Organization Change and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organization Change and Development - Essay Example There is not one organization in the world that can survive the current business environment by resisting change (Kaufman, 2007). These changes are not random; rather they are the result of various factors which will be the focus of this paper. Factors Affecting Change The major forces that make organizational change inevitable, which can either be external or internal, are: economic, technological, social, political, legal, labor market and international environments. Every organization has its own unique goals and objectives which are related in one way or another to the changing business environment which is highly dynamic. These factors of change normally force the organization to re-evaluate and change its mode of operation, management and service delivery (Botha and Kourie, 2008). Technology may be the main factor of change that is being experienced all over the business world. The 21st century has been characterized by innovations and introductions of new technologies which ha ve affected the way people love and work. Perhaps the most important of this technological innovation has happened in the communication sector. The development of the telephone, internet and other forms of communication has entirely changed the business environment (Appalbaum, Close and Klasa, 1999). ... The market conditions in the 21st century have also changed quite a lot. Competition has become much stiffer than it was years ago. This competition has been heightened by the ever increasing number of businesses that offer the same or similar products and/or services. The battle to remain relevant in this kind of market environment is one that all organizations must fight on a constant basis. If it means that the organizations have to change the way they conduct their business, then there is no way around it. Globalization is a major reason why market competition has risen to such great heights (Appelbaum, Everard and Hung, 1999). A good example of a business environment that has seen many changes due to changing market conditions is India. After liberalization in the last two centuries, the country has experienced an influx of foreign companies and formation of many others. This has created such high level of competition that those organizations which could not keep up with the cha nge had to close down or merge with those that had already adapted to the changing business environment. Those organizations that were able to re-align their operations with the sweeping changes in the market are some of the countries best today. The political and legal environment is also as turbulent as the business environment of today. This is because it is also vulnerable to frequent changes, which also affect other spheres of life for individuals and organizations alike. Any changes of governance or administration in a country or a region may have great implications for businesses. For instance, if a democratic government is replaced by a totalitarian one, or vise versa, there is likely to be a major shift of