Good Example Of Apple Inc. And Successful Change Management Implementation Essay

Implementing Organizational Change

One of the successful example of implementing change management is a company is that of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs was a founder member of the company, but due to internet squabbles he resigned. When Jobs was brought again to head Apple Inc., the company was on the brink of bankruptcy. Jobs started focusing on creating beautiful electronic products that matched the taste of consumers instead of aimlessly designing small electronic goods. The iMac was launched in the year 1998 and Steve Jobs developed excellent brand management by promoting his product ideas through excellent networking. At the same time, the firm also acquired several other firms in the digital production and video editing line so as to widen its target market. The next product iPod was launched in the year 2001 and proved to be highly successful and was eventually followed by the iPhone. Apple Inc., under the leadership of the then CEO, Steve Jobs, brought about a revolution in technology by providing beautiful and technology friendly products to its customers.
Successful implementation of change management required extensive strategic and tactical planning and accordingly change was implemented keeping in mind probable opportunities and cope up with the severe threat that the company suffered after Steve Jobs was ousted from Apple Inc. Customers got revolutionary products in technology and employees were highly benefitted as it helped them to learn innovative skills and enhance their levels of creativity, shared learning and shared goals (Qualman, 2011). On the other hand, investors were highly benefitted as the company started garnering higher revenues by selling revolutionary products in technology.

Strategic change versus tactical change

Strategic change is an approach that tries to modify the ongoing action and cognition modes so that the organization is equipped to reap the benefits of significant opportunities and also cope with external and environmental threats (Weiss, 2012). Tactical change, on the other hand is the launch of new processes and systems that support strategic change. Several tactics may be put into practice by involving several departments and employees so as to fulfil desired strategic objectives. For successful implementation of strategic and tactical change, the role of the CEO is pivotal. This is mainly because the CEO is observed to be the individual responsible for setting strategic plans and providing strategic directions and is instrumental in implementing certain tactics in work processes and functions.
Tactical change implementation requires one to assess required and acquired resources prior to implementing change in processes and systems. Strategic change caters to decisions taken for the entire organization and tactical change entails decisions catering to departments or particular processes that may be altered so as to be in sync with strategic change objectives. Strategic change consists of long term goals and decisions and may infrequently be altered whereas tactical change decisions alter frequently and accordingly adjustments and restructuring of systems, processes and activities are implemented (Weiss, 2012).
Strategic change entails conveying an abstract vision of the future and accordingly planning and implementing several long term changes. This abstract vision is duly conveyed to relevant stakeholders by articulating and advocating the vision for change. This state requires excellent communication flow so that all relevant stakeholders are duly informed about the change process implementation. Disconfirmation or ambiguous information leads to strategic and practical barriers to change and often leads to failure in change implementation. Tactical change requires conveying and accordingly implementing several short term changes and managerial interaction and supervision. Managers should be well aware of several strategic and tactical change and needs to consistently boost and encourage the staff so as to ensure smooth implementation of tactical plans and successfully drive tactical change.
For successful organizational change implementation it is required that both strategic and tactical change is driven by the CEO. Accordingly both changes should align with each other and provide directions to attain specific organizational goals in order to achieve desired vision.

References:

Weiss, J.W. (2012). Organizational Change. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Qualman, E. (Producer). (2011). Social media revolution 3. (Web Video). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?/v=x0EnhXn5boM&feature=player_embedded.