<p>1. Why do people and organisations resist change? Describe
few methods of managing resistance to change.</p>
<p>2. Justify the process of change evaluation and briefly discuss
its process Highlight action research in evaluating change.</p>
<p>3. Discuss the role of business process engineering
in organisational change and critically evaluate its
significance.</p>
<p>4. Discuss the factors of a successful company in continuously
adapting to change. Illustrate.</p>
<p> 5. Write short notes on any, three of the following :<br>
(i) Turn around management<br>
(ii) Mergers and Acquisitions<br>
(iii) Role negotiation technique<br>
(iv) Transaction analysis<br>
(v) Role of a leader in change management</p>
<p>
<br>
<b>SECTION B</b></p>
<p> Read the case given below and answer the questions given at
the end of the case.</p>
<p>TransAct Insurance Corporation (TIC) provides automobile insurance
throughout the south eastern United States. Last year
a new president was brought in by TIC'S Board of Directors to
improve the company competitiveness and customer service.
After spending several months assessing the situation, the new
president introduced a strategic plan to improve TIC'S competitive
position. He also replaced three vice presidents. Ram Kumar
was hired as vice president of claims, TIC'S largest division
with 1,500 employees,50 claims center managers, and 5 regional
directors.</p>
<p>Ram Kumar immediately met with all claims managers and directors,
and visited employees at TIC's 50 claims centers. As an outsider,
this was a formidable task, but his strong interpersonal skills
and uncanny ability to remember names and ideas helped him through
the process. Through these visits and discussions, Ram Kumar
discovered that the claims division had been managed in a relatively
authoritarian, top down manner. He could also see that morale
was extremely low and employee-management relations were guarded.
High workloads and isolation (claims adjusters work in tiny
cubicles) were two other common complaints. Several managers
acknowledged that the high turnover among claims adjusters was
partly due to these conditions.</p>
<p>Following discussions with TIC'S president, Ram Kumar decided
to make morale and supervisory Ieadership his top priority.
He initiated a divisional newsletter with a tears off feedback
form for employees to register their comments. He announced
an open-door policy in which any claims division employee could
speak to him directly and confidentially without going first
to the immediate supervisor. Ram Kumar also fought organizational
barriers to initiate a flextime program so that employees could
design work schedules around their needs. This program later
became a model for other areas of TIC.</p>
<p>One of Ram Kumar's most pronounced symbols of change was the
Claims Management Credo outlining the philosophy
that every claims manager would follow. At his first meeting
with the complete claims management team, Ram Kumar presented
a list of what he thought were important philosophies and actions
of effective managers. The management group was asked to select
and prioritize items from this list. They were told that the
resulting list would be the division's management philosophy
and all managers would be held accountable for abiding by its
principles. Most claims managers were uneasy about this process,
but they also understood that the organization was under competitive
pressure and that the organization was under competitive pressure
and that Ram Kumar was using this exercise to demonstrate his
Ieadership.</p>
<p>The claims managers developed a list of 10 items, such as encouraging
teamwork, fostering a trusting work environment, setting clear
and reasonable goals, and so on. The list was circulated to
senior management in the organization for their comment and
approval and sent back to all claims managers for their endorsement.
Once this was done, a copy of the final document was sent to
every claims division employee. Jim also announced plans to
follow up with an annual survey to evaluate each claims manager's
performance. This worried the managers but most of them believed
that the credo exercise was a result of Ram Kumar's initial
enthusiasm and that he would be too busy to introduce a survey
after settling into the job.</p>
<p>One year after the credo had been distributed, Ram Kumar announced
that the first annual survey would be conducted. All claims
employees were to complete the survey and return it confidentially
to the human resources department where the survey results would
be-compiled for each claims center manager. The survey asked
the extent to which the manager had lived up to each of the
10 items in the credo. Each form also provided space for Claims
center managers were surprised that the survey Ram Kumar had
promised a year ago would be conducted, but they were even more
worried about Rams statement that the results would be
shared with employees. What results would employees
see? Who would distribute these results? What happens if a manager
gets poor ratings from his or her subordinates? "We'll
work out the details later," said Ram in response to these
questions. "Even if the survey results aren't great, the
information will give us a good baseline for next year's survey.</p>
<p>The claims division survey had a high response rate. In some
centers, every employee completed and returned a form. Each
report showed the claims center managers average score for each
of the 10 items and how many employees rated the manager at
each level of the five point scale. The reports also included
every comment made by employees at that center. No one was prepared
for the results of the first survey. Most managers received
moderate or poor ratings on the 10 items. Very few managers
averaged above 3.0 (out of a five-point scale) on more than
a couple of items. This suggested that, at best employees were
ambivalent about whether their claims center manager had abided
by the10 management philosophy items. The comments were even
more devastating than the ratings Comments ranged from mildly
disappointed to extremely critical of their claims manager.
Employees also described their long-standing frustration with
TIC, high workloads, and isolated working conditions. Several
people bluntly stated that they were skeptical about the changes
that Ram had promised. "We've heard the promises 6efore,
but now we've lost faith." wrote one claims adjuster.</p>
<p>The survey results were sent to each claims manager, the regional
director, and employees at the claims center. Ram Kumar instructed
managers to discuss the survey data and comments with their
regional manager and directly with employees. The claims center
managers, who thought employees only received average scores,
were shocked to learn that the reports included individual comments,
Some managers went to their regional director, complaining that
revealing the personal comments would run their careers. Many
directors sympathized, but the results were already available
to employees.</p>
<p>When Ram heard about these concerns, he agreed that the results
were lower than expected and that the comments should not have
been shown to employees. After discussing the situation with
the regional directors, he decided that the discussion meetings
between claims managers and their employees should proceed by
as planned. To delay on withdraw the reports would undermine
the credibility and trust that Ram was trying to develop with
employees. </p>
<p>However, the regional director in that area attended the meeting
in each claims center to minimize direct conflict between the
claims center manager and employees. Although many of these
meetings went smoothly, a few created harsh feelings between
managers and their employees. The source of some comments was
easily identified by their content, and this created a few delicate
moments in several sessions. A few months alter these meetings,
two claims center managers quit and three others asked
for transfers back to non management positions in TIC. Meanwhile,
Ram wondered how to manage this process more effectively, particularly
since employees expected another survey the following year.</p>
few methods of managing resistance to change.</p>
<p>2. Justify the process of change evaluation and briefly discuss
its process Highlight action research in evaluating change.</p>
<p>3. Discuss the role of business process engineering
in organisational change and critically evaluate its
significance.</p>
<p>4. Discuss the factors of a successful company in continuously
adapting to change. Illustrate.</p>
<p> 5. Write short notes on any, three of the following :<br>
(i) Turn around management<br>
(ii) Mergers and Acquisitions<br>
(iii) Role negotiation technique<br>
(iv) Transaction analysis<br>
(v) Role of a leader in change management</p>
<p>
<br>
<b>SECTION B</b></p>
<p> Read the case given below and answer the questions given at
the end of the case.</p>
<p>TransAct Insurance Corporation (TIC) provides automobile insurance
throughout the south eastern United States. Last year
a new president was brought in by TIC'S Board of Directors to
improve the company competitiveness and customer service.
After spending several months assessing the situation, the new
president introduced a strategic plan to improve TIC'S competitive
position. He also replaced three vice presidents. Ram Kumar
was hired as vice president of claims, TIC'S largest division
with 1,500 employees,50 claims center managers, and 5 regional
directors.</p>
<p>Ram Kumar immediately met with all claims managers and directors,
and visited employees at TIC's 50 claims centers. As an outsider,
this was a formidable task, but his strong interpersonal skills
and uncanny ability to remember names and ideas helped him through
the process. Through these visits and discussions, Ram Kumar
discovered that the claims division had been managed in a relatively
authoritarian, top down manner. He could also see that morale
was extremely low and employee-management relations were guarded.
High workloads and isolation (claims adjusters work in tiny
cubicles) were two other common complaints. Several managers
acknowledged that the high turnover among claims adjusters was
partly due to these conditions.</p>
<p>Following discussions with TIC'S president, Ram Kumar decided
to make morale and supervisory Ieadership his top priority.
He initiated a divisional newsletter with a tears off feedback
form for employees to register their comments. He announced
an open-door policy in which any claims division employee could
speak to him directly and confidentially without going first
to the immediate supervisor. Ram Kumar also fought organizational
barriers to initiate a flextime program so that employees could
design work schedules around their needs. This program later
became a model for other areas of TIC.</p>
<p>One of Ram Kumar's most pronounced symbols of change was the
Claims Management Credo outlining the philosophy
that every claims manager would follow. At his first meeting
with the complete claims management team, Ram Kumar presented
a list of what he thought were important philosophies and actions
of effective managers. The management group was asked to select
and prioritize items from this list. They were told that the
resulting list would be the division's management philosophy
and all managers would be held accountable for abiding by its
principles. Most claims managers were uneasy about this process,
but they also understood that the organization was under competitive
pressure and that the organization was under competitive pressure
and that Ram Kumar was using this exercise to demonstrate his
Ieadership.</p>
<p>The claims managers developed a list of 10 items, such as encouraging
teamwork, fostering a trusting work environment, setting clear
and reasonable goals, and so on. The list was circulated to
senior management in the organization for their comment and
approval and sent back to all claims managers for their endorsement.
Once this was done, a copy of the final document was sent to
every claims division employee. Jim also announced plans to
follow up with an annual survey to evaluate each claims manager's
performance. This worried the managers but most of them believed
that the credo exercise was a result of Ram Kumar's initial
enthusiasm and that he would be too busy to introduce a survey
after settling into the job.</p>
<p>One year after the credo had been distributed, Ram Kumar announced
that the first annual survey would be conducted. All claims
employees were to complete the survey and return it confidentially
to the human resources department where the survey results would
be-compiled for each claims center manager. The survey asked
the extent to which the manager had lived up to each of the
10 items in the credo. Each form also provided space for Claims
center managers were surprised that the survey Ram Kumar had
promised a year ago would be conducted, but they were even more
worried about Rams statement that the results would be
shared with employees. What results would employees
see? Who would distribute these results? What happens if a manager
gets poor ratings from his or her subordinates? "We'll
work out the details later," said Ram in response to these
questions. "Even if the survey results aren't great, the
information will give us a good baseline for next year's survey.</p>
<p>The claims division survey had a high response rate. In some
centers, every employee completed and returned a form. Each
report showed the claims center managers average score for each
of the 10 items and how many employees rated the manager at
each level of the five point scale. The reports also included
every comment made by employees at that center. No one was prepared
for the results of the first survey. Most managers received
moderate or poor ratings on the 10 items. Very few managers
averaged above 3.0 (out of a five-point scale) on more than
a couple of items. This suggested that, at best employees were
ambivalent about whether their claims center manager had abided
by the10 management philosophy items. The comments were even
more devastating than the ratings Comments ranged from mildly
disappointed to extremely critical of their claims manager.
Employees also described their long-standing frustration with
TIC, high workloads, and isolated working conditions. Several
people bluntly stated that they were skeptical about the changes
that Ram had promised. "We've heard the promises 6efore,
but now we've lost faith." wrote one claims adjuster.</p>
<p>The survey results were sent to each claims manager, the regional
director, and employees at the claims center. Ram Kumar instructed
managers to discuss the survey data and comments with their
regional manager and directly with employees. The claims center
managers, who thought employees only received average scores,
were shocked to learn that the reports included individual comments,
Some managers went to their regional director, complaining that
revealing the personal comments would run their careers. Many
directors sympathized, but the results were already available
to employees.</p>
<p>When Ram heard about these concerns, he agreed that the results
were lower than expected and that the comments should not have
been shown to employees. After discussing the situation with
the regional directors, he decided that the discussion meetings
between claims managers and their employees should proceed by
as planned. To delay on withdraw the reports would undermine
the credibility and trust that Ram was trying to develop with
employees. </p>
<p>However, the regional director in that area attended the meeting
in each claims center to minimize direct conflict between the
claims center manager and employees. Although many of these
meetings went smoothly, a few created harsh feelings between
managers and their employees. The source of some comments was
easily identified by their content, and this created a few delicate
moments in several sessions. A few months alter these meetings,
two claims center managers quit and three others asked
for transfers back to non management positions in TIC. Meanwhile,
Ram wondered how to manage this process more effectively, particularly
since employees expected another survey the following year.</p>
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