Innovation and Change PDF

Monday, 11 September 2023 6:14 am How can managers encourage innovation in an organisation? How does an organisation's culture affect innovation? Creativity: The ability to produce novel and useful ideas Encourage experimentation Reward success and failures Celebrate mistakes Innovation: The p...

Monday, 11 September 2023 6:14 am How can managers encourage innovation in an organisation? How does an organisation's culture affect innovation? Creativity: The ability to produce novel and useful ideas Encourage experimentation Reward success and failures Celebrate mistakes Innovation: The process of taking a creative idea and turning it into a useful, product, service, or method of operation. How are creativity and innovation related? Accepts ambiguity- Objectivity and specificity constrain experimentation. Tolerates the impractical- silly questions or ideas are not stifled. Keeps external controls minimal- rules, regulations, policies and organisational controls are kept to a minimum. Tolerates risk: Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities. Tolerates diversity of opinions is encouraged. Focuses on ends rather than means- goals are made clear, and alternative routes to the goal are encouraged. Uses and open system focus- Managers closely monitor the environment Provides positive feedback- allows employees to feel their creative ideas receive attention. Which human resource variables affect innovation? Actively promote the training and development of their members so their knowledge remains current. Offer their employees high job security Reduce their fear of being fired for making mistakes Encourage their employees to become idea champions Idea Champions: Individuals who actively and enthusiastically support new ideas, build support for and overcome resistance to innovations, and ensure they are implemented. Expertise: When individuals have abilities, knowledge, and proficiencies and similar expertise in their fields of endeavour. Creative Thinking skills: The ability to use analogies The talent to see the familiar in a different light Intelligence Independence Self-confidence Risk talking Internal locus of control Tolerance for ambiguity Perseverance in the face of frustration Intrinsic task motivation: The desire to work on something because it is intrinsically interesting. Exciting Satisfying Personally challenging Extremely high self-confidence Persistence Energy A tendency for risk-taking Display characteristics associated with dynamic leadership They inspire and energise others with their vision Good at gaining others' commitment Jobs that contain considerable decision-making discretion. How does design thinking influence innovation? A flexible and iterative process that encourages a user-centric and collaborative approach to problem-solving. It values creativity, and empathy, from designing products and services to solving complex organizational and societal problems. What is change and how do managers deal with it? Any alteration or adaption of an organisation's structure, technology or people. Changing structure: Change in authority relationships. Coordination mechanisms Degree of centralisation Job design Widening spans of control Reducing work specialisation Creating new work teams Changing technology: Modifications in the way work is done or the methods and equipment is used. Adding robotics Implementing social media tools New computer operating system. Changing people: Employee attitudes Expectations Perceptions Behaviours Using team-building efforts Training employees What external forces create the need for change? The motivational component is what turns creative potential into actual creative ideas. The work environment has a big impact on creativity 5 factors that impede creativity Surveillance, being watched while you are working External motivators- emphasising external, tangible rewards Competition- facing win-lose situations with your peers Constrained choices- limits on how you can do your work. What's involved in turning creativity into innovation? Perception- involves the way you see things. Being creative is about seeing things from a different perspective. Incubation- Sitting on an idea for a while Inspiration- the moment when all your efforts successfully come together. Innovation- taking that inspiration and turning it into a useful product, service or method of operation. Marketplace Government laws and regulations Technology Labour markets Economic Which internal forces create a need to change? Modifying an organisational strategy Originate primarily from the internal operations of a business Composition of an organisation's workforce Compensation and benefits system Employee attitudes How can a manager foster innovation? Inputs to transformation process-outputs The transformation process requires the right work environment An environment that stimulates innovation There are three variables: The organisations structure, culture and human resource practices. Organisation changes need a catalyst: Change agent: People who act as change catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing the change process. Internal or external Internal understands culture, and tradition but can tend to be cautious External can make big changes without living the outcomes. Can offer objectives that insiders lack. Calm waters metaphor: Unfreezing-Changing-Refreezing New Section 1 Page 1 Managing for sustainability: Awakening: Creating awareness about sustainability Pioneering: Integration of sustainability into the organisation's culture, structure and activities. Transformation: Sustainability principles are embedded into every aspect of the organisation. Core mission, goals and primary functions. Reasons why change fails: Failure to see the need for change Uncertainty about adopting new methods Concern over personal loss The belief that the change is not in the organisations best interest Limited tolerance for change Increase the driving forces that direct behaviour away from the status quo Decrease the straining forces that hinder movement from the existing equilibrium Do both. White water rapids metaphor: A description of organisational change that likens such change to a small raft navigating a raging river. The analogy is: 6 People in a raft, at night, unfamiliar with each other or the river. Organisational Development (OD): Efforts that assist organisational members with planned change by focusing on their attitudes and values. Survey feedback: A method of surveying employees' attitudes towards and perceptions of a change. Process consultation: Using outside consultants to assess organisational processes, such as workflow, informal intra-unit relationships and formal communication channels. Techniques for overcoming barriers to change: Education and communication Participation Facilitation and support Negotiation Manipulation and co-optation Coercion Team building: Using activities to help work groups set goals, and develop positive interpersonal relationships. Intergroup development: Activities that attempt to make several work groups more cohesive. What is stress? Stress is the adverse reaction people have when excessive pressure is placed on them from extraordinary demands, constraints or opportunities. Positive stress - Eustress Negative stress- Distress Karoshi Death from stress What are the symptoms of stress? Depression Accident prone Argumentative Difficulty making routine decisions Easily distracted 3 categories of stress: Physical Psychological Behavioural 5 Categories of Organisational Stressors: task demands- autonomy, task variety, degree of automation. Role demands- pressures placed on the employee as a function of the particular role they play. -Role ambiguity- when role expectations aren't clearly understood. -role conflicts- work expectations that are hard to satisfy -Role overload- having more work to accomplish than time permits Organisation structure- excessive rules and employees' lack of opportunity to participate in decisions Organisational leadership- managers creating a culture characterised by tension, fear and anxiety. Interpersonal demands- Pressures created by other employees. Lack of social support and poor Interpersonal relationships- family issues, personal economic problems, personality characteristics. Personality Type A Chronic sense of urgency, an excessive competitive drive, and difficulty enjoying leisure time. Personality Type B Complete opposite of Type A. How can stress be reduced? Choosing the right person for the job. Reducing workload Increasing challenge Clarify job description and role Increase organisational communication EAP Employee assistance program. New Section 1 Page 2