Important elements in formulating and evaluating an entrepreneurial business plan for a new project in an established organization

Introduction

The consumers globally have created an enormous demand for the communication technology devices such as computers and the cell phones. Individuals and organisations have been demanding enhanced communication systems such as digital computer networks, high-speed internet, and satellite among others. Innovation in the current business world has been seen as one of the major driving force in the realisation of effective performance in the context of the organisations today (Eaton & Noah, 2010). Apple Australia company is multinational. The company wants to come up with a new project that will create some changes on the quality of the products it produces given the dynamic and continuous changes in technology.
Introduction of the new project is geared at serving the changing needs of the customers (Moran & Brightman, 2001). Bumes (2004) has stated that change is a feature that is within the organisation both at the strategic and operational level. Therefore, it is of no doubt that the organisation finds it significant to now establish where it ought to be in the prospective future and consequently manage the changes that are required in order to get there. Accordingly, the organisational change should not be completely separated from the organisational strategy.

Identify and describe the important elements in formulating and evaluating an entrepreneurial business plan for a new project in an established organisation

Change initiatives in Apple Australia arise because of the problems being faced by the organisation (Wattwood, 2000). The reason why the organisation requires a visionary and transformational leader or CEO is because they need a person who can trace out the problems quickly whenever they occur. However, organisations do not necessarily implement changes because of problems but also when there are opportunities that can help it move a step ahead (Strebel, 1996). Whenever the performance gap appears in the organisation, it is automatic that changes will take place to help in closing the gap. Once this gap is identified, change is the best solution as it helps the organisation to improve on its performance to an expected higher level (Bateman & Zeitham, 1990).

To succeed in bringing up a new project or create change in Apple Australia, the leaders or manager need to recognise what they understand about successful change before and during the organisational change process. Lewin’s three step change model states that change involves a sequence of organisational processes that occur over time. According to Kurt Lewin, organisational change is not something that will occur within a short period, hence the three steps of unfreezing, moving and refreezing.

In the first step of freezing, the human resource manager will determine what needs to be changed by surveying the organisation to understand the current state and comprehending why change has to take place. He must ensure that there is strong support from the upper management through stakeholders’ analysis and management in order to identify and win the support of material people in the organisation (Bumes, 2004). The manager is required to understand the doubts and concerns from both the employees and other relevant stakeholders. This can be done by remaining open to employee concerns and air them out in terms of the need to change (Foschi &Lombardo, 2006). In the context of creating change for the organisation in the case study, the first step of this model requires a strategic and visionary leader who can effectively communicate to employees and make them understand. Much hesitation in this step may make it difficult for the change to be achieved.

Moving or changing is the second stage of Lewin’s model where the manager of the multinational company in the case study is expected to communicate on a frequent basis. Another important aspect in this step is dispelling rumours. The need for change is the operational necessities to make the employees increase efforts in achieving the organisational goals or change. Empowering of action is part of the change process, where the leader is to provide varied options to involve the employees to participate in the implementation process. He should also guide the line managers in providing the day-to-day direction so that the employees do not go astray (Foschi & Lombardo, 2006). Towards the end of this step, the leader involves people in the process by generating short term targets to reinforce the change. He also negotiates with external stakeholders as necessary.

In the last stage of Lewin’s model, which is refreezing, the leader anchors the changes into the culture of the company. The manager of the company in the case study will have the responsibility of identifying what supports this change and the barriers to sustaining this change i.e. if it is on limited resources, manpower, employees or techniques (Luecke, 2003). After this identification, ways to sustain this change are formulated. Here, leadership support is highly significant, a reward system, which has to be created, and feedback mechanisms established to motivate the participants thus making this change successfully, and similarly the organisational structure (Foschi & Lombardo 2006). Provision of support and training is essential in this last stage in order to keep every stakeholder informed and supported so that to avoid excuses. When all these steps are accurate, the organisation in the case study will celebrate the success of its change strategy. Moreover, the project initiated should adhere to the social responsibility policies where the needs and well being of the society is taken care of.

In the context of communication and management plan, communication and Management Plan, the organisational change process may be understood differently by the employees and other stakeholders; change is disruptive. It is therefore, the duty of the leader or CEO to convince the employees to thinks otherwise, and this will only be if the change is effective. In order for this change process to be successful, the leader should communicate to the employees to understand why this change is important. The leaders must ensure that the employees buy into the change programme (Bumes, 2004).For the change programme to be more effective, the process of measuring the results of change initiatives together with reward programmes  are necessary as they reinforce desired b.............