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Outcome #1: Integrate and apply key business concepts and theories to create and implement solutions for real world organizational challenges.
My artifacts demonstrating mastery of this outcome:
Artifact #1: MGMT500: Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management: Leadership
Artifact #2: MGMT500: Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management: Motivation
Artifact #3: MGMT520: Managing Organizational Change & Conflict: Portfolio Project
My Reflection on meeting this outcome:
I believe any MBA student pursuing their degree after 2008 has a vast pool upon which to draw numerous learning opportunities of how companies handle organizational challenges. The actions taken by senior leaders, sometimes drastic, in reaction to the unprecedented economic recession supply better real-life examples than most textbooks can provide. The challenges faced by many organizations in recent history demonstrate some of the innovative and out-of-the-box directional changes necessary for business survival.
The greatest challenge any organization faces centers around one common thread –change. If internal and external forces faced by an organization never changed, it would be extremely easy for leaders to make strategic plans. However, in the real world, change happens every day. This is true for the internal workings of an organization, be it through financial resources, human resources, or facilities. External changes pressing any organization would include the actions of competitors, governmental regulations, and economic pressures to name a few. As a business leader, it is imperative to understand these forces, predict the pending changes, and make the necessary adjustments to meet these. “Managing change involves anticipation of, and responding to, environmental trends and deployment of decisions and actions that result in the design and activation of strategies to simultaneously achieve corporate, business and functional objectives of an organization” (Hart& Sylva,
2010).
There is a definite foundation upon which an organization needs to build in order to succeed in the ever-changing times in which they operate. Artifact #1 demonstrates the key concept that Leadership is the key to success for any company. Not only do leaders need to be innovative thinkers, keenly aware of the
forces influencing their business; they also need to be experts in the methods with which to handle their most important resource– employees. A true leader is one that not only sets the strategic vision of the organization, but also communicates this vision in a manner in which employees embrace it. With employee buy in, a leader has a better chance at successfully changing direction when needed. Chappell believes it is empowerment of employees that will help a company overcome challenges faced by a company. He states “the CEO is not at the center of the enterprise – our beliefs and mission are at the center. Values-centered leaders use their authority to unleash the creative power of their people” (Chappell, 1999).
Proper leadership bridges the gap between non-productive to motivated employees. For an organization to successfully meet the challenges in front of it, it is imperative to have employees that not only show up to work, but work to the best of their abilities and give 100% to the company. The theory behind this philosophy is outlined in Artifact #2 – Motivation. In today’s fluid business environment, it is vital for a company to allow employees the creative freedom to think outside the box rather than be stifled by bureaucratic hierarchies. “The bureaucratic policies and pyramid structure of organizations suppress creativity, empowerment and expression. By limiting employee tasks and personnel job input, organization management restrains this development”(Bylan, 2011, p. 3). Business environment has transformed from one that adjusts as needed to one that requires a certain degree of flexibility. The basic strategic vision doesn’t necessarily change with the shift of wind. However, the need for a somewhat elastic business strategy is indispensable for organizational endurance. Without inspired employees, a company would be unable to face the challenges upon which it comes across.
Because of the unprecedented challenges many companies faced during the recent recession, many of the artifacts you will find in this eportfolio focus on actions taken by organizations, particularly Cessna, for endurance. Artifact #3, Portfolio Project, is used to demonstrate the organizational challenges and to outline the crucial steps Cessna took in order to assure the company would be able to prevail when the economy turned upward once again. This paper not only includes the steps taken by Cessna at the most immediate time of realization that changes were needed, but areas in which this author perceived areas they could have improved on the decisions made. Like most businesses within the United States, Cessna underwent what would be considered a transformational change. This transformational change “is typified by a radical reconceptualization of the organization’s mission, culture, critical success factors, form, and leadership”(Jick & Peiperl, 2011, pg xxi). At the time the paper was written, many of the improvements suggested by author had not come to fruition. However, since the paper’s inception, there has been a change in company culture adopting some of the focus discussed in the paper. Not to say the author had any impact on the company direction, just that the company recognized areas in which it was lacking for assured success in thefuture.
My Future Learning Goals related to this outcome:
As a hopeful future business leader, and as an employee that has survived these trying economic times, I plan to use this information in many useful manners. I recognize the need for strong leadership; a leadership that recognizes the importance of employees and the methods upon which to motivate in times of revolution. Gone are the times of a stable business environment. Rather, the business atmosphere will continue to be one that requires recognition and innovative methods by which to deal with the organizational challenge of change. Employee engagement and motivation are keys to organizational victory and require a dedicated focus. As part of that concentrated effort, it would be the intention of this author to further educate myself on the world environment as well as the human resources necessary to keep the business world moving forward.
References
Bylan, J. (2011). Motivation. (Unpublished paper). Southwestern College Professional Studies, Wichita, KS.
Chappell, T. (1999). Seven Intentions. Executive Excellence, 16(12), 20.
Hart, O. A., & Sylva, E. K. (2010). Repositioning the non-incremental changes and business strategic windows correlates.
International Journal of Business and Management, 5(2), 184 – 193. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.sckans.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/821696237?accountid=13979
Jick, T. & Peiperl, M. (2011). Managing Change: Cases and Concepts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hills Company, Inc.
My artifacts demonstrating mastery of this outcome:
Artifact #1: MGMT500: Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management: Leadership
Artifact #2: MGMT500: Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management: Motivation
Artifact #3: MGMT520: Managing Organizational Change & Conflict: Portfolio Project
My Reflection on meeting this outcome:
I believe any MBA student pursuing their degree after 2008 has a vast pool upon which to draw numerous learning opportunities of how companies handle organizational challenges. The actions taken by senior leaders, sometimes drastic, in reaction to the unprecedented economic recession supply better real-life examples than most textbooks can provide. The challenges faced by many organizations in recent history demonstrate some of the innovative and out-of-the-box directional changes necessary for business survival.
The greatest challenge any organization faces centers around one common thread –change. If internal and external forces faced by an organization never changed, it would be extremely easy for leaders to make strategic plans. However, in the real world, change happens every day. This is true for the internal workings of an organization, be it through financial resources, human resources, or facilities. External changes pressing any organization would include the actions of competitors, governmental regulations, and economic pressures to name a few. As a business leader, it is imperative to understand these forces, predict the pending changes, and make the necessary adjustments to meet these. “Managing change involves anticipation of, and responding to, environmental trends and deployment of decisions and actions that result in the design and activation of strategies to simultaneously achieve corporate, business and functional objectives of an organization” (Hart& Sylva,
2010).
There is a definite foundation upon which an organization needs to build in order to succeed in the ever-changing times in which they operate. Artifact #1 demonstrates the key concept that Leadership is the key to success for any company. Not only do leaders need to be innovative thinkers, keenly aware of the
forces influencing their business; they also need to be experts in the methods with which to handle their most important resource– employees. A true leader is one that not only sets the strategic vision of the organization, but also communicates this vision in a manner in which employees embrace it. With employee buy in, a leader has a better chance at successfully changing direction when needed. Chappell believes it is empowerment of employees that will help a company overcome challenges faced by a company. He states “the CEO is not at the center of the enterprise – our beliefs and mission are at the center. Values-centered leaders use their authority to unleash the creative power of their people” (Chappell, 1999).
Proper leadership bridges the gap between non-productive to motivated employees. For an organization to successfully meet the challenges in front of it, it is imperative to have employees that not only show up to work, but work to the best of their abilities and give 100% to the company. The theory behind this philosophy is outlined in Artifact #2 – Motivation. In today’s fluid business environment, it is vital for a company to allow employees the creative freedom to think outside the box rather than be stifled by bureaucratic hierarchies. “The bureaucratic policies and pyramid structure of organizations suppress creativity, empowerment and expression. By limiting employee tasks and personnel job input, organization management restrains this development”(Bylan, 2011, p. 3). Business environment has transformed from one that adjusts as needed to one that requires a certain degree of flexibility. The basic strategic vision doesn’t necessarily change with the shift of wind. However, the need for a somewhat elastic business strategy is indispensable for organizational endurance. Without inspired employees, a company would be unable to face the challenges upon which it comes across.
Because of the unprecedented challenges many companies faced during the recent recession, many of the artifacts you will find in this eportfolio focus on actions taken by organizations, particularly Cessna, for endurance. Artifact #3, Portfolio Project, is used to demonstrate the organizational challenges and to outline the crucial steps Cessna took in order to assure the company would be able to prevail when the economy turned upward once again. This paper not only includes the steps taken by Cessna at the most immediate time of realization that changes were needed, but areas in which this author perceived areas they could have improved on the decisions made. Like most businesses within the United States, Cessna underwent what would be considered a transformational change. This transformational change “is typified by a radical reconceptualization of the organization’s mission, culture, critical success factors, form, and leadership”(Jick & Peiperl, 2011, pg xxi). At the time the paper was written, many of the improvements suggested by author had not come to fruition. However, since the paper’s inception, there has been a change in company culture adopting some of the focus discussed in the paper. Not to say the author had any impact on the company direction, just that the company recognized areas in which it was lacking for assured success in thefuture.
My Future Learning Goals related to this outcome:
As a hopeful future business leader, and as an employee that has survived these trying economic times, I plan to use this information in many useful manners. I recognize the need for strong leadership; a leadership that recognizes the importance of employees and the methods upon which to motivate in times of revolution. Gone are the times of a stable business environment. Rather, the business atmosphere will continue to be one that requires recognition and innovative methods by which to deal with the organizational challenge of change. Employee engagement and motivation are keys to organizational victory and require a dedicated focus. As part of that concentrated effort, it would be the intention of this author to further educate myself on the world environment as well as the human resources necessary to keep the business world moving forward.
References
Bylan, J. (2011). Motivation. (Unpublished paper). Southwestern College Professional Studies, Wichita, KS.
Chappell, T. (1999). Seven Intentions. Executive Excellence, 16(12), 20.
Hart, O. A., & Sylva, E. K. (2010). Repositioning the non-incremental changes and business strategic windows correlates.
International Journal of Business and Management, 5(2), 184 – 193. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.sckans.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/821696237?accountid=13979
Jick, T. & Peiperl, M. (2011). Managing Change: Cases and Concepts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hills Company, Inc.