, work Unit Climate, Tasks and skills,
Individual Values and Needs, motivation Level and Individual and Overall Performance for
both these airlines.
The Burke-Litwin Model shows all these changes and also proves a point that any of the
factors of this model impacts the overall organization’s functioning. Delta has made great
strides and has been able to manage the high fuel prices and a macroeconomic downturn.
United Continental Airlines have not been doing well financially and have posted lower
earnings and they have also reduced their employee headcount. There are things which are
out of control for the company and the leadership team is trying to put the system in place. In
case of both these airlines, The Burke-Litwin Model clearly shows that both these companies
need to improve on the internal organizational factors and work to address the external
challenges faced such as high fuel prices, increasing competition, economic recession, low air
travel or demand and tough governmental regulation.
References:
Mouawad, J. (2012). For United, Big Problems at Biggest Airline. Retrieved Dated 16th
January, 2014 from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/business/united-is-struggling-
two-years-after-its-merger-with-continental.html
Palmer, I, Dunford, R. Akin, G. (2009). Managing Organizational Change: A multiple
perspectives approach. 2nd Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
2. (TCOs A,E) Your project this term asked you to compare and contrast two companies’
change projects or programs for change. This question will review what you learned about
the change projects in a continuation of your project. It will ask you to apply course
information to your project companies. For your answer, be sure to reference the names of
the companies you studied in your project this term to help your instructor determine the
score of your response.
Recall that external and internal pressures often impact implementation of change in
companies. For this question, please write an essay answering these questions:
