Module 1 – Case
ORGANIZATIONAL RESISTANCE TO CHANGE (AND WHY GOOD COMPANIES FAIL)
Assignment Overview
Organizational Resistance to Change (And why good companies fail).
In the Module 1 Case Assignment, you will write a 5- to 6-page paper in which you analyze in-depth the reasons that good companies fail due to their reluctance to respond to changes in the internal company and the external environment.
To begin the Module 1 Case assignment, read the following article and chapter from the following sources:
Butt, J., & Ivanov, S. (2017). Study of a large office supply retail organization: How good companies slowly go out of business. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 9(4), 100-116. Available in the Trident Online Library.
Shein’s (2011) Phases of Organizational decline? Shein, James B. (2011). Chapter One – The Phases of Decline and Early Warning Signs Reversing the slide: a strategic guide to turnarounds and corporate renewal. [Books24x7 version] Available in the Trident Online Library.
Case Assignment
After you read the foregoing sources, visit the library, and consult IBISWorld (download the IBISWorld Academic Overview). Search for “Office Supply Stores in the U.S.” Scan through the various pages associated with the large office supply retail industry, noting key areas of opportunity, key areas required for success, and key threats. Then, in a well-written 5- to 6-page paper (not including Cover and References pages), respond to the following:
- Based on your research, what are the key drivers for success in the large office supply store industry? This section should be at least 2 pages in length.
- What were the reasons for the failure of the Fortune 500 office supply company, as discussed in the Butt and Ivanov (2017) journal article? Are these reasons consistent with Shein’s (2011) phases of decline?
- What other reasons, if any, have you identified? Are there any practical difficulties that served as barriers to needed organizational change? (This section should be at least 2 pages in length).
- What recommendations would you have given the leadership of the foregoing Fortune 500 company relative to how the company may have avoided organizational failure? (This section should also be at least 2 pages in length).
- Conclude your paper by identifying the key lessons you have learned from Module 1 (as taken from both the Background materials and the Module 1 Case assignment) concerning the need for ongoing adaptation on the part of the organization and the need to avoid organizational inertia and resistance to change. This section should be at least 1 page in length.
Assignment Expectations
- Minimum length requirements for the Module 1 Case assignment is 5 pages (not including Title and Reference pages).
- Be sure to cite at least 3 scholarly sources using APA Style.
- Upload your paper to the Case 1 Dropbox before the assignment due date.