MANPRI Individual Case Study 1 Organizational Change

CASE STUDY - ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE BUS500M / KTC / 18:00-21:15 / Wednesday AY 2013-2014 / Term 1

Mindy Althea J. Kaw

FACULTY Mr. Artemio Gesmundo, Jr.

MANPRI Individual Case Study 2 Organizational Change

SYNTHESIS In the 70s, Bangladesh experienced the most crucial encounter in their agricultural practice which eventually lead to the mass change in their irrigation system. As water contamination is clearly the evident caused of sickness and death in the country, various organizations immediately purchased cast-iron pumps and subsidized diesel fuels for installation and use of the farmers, without analysing the pros and cons of these rapid changes. They have overlooked the manpower profile and operations aspect wherein people needs to be trained in order to adapt to the new technology, while the normal wear and tear of equipment, it cant be fixed locally. Bangladesh people eventually resisted the imposed change. George Klassen, a northern American engineer revolutionize the irrigation system in Bangladesh by immersing himself in Bangladesh farmers way of life. Through his immersion, the rower pump prototype was invented. It is not as high -tech as the cast iron pumps but it is efficient in terms of still being manually operated by an individual, and could be manufactured and serviced locally. The Bangladesh government didnt anticipate this aspect in the process of change. It doesnt necessary require a state-of-the-art technology for change process to be effective, a representative should understand the nature of the community and its people in order for the end-user to be adaptable to the said change.

POINT OF VIEW In tackling Bangladesh irrigation concern, the objective is to deliberate the step by step process needed in order for change to be effective, using the Multi-Stream 4-step change approach as an effective method to improve the countries agricultural organization.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1. Why Bangladesh retracted on the use of cast iron pump technology despite the fact it will improve the countries irrigation system? 2. What should have the local government prepared in order for their people to understand the changes needed on their agricultural operations? STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES 1. To discuss the problem of Bangladesh in their irrigation system versus the way of life of the farmers. 2. To identify effective process to solve the irrigation concern. 3. To recognize the recommendations to improve the irrigation system. 4. To address the problem through a detailed implementation process.

MANPRI Individual Case Study 3 Organizational Change

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION Based on the case study on Bangladesh concern on irrigation system, there are certain factors that the government / local organization should have considered prior to the adaptation of new technology for improvement of the agricultural operations: End user knowledge and capability to adapt Way of life / everyday life of the farmers Short-term return of investments (ROI) Availability of the critical spare parts in anticipation to repairs / major breakdown of equipment

It is clearly stated above that the local government and its corresponding agricultural organization did not research the possible effects on said rapid changes in agricultural operations; rather they just provided immediate solution based on the sense of urgency of the problem. They didnt have an established and reputable person as their change agent who will act as someone responsible for managing the change in their process. The organization used the mainstream process approach without considering the needs of their people. The solution is good, but the process is ineffective. As the management book mentioned, 1 Change is inevitable, but is it necessary good? It is such a strong statement that leads to dozens of questions that needs to be answered. The Bangladesh government or the Local agricultural organization may see change is needed as best interest of common good, just like how the stakeholders or owners of company envisions it, it doesnt necessarily mean that the common people has also the same point of view. When the cast iron pump technology was rejected by the Bangladesh farmers, it took an American Engineer to provide an alternative solution to their major problem in change of irrigation system. Engineer George Klassen immersed himself in the everyday living of the farmers, which is more basic, practical and hands-on, due to the scarcity in resources and finances available. He eventually develop the rower-pump which doesnt need a diesel fuel to operate the equipment, only another individual as the community still adapts to manual labour and is not an issue at all. Klassens good working relationship with the Bangladesh farmers benefited him; the farmers trusted his knowledge as an engineer and they even contributed to refine and enhance the prototype. Its a two-way street for both parties, benefiting each other.
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This illustration showed how Rower-type pump is used to irrigate water. It simply describes that this type of operation is effective for Bangladesh people as they are used to manual labour as their normal way of life.

MANPRI Individual Case Study 4 Organizational Change

4-Step Process Multi-stream approach as a solution In a Multistream perspective, an organization firstly considers the well-being of its people, even if the organization may not reach the highest profit. The impetus for Multistream action often comes to being sensitive to and recognizing unaddressed needs or opportunities. (Dyck & Neubert, 2012) According to Dr. Michael Naughton, the deep and abiding purpose of individual businesses and commercial system is to address real human needs. (Naughton, 2011)Moreover, business policy should be formulated in accordance to the interest of the common good. The four steps of Multistream process for change includes the sensitivity to need for change, unfreeze the current issue by involving the endusers or in this case, the farmers to the current issue, for them to be able to provide their insights as they are directly affected by the said changes in the irrigation system, encouraging them to develop a win-win situation, execute change process by engaging several farmers as change agents and idea champions in developing and improving the prototype, so that they too will be hands-on and built relationships with one another towards a common goal, and refreeze by continually being open to the idea of experimenting to improve the said process.

ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION When Engineer Klassen engaged himself to the Bangladesh farmers way of life for several years, he was able to identify the main concern of the people by observing the environment, analysing the resources available for them versus the financial capabilities to be able to provide an alternative solution to their problem. Klassen was able to capture the trust of the farmers and even helped him in developing and enhancing the rower-type irrigation system, involving the community to various experiments which will further enhance the efficiency of the prototype. In a Multistream change process wherein he involved local people to be his change agents and idea champions, he could have tapped the Bangladesh government in terms of education of local people as another alternative solution so that Bangladesh could set up their own Research and Development (R&D) team to improve the agricultural aspect of their country, and recommended the qualified local people as a continuity to enhance the lives of the Bangladesh community. The Bangladesh government could have appointed several local farmers as representatives to be sent to other countries where they can witness the technology that can be applied in their irrigation system and bring home ideas that will worked for them. They will eventually be appointed as change agents in terms of responsibility and instilling awareness of technology to their people. The cast iron and diesel powered pumps could have been effective if they also appointed local businessman to do the importing and distributorship to also cater to the after sales or repairs of the equipment.

MANPRI Individual Case Study 5 Organizational Change

RECOMMENDATION All types of government fall under the category of Mainstream approach in their system as they exist to impose changes for the benefit of the common good but doesnt necessarily involve people as they exist to keep and maintain within the boundaries of their impose rules. A more alternative solution coming from a foreigner and not from a local Bangladesh could be a wake-up call for them already in terms of reaching out to people and appointing key persons to be involved in the community. A conservative approach towards multistream change process can be a start, by letting their people understand that there is a need for change in their irrigation system, let the farmers be involved in the series of open meetings to further discuss the imposed solution but maintain an open mind for suggestions in improving the system. Appoint qualified farmers that will serve as change agents in their community. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN A table specifying the procedure is provided in order for organizational change to be effective: PHASE APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES END RESULT BODY Government / Appoint a Commission which shall Commission Executive Board come up with a Report and appointed. Recommendation for the implementation of the changes in system.

IDENTIFICATION OF ANTICIPATED PROBLEM

DELIBERATIONS APPROVAL

Study and identification of Report and problems upon impose of said Recommenda changes tion submitted to the Executive Board. AND Executive Board The Executive Board shall Board / Commission deliberate the Report with the Resolution commission for answers and issued. changes The Commission will appoint a NGOs NGO who will go to the community appointed. to disseminate the planned changes through open forums.

Commission

APPOINTMENT OF Commission NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AS REPRESENTATIVES

MANPRI Individual Case Study 6 Organizational Change

APPOINTMENT OF CHANGE AGENTS & IDEA CHAMPIONS

Non Government Organization (NGOs)

CONTINUOUS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NGO AND CHANGE AGENTS TOWARDS COMMON GOAL LEARNING POINTS

After series of forums with the farmers, NGO reps will identify qualified farmers to be a community representative towards change. They will be sent off for training and continuous experiments / tests based on agreed enhance solutions. NGOs, Change As soon as improved process in Agents and Idea technology is in place, change Champions agents to disseminate change to farmers by training, while idea champions to continually do the R&D.

Change agents appointed

System place

in

Bangladesh only focused on providing solution by means of adapting the technology being used by the neighboring countries on their irrigation system, without even considering the knowledge, environment, and way of life of their own people. An effective PLAN-ORGANIZE-LEAD-CONTROL towards MULTISTREAM APPROACH change process must be carefully planned by the Bangladesh government for their people to fully adapt to the change needed by their agricultural system.

REFERENCES Book Page 395, Chapter 13 Organizational Change, Management Book by Bruno Dyck Webpages http://en.howtopedia.org/images/e/eb/Human_pump02a.gif