INTRODUCTION
Understanding and leading change can be defined as to utilise more effective as well as efficient strategies to thoroughly analyse modifications and implement an appropriate policies to gain better outcomes. It is necessary to apply innovative and creative techniques in relation to new trends of market to maintain an accurate position of brand in market. Understanding and leading change basically refers to conduct correct management of modifications and control negative impacts on company of the same (Bin Taher, Krotov and Silva, 2015). This report is based on Thomas Cook Group which is considered into hospitality and tourism industry. It was founded by Thomas Cook in the year of 1841 and provide services at global level. They render several major products such as charter and scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise lines, hotels and resorts to people. This assignment will discuss about organisational strategies and operations in comparative manner between two firms like Thomas Cook & Cosmos tour. It also includes explanation for internal and external drivers that affects leadership, team and individual behaviours. Different barriers to change and leadership approaches are given below.
TASK 1
P1 Comparing two companies with impact of change on strategy and operation
There are different types of organisations are running in present scenario of market having their own strategies to carrying out business properly. They have an appropriate policies, techniques, methods and other efficient tools which provide support to them for conducting required activities or tasks in correct direction to earn better outcomes on regular basis (Bingham and Main, 2010). Companies organise several kinds of learning or training events which provide help to staff members to boost up skills or abilities of them and to make them more efficient as well. Various types of trends are introduced in changing situations of market so it is necessary for companies to study impacts of fashion on taste or preferences of customers and then apply as accurate strategy to manufacture desired product to them. It is very essential to remain always up to date according to modified trends of market so that new consumers can be attracted along with retaining current ones to improve productivity as well as profitability of company.
In context of Thomas cook and Cosmos tour, they have their own different products and criteria to deliver it to people in different styles to achieve their satisfaction as well. There are various kinds of competitive firms are also surviving in market that increase competition. It is mandatory to observe and analyse strategies or policies of strong competitor also so that it will become possible to take an appropriate steps towards that to decrease negative impacts of new implementation in competitive enterprises. Companies have to take apply more innovative or creative techniques which helps to render accurate service to customers and facilitate to gain more number of clients for the company accordingly (Castonguay and et. al., 2010). This will facilitate to boost up regular profitability of an organisation that supports to attain growth of business as well. Changes are beneficial also as they welcomes fresh opportunities which can grab at correct time to gain better profits and expand business to improve size and scope of brand. Now a comparative discussion of effective strategies between Thomas Cook and Cosmos tour is given below:
Basic |
Thomas Cook |
Cosmos tour |
Structural changes |
The structural changes are welcomed usually by both staff members and changing trends of market. These are such modifications that helps to increase efficiency of an organisation that improves performance of workers in order to boost up their daily outcomes in an accurate way. Thomas Cook focus on these modifications that facilitate development in company in required manner. |
The Cosmos Tour has a requirement of changing structural things because they have small operational system which are having limited methods and techniques to conduct different kinds of activities of procedures to gain desired outputs. Effective structure of the firm to conduct regular activities will attract new talents towards it which helps to get better outcomes as well. |
Changes in external factors |
There are various kinds of competitive firms that have an impact on operations and profitability of large scale business because they have to face competition from almost every company that deals in similar industry (Doppelt, 2017). Thomas Cook also get affected with several external factors such as competitors, government authorities, local agencies and so on. |
Due to limited area of productivity, small scaled firms do not get more affected from external factors. Along with this, these enterprise like Cosmos Tour can apply any modification easily by putting little bit efforts and capital. |
Advanced technology |
The company has conducting its business at global level and considered as common brand for providing several products through adopting new technologies to prepare an appropriate service to achieve satisfaction of customer. They utilise certain innovative or creative tools and techniques that helps to improve number of sales that facilitate to boost regular productivity as well as profitability (Emira, 2010). |
The Cosmos Tour is kind of small levelled enterprise that has limited capability of applying modifications because they have small amount of capital which is required to implement any fresh innovative ideas. They can apply changes at small scale to improve their profitability for short period of time along with attaining few of new consumers as well. |
The above mentioned changes are required to be implemented in an organisation as they provide support to boost up effective as well as efficiencies of company that helps to carry out required activities or tasks in proper manner to generate better outcomes. It will support companies to improve their brand image along with productivity and profitability in an appropriate way.
Operations: - This can be described as operational activities relevant to production of products or services which can be done in more proper manner through applying new and creative techniques to earn desired profits. Changes into methods of operations can help to improve regular outcomes and reduce time as well as cost.
Strategy: - The term strategy is known about those policies which are followed in company to conduct various kinds of procedures properly to generate required outputs. Implementing modifications into strategies support to perform properly and encourage employees to adopt fresh changes for betterment (Fullan, 2014).
TASK 2
P2 Internal and external drivers of change impacts on leadership, team and individual behaviour
There are different types of factors that facilitate the implementation of new changes or modifications in an organisation. It includes several external and internal elements that can be considered as drivers of change which impacts effectively on leadership, team and individual behaviour. It is necessary to apply several changes to provide some innovative or unique product to customers. Purchasing same goods along with similar packaging and feature make people bored then it is mandatory to apply new and creative concept to products. This will facilitate to attract fresh customers along with retaining the current ones to boost up earning of company. Thomas Cook can apply innovative modifications into serving procedures to gain satisfaction of people. They can also apply new techniques of learning or training events to increase skills or abilities so that employees can perform well in future (Hallinger and Bryant, 2013). Several internal and external drivers that facilitate changes in Thomas Cook that are given below:
External factors
Technology led Drivers: - This can be described as the adoption of new technological equipments, machines and software that helps to carrying out regular activities more effectively as well efficiently to get better outcomes. It is necessary to implement new and innovative techniques that helps to improve performance and reduce time. These methods are also helpful to boost up quality of goods or services that facilitate to achieve more number of customers along with their satisfaction. Thomas Cook have to utilise present technological trends to sustain their effective position at market amongst several competitors.
Investors-led Drivers: - The term Investors refers to those individuals who in vest certain amount of money in business along with expecting that capital get back with some of interest to earn profits. An appropriate investment is necessary to conduct various kinds of tasks in business to run company successfully. As investors are contributing their funds in business then they can strongly influence decision of decreasing or increasing in number of such individuals. Investors of Thomas Cook impacts effectively on building an accurate policy to adopt changes.
Competitors-led Drivers: - This can be explained about new strategies or policies which are adopted by various competitive firms that are required to be observed properly. Their innovative techniques can impacts negatively on productivity of company (Harding, 2012). It is necessary to thoroughly study and analyse certain methods of competitors and then take desired step to retain regular customers as well as sustain an accurate position in market. Thomas Cook also have to focus on various competitors and implement few modifications to reduce negative affects of other firm's policies.
Government-led Drivers: - The government authorities had prepared different rules or regulations which are mandatory for every organisation to follow them. It also involves a criteria to adopt new changes or modifications of legal policies which are generated by government agencies as well. Thomas Cook is required to analyse certain changes in legal norms and properly implement them in company to run business successfully.
Customer-led Drivers: - This can be defined about different kinds of needs, wants, demands of customers that motivate a company to apply few modifications. This will facilitate to manufacture an appropriate product for desired consumers to fulfil expectations of them properly. It is necessary to make people satisfied with features of goods so that they will regular to brand (Hintz and Bahia, 2013). Thomas Cook have to analyse taste or preferences of clients in an accurate way and render desired service to citizens and earn better profits.
Internal factors
Strength
- Thomas Cook is usually considered as an oldest company of travelling by people in United Kingdom.
- It is kind of vertically integrated company that operates in hotel as well as travel agencies.
- It can be known as an experienced business units.
- This company has customization and flexibility qualities are available to design an attractive holiday packages according to requirements of people.
- This organisation had covered around 100 tourist places along with catered approximately 7 million people.
Weaknesses
- It is types of common and large organisation of hospitality and tourism industry as it face critical competition at market.
- Their achieve continuously growth of business that means to gain limited share of market (Hrebiniak, 2013).
Opportunities
- They have an appropriate chances of providing online booking opportunity to customers for combined packages of different tours.
- They have demand of their goods of services at global level so that they can expand their business to improve profit share.
- Due to having recent quarter earnings show positive financial turnaround possible with cost saving initiatives.
Threats
- They have threat of having Eurozone economic uncertainty.
- Sometimes, government policies work as barrier to achieve better profits.
- It also includes factors of growing competition from low cost carriers.
P3 Evaluate measures to minimize the negative impact of changes on Organizational Behaviour
There are several changes which are implemented in company due to changing trends of market for remaining up to date and sustain required position in competition (Johnson, 2016). It is observed that certain new fashions are welcomed at market place that facilitate organisations to make few strategies in more effective as well as efficient manner to attain desired outcomes on regular basis. It is also possible that some of changes facilitated many of negative impacts on operational process of company that can results into certain problems or issues. Thomas Cook have to focus of various kinds of changes that are welcomed due to changing fashion of market to determine negative impacts of them. Some of techniques or methods that helps in reducing these affects are as follows:
Focus on effective Delegation: - This can be described as to the criteria of delegation which is applied in various companies so that an appropriate actions can be taken at correct time by available person to take decision properly. It includes techniques of distribution power of authority to staff members as per suitable skills or abilities so that centralisation of decision making authority can reduce their work load. It consumes more time to take permission for small tasks which can be be easily done by employees in correct manner. Thomas Cook can adopt policy of delegation to facilitate immediate decision making in correct way.
Maintain a positive attitude: - The term positive attitude is very necessary to handle various types of of critical situation and take correct decision for some purposes properly (Kotb and Roberts, 2011). It indicates to remain positive and tackle problems or issues in an accurate way and get required outputs. It is necessary for superiors to remain calm and motivate sub- ordinates to focus on tasks and sort out issues to complete desired targets of aims successfully. Thomas Cook have to appoint well experienced and patient managers or leaders who are capable to maintain positive environment in company that facilitate better performance of them Along with generation desired outcomes as well.
Interact will employees regarding the feelings: - This can be explained as to conduct a n effective communication between superior and sub- ordinate so that a senior can understand feelings or problems of their juniors. Personal issues of employees impacts negatively on their regular performance and many times results into reduced outcomes on daily basis. It is mandatory to solve problems of workers so that they can remain efficient and improve their performance properly (Lee and Byun, 2012). Thomas Cook have to maintain positive and healthy culture of company which helps employees to work properly and create desired outputs.
Involve Employees in changing process: - The criteria to involve employees in several meetings, conferences and other events relevant to projects or procedures. It is necessary to engage staff members in several activities and take their suggestions to apply more effective as well as efficient changes properly to get better profits. Thomas Cook can ask for views of employees that helps to gain number of alternative choices to select the best one to implement change. It also support to make workers fell valuable in company that facilitate to reduce employees turnover as well.
Learning and training: - This can be described as to carrying out an effective as well as efficient training and development programs in company so that people can about new techniques or policies to work on them properly. It will facilitate to reduce possibility of mistakes and reduce risks. Thomas Cook can conduct an appropriate learning event to make their employees much efficient to adopt new changes and earn desired outcomes in correct manner.
Appraisal of the employees: - The term appraisal can be explained to provide an accurate information about an individual's skills or abilities. Performance appraisal should be done to motivate employees and convey about their threats along with correct technique to sort out issues in working (Nowell and Harrison, 2010). Thomas Cook have to conduct several appraising activities to encourage people and boost up their performance as well. This will facilitate an accurate dedication of employees which helps to reduce negative impacts of changes in an organisation.
TASK 3
P4 Barriers of change that influence on leadership decision making
If barriers to changes management can understand than it can be formulate and implement properly in an organization. Changes are the state which is done to shifting from one state to another for the betterment of an enterprise. The management always have a belief that there are certain change needed at workplace to accomplish business activities. Barriers create a problem in the business operations and directly have a negative impact on the working as well as profitability of the company (Salmela, Eriksson and Fagerström, 2012). Every firm should to know how to come out from these barriers. Some barriers to change are as follows-
Deficiency of employee Involvement- Employees generally resist from the change. It happen because employees not ready to learn new technology or difficult technology. Apart that changes also bring modification in the working culture and habits and generate fear of job loss and many more. Company's leader should always take their persons in confidence through listening to their opinion,and aware them that alteration is for their benefit not for loss. Thomas cook should also require to provide relevant information with sufficient resources to drive changes so that they are comfortable and ready to adopt new development in the organization.
Lack of communication- Changes are difficult when there is no proper communication in the business. Sometimes it happens that top management announces the changes but the lower level unable to understand. This display the poor communication system between upper and lower level management. Thomas cook leaders require to make understand the followers what actually the change is and how will they adapt it.
Planning- Sometimes planning team make the change in the organization without thinking of its effect on the people. Planning team should concentrate on work area ,job responsibility, administration structure etc before making alteration. Team generally does not concentrate about the feelings and emotions of people which later on become barrier. Thomas cook leaders should break this obstruction only by proper planning and concentrate on the feelings of employees.
No clear vision- One of the most common barriers is lack of understanding what the actually change in an organization. Business authorities don't know where they want to really go with the alteration. Without Understanding current organization blueprint,implementing and adopting in company become a big barrier. Thomas cook to not stuck in this kind of situation,should always analyze and understand the present blueprints of the business after that they can do modification.
Complexity- Process of change is very complex,making change in products,system and in strategies bit more complex. Complicate process creates difficulty for employees and their members to understand and apply (Shirey, 2011). It is necessary to apply simple and skillful approach to make growth with modification in the organization. Thomas cook break this barrier by employing industrious,quality and effective project and change management approach. Business should always avoid to adopt complex changes if their people does not have the ability to tackle.
TASK 4
P5 Different leadership approaches for dealing with changes in organization
There are different types of approaches that are utilised by leaders in company as per their mind setup and situation of business. Each and every leadership approach has their own traits that facilitate to conduct procedures in different styles to generate desired outcomes properly. These models are helpful to deal with various changes of that are introduced in market in different period of time. It is necessary to first analyse circumstances of an organisation and evaluate efficiencies of specific leadership theory and then match them to apply an appropriate style top gain required outputs successfully. Thomas Cook can utilise several leadership approaches which and some of them are given below:
Democratic leadership: - This kind of leaders having democratic criteria to make decision by involving team members and employees properly. It will help them to build choose better alternative and make people feel valuable so that they follow instructions of superior in correct manner.
Autocratic Leadership: - The term autocratic leaders follow the criteria of making any small or large decision by their own without consulting from their sub- ordinates or team members (Thomas and et. al., 2013). For each and every aspect, workers are required to take permission from their senior to conduct desired tasks properly.
Participative Leadership: - This can be described as to take decision by leaders along with taking suggestions from all the team members. It includes to ask for ideas of employees for required methods to carrying out in appropriate manner.
Transformational Leadership: - The term transformational leadership includes the concept of distributing responsibility to staff members after making an accurate goals or objectives. It helps to encourage people and make them more efficient to fulfil roles of higher position in an organisation. It will also facilitate to make employees much potential to gain promotion successfully.
Transactional leadership: - In this part, leaders provide rewards to workers for their performance that motivates them to improve working efficiency. This will impacts on other employees who perform well future future to earn targets or aims at desired period of time along with required outcomes as well.
CONCLUSION
The above report had concluded that understanding and leading change can be defined as to utilise more effective as well as efficient strategies to thoroughly analyse modifications and implement an appropriate policies to gain better outcomes. In context of Thomas cook and Cosmos tour, they have their major products and criteria to deliver it to peopled in different styles to achieve their satisfaction as well. There are different types of factors that facilitate the implementation of new changes or modifications in an organisation. There are several changes which are implemented in company due to changing trends of market for remaining up to date and sustain required position in competition. Changes are the state which is done to shifting from one state to another for the betterment of an enterprise. Leadership approach has their own traits that facilitate to conduct procedures in different styles to generate desired outcomes properly.
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