Carefully READ the entire CASE first, and review the chapter(s) pertaining to the case(s) again. Take time to think critically about all of the aspects of the case(s). 2. Write a brief Overview/Summary of the case in your own words describing the nature and/or background information pertaining to the case. (Minimum 1/2 -1 page)

A Change Project in a Local Government Agency in New Zealand

Overview

The case study highlights the element of communication and its role in the process of change. This scenario is depicted by a local government agency within New Zealand. The process of change was led by a team with two individuals. The change was intended to introduce compulsory reviews by peers for all the advice papers and create various pre-developed tools. Communication of this change process was critical to the government agency. While resistance occurred initially, the process of communication turned the situation around. The staff felt involved in the process and demonstrated a greater desire to participate. The change introduced considerable progress as the results showed improvement four months later (Dawson et al., 2017).

Questions and Answers

What does this case study tell us about communication and change?

Based on the case study, communication determines or influences the success or failure of change. Communication is about connecting with the people who will be affected and have the potential to influence the change (SHRM, 2022). Communication brings people together and creates a commitment and synergy that should lead to the expected vision (Kotter, 2009. This way, change becomes easy to implement as people demonstrate greater cooperation. The Agent’s decision to obtain the staff’s opinions regarding the intended change was a wise step that led to tremendous success. Staff felt incorporated in the process and demonstrated greater collaboration.

Identify reasons for resistance and evaluate the appropriateness of the responses made.

The resistance occurred because the senior staff in the policy team felt threatened and attacked. The senior staff had already been using the skills and capabilities that had been collected over the years (Dawson et al., 2017). This situation led to a buildup of tension, and the team put up resistance, which caused delays. The decision to involve individuals who were experienced in change management was appropriate because they would know how to manage such resistance. In addition, the nonpartisan position of the Agent made decision-making more objective and easier.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the approach adopted by Agent, and what would you have done differently?

The Agent chose to obtain information through an anonymous survey, engage employees through training and workshops, and involve them actively in the change process (Dawson et al., 2017). This decision offered advantages because it established a concrete and objective need for change that would be communicated to the stakeholders. It also led to collaboration from the staff members, thus reducing resistance. The only weakness is that it consumes more time and resources, delaying the change process further. However, I would have taken the same approach because cooperation and conviction from other stakeholders are essential for successful change management (NCVO, 2020).

Do you feel Acres was right to disband the change team after the annual review?

Acres was right to disband the change team after the annual review because the implementation process was already complete. The Agent’s approach to driving the change already had all employees on board, making it easy for them to now partake in its reinforcement in the organization. Retaining the team would have no specific benefits for the organization. The primary responsibility was to set up procedures and cultures that ensure the change is ingrained into the organizations’ activities and culture (Dawson et al., 2017).

Is this a collaborative approach to change? Discuss.

This can be termed as a collaborative approach to change because it involves the main stakeholders in the process of change. It gives the stakeholders an opportunity not only to understand the change but also to get involved actively. This reduces resistance and increases the opportunity for successful management (Dawson et al., 2017).

Critical Aspects

Communication

Communication from the case study is a critical aspect of change. It informs the stakeholders about the necessity for change, the process, and the benefits. The communication process also helps the team obtain opinions from external and internal stakeholders. The change management team’s decision to communicate allows them to gain an understanding of the type of obstacles they are likely to experience, as well as the community’s expectations (SHRM, 2022).

Collaboration

Collaboration during change implementation is critical for success.