Apple Inc - Change Management - Term Paper Example

? APPLE Inc Change Management Plan APPLE Inc Change Management Plan “The ability of organizations to manage and survive change is becoming increasingly important in an environment where competition and globalization of markets are ever intensifying” (Amgoh, 2008, p.1). Apple Inc. is the most valuable technology company as well as the second largest company in the world in terms of market capitalization. Apple’s ability to innovate new products based on the needs of the market helped them to become a prominent in the world at present. However, Apple is currently facing plenty of HR problems. Change is inevitable for Apple in its HR management to maintain its supremacy in the corporate world, especially in the consumer electronics industry. This paper is written as a change management plan for Apple Inc. The problem, the recommended change, and the goals of the recommended change The major problem associated with Apple Inc. is its poor handling of HR management. Apple has the habit of asking the employees to work overtime most of the times. They disrespect the modern concepts such as work life balancing of the employees. “The work culture in Apple is demanding and the employees forced to work for 60-70 hours per week. In other words, in Apple there was always more work to do than the employees and hence Apple encourages workaholics” (Qumer, 2009, p.7). Apple has the habit of threatening its employees; they warn the employees that the company is interested in employability rather than employment security. Moreover, Apple Inc. prefers individual work over team work even though modern scientific business management principles strongly support team work for improving productivity and efficiency of the employees and the company. Apple is keeping tight secrecy while developing new products. Even Apple employees may not get much information about the company’s strategies to develop new products. In other words, Apple Inc. is not taking its employees in confidence. “Apple employees know something big is afoot when the carpenters appear in their office building. New walls are quickly erected. Doors are added and new security protocols put into place. Windows that once were transparent are now frosted. Other rooms have no windows at all. They are called lockdown rooms: No information goes in or out without a reason” (Lashinsky, 2012). Qumer (2009) mentioned that “Unfairness in promotions and overall treatment is a common complaint in Apple Company” (Qumer, 2009, p.15).Thus the mutual trust between the employees and Apple Company are significantly damaged because of the poor HR strategies. Apple Inc. should implement drastic changes in its HR management. They should learn lessons from their past experiences. Nadler & Nadler (1997) pointed out that downsizing occurred in Apple Computers in the 80’s and 90’s because of the absence of real organizational change (p.11). In fact Apple Company was on the verge of destruction during this period because of the reluctance of the management in implementing changes. However, the management realised their mistakes and implemented drastic changes during the beginning of 2000 and tasted big success. The same situation is prevailing now. The loss of Steve has created a vacuum at the top of the company. Leadership problems are already visible in Apple Inc. under such circumstances; reluctance in implementing changes in HR management may bring more harm than good. Instead of threatening the employees with respect to employment security, Apple should show more readiness to hear the problems of the employees and settling it. They should give more respect to work-life balancing of the employees and avoid overtime works as much as possible. Discriminations while deciding promotions should be avoided as much as possible. Moreover, the company should take its employees in confidence. They should try to reduce the gap between the company and the employees. Instead of individual work, Apple should encourage teamwork more so that the stress levels of the employees may come down. The goal of the change should be to strengthen the relationship between the company and its employees. The attachment of the employees towards the company should be increased as a result of the change management strategies. Specific business needs driving the change According to Quinn (1996), “Pressure for change comes from external world, which forces the organization to reinvent itself”(p.8). Changes are taking place rapidly in international market and global business world. Since current business world is extremely globalized, the problems in one part of the world can affect other parts as well. Autocratic management principles are losing its importance and democratic or participatory management principles are gaining popularity at present. Since most of the businesses are functioning cross culturally at present, diverse employees are working for the organizations. The needs of the diverse employees could be contrasting. All these factors point towards the necessities of implementing change in the HR practices of Apple Inc. The implementation steps for the entire change management plan “The truth is that change is inherently messy. It is always complicated. It invariably involves a massive array of sharply conflicting demands. Despite the best laid plans, things never happen in exactly the right order”(Nadler & Nadler, 1997, p.3). Employees usually resist change because of their preconceived notion that changes are implemented always for the exploitation of the employees and the betterment of the organization. Therefore, the first step in implementing change is to convince the employees about the necessities of change. The fear and concerns of the employees with respect to change should be removed as much as possible before its implementation. The CEO of Apple Inc. should speak to the employees before implementing any changes in the organization. He should prepare an atmosphere suitable for implementing change. Apple Inc. should give enough time to the employees to get accustomed with the changes. HR managers should adopt more proactive approaches to build up the relationships between the company and its employees. The intervention that supports the organizational strategy for change Change should be visible at all levels and departments of the organization. It should start from the top. In other words, the top management should show the way before implementing change among the employees. Employees should feel the necessities of change before they cooperate with it. In order to build employee cooperation towards change, top management should change its strategies. They should show more willingness to hear employee opinions before implementing the change in Apple. The measures that I will recommend for handling the most likely areas of resistance “Making deep change is not easy. Organizations become structured and stagnant and so the individual” (Quinn, 1996, p.6). As mentioned earlier, resistance to change may occur from the employees. This is because of the concerns and fears of the employees with respect to change. An empowerment or training program should be organized before the implementation of changes in Apple. Such a training program should be utilized not for improving the skills of the employees, but for educating the employees with respect to the needs of implementing change. Communication plan Fiona & Aron (2005) stressed the “need for ambidextrous forms of organizing that combine 'controllability' with 'responsiveness'” (p.311).Communication is the bread and butter of the organizational world. In the absence of proper communication between the employees and the organization, the organization would become a dead body. Therefore, two way communications should be encouraged in Apple Inc. before implementing change. Employees should be allowed to ask questions about the change management strategies. Training managers should answer those questions properly so that the concerns of the employees will be removed. How the plan would be implemented, monitored, and controlled? The change management plan should be implemented for a temporary period initially. After the analysis of the results, the plan should be modified to avoid the drawbacks or the loopholes. HR managers should monitor the performances of the employees continuously during the implementation. They should assess the performances of the employees in the past and during the change process. Weekly meetings of the employees and the managers should be conducted to hear the complaints of the employees. After the initial 3 month period, HR mangers would get proper ideas to polish the plan before the final implementation. References 1. Amgoh F. (2008). Perspectives on Organizational Change: Systems and Complexity Theories. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, Volume 13(3), 2008, article 3 2. Fiona G and Aaron S. (2005), Organizing forms in change management: the role of structures, process and boundaries in a longitudinal case analysis, Journal of change management, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 311-328 3. Lashinsky, A. (2012). The secrets Apple keeps. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/18/inside-apple-adam-lashinsky/ 4. Nadler, D. A & Nadler M.B. (1997). Champions of change: How CEOs and theircompanies are mastering the skills of radical change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 5. Quinn, R. E. (1996). Deep change: Discovering the leader within. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. 6. Qumer S.M, (2009), Apple Inc’s corporate culture: The good, the bad and the ugly, ICMR Center for Management research, www. Icmrindia.org Read More