Gerard Boucher BUS 661
Instructor Dr.Whitten
January 13, 2014
1) Which of the six change images discussed in this chapter can be identified in the assumptions about managing turnover that were held by Gunter? The hospitality literature? The consultant? When you are looking at the different six images of change you are going to be able to understand that different individuals within a company can take on many different roles. For the image that Gunter took on it would be found within the Change Manager as Director. “The director image is based on an image of management as control and of change out-comes as being achievable. It is therefore up to the change manager to direct the organization in particular ways in order to produce the required change.”(Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2009,pg.27). You can see Gunter in this position due to the fact that he was still in charge of all the employees and the resort just needing to ensure that he was also capable of leading them in the correct manner. The hospitality literature was more along the lines of the Navigator. Using this image is easy to see the hospitality individuals in the sense that they had to guide the employees and also the future buyers. It is important for someone to remain in this role as this is how an organization can achieve different aspects. The consultant was more along the lines of the Coach. “ In the coach image, the assumption is that change managers (or change consultants) are able to intentionally shape the organization’s capabilities in particular ways.” (Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2009,pg. 30). The consultant was able to help Gunter get the support that he needed and also still be able to affect the ways that the change was taking place. Important aspects within this image need to occur for the Green Mountain Resort so that they could be able to build a better organization.
2) How did these assumptions influence prescriptions for dealing with “the turnover problem? The different assumptions that were seen within the three individuals and other organizational structures were able to help with the turnover problem by finding different ways to ensure that the needed changes occurred. In looking at this problem solving technique it also helped to ensure that other individuals were capable of doing their own jobs plus the jobs of others around them. It really helped to ensure that all individuals are capable of being the best employees out there.
3) Choose another change image and apply it to “the turnover problem.” To what new insights does it lead? In having to pick another of the six change images that could have been applied to the Green Mountain Resort, it would have to include the Change Manager as Nurturer. “The nurturing image to managing change assumes that even small changes may have a large impact on organizations and managers are not able to control the outcome of these changes.”(Palmer, Dunford , & Akin, 2009, pg.32). Role as Nurturer could have made a large impact in a situation like this because of needing to ensure that an individual cared about the employees and the organization as well. It was important to show that all the individuals that were involved with the turnover problem handled it within a way that helped everyone and the company. No organization is going to want to see a large turnover without some care and compassion involved as well. The Nurturer would have been able to see the organization through the turnover problem and still guide them in a manner that