IOP3705 Assignment 2 (ANSWERS) Semester 1 2024 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED

Well-structured IOP3705 Assignment 2 (ANSWERS) Semester 1 2024 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED. (DETAILED ANSWERS - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED!). .... CASE STUDY: Transformation at Tech Innovations Inc. Read the following case study carefully and answer the questions that follow. Tech Innovations Inc. (TII) is a green technology company known for its cutting-edge and environmentally friendly software solutions. Established in 2005, TII has experienced rapid growth, but with growth came several organisational challenges. The need for change became evident as TII struggled with communication breakdowns, employee turnover, and declining product quality. In response, TII's leadership embarked on a comprehensive organisational development and change initiative and hired a renowned organisational development consultant, Dr Lisa Roberts, to lead the change effort. Dr. Roberts met with key stakeholders, including executives, managers, and front-line employees. During the initial meeting, she discovered discrepancies between the public image of TII and internal practices. For example, the company’s marketing materials and public statements emphasised its commitment to green technology, while internal operations revealed greenwashing and exaggeration of environmental achievements. COMPULSORY ESSAY ASSESSMENT 2 Semester 1: 2024 BASED ON LESSONS 1 TO 4 Assessment 02: Instructions The following are specific requirements relating to the layout and technical presentation of assignments: • Cover page: The first page of your document should display information such as the module code, assignment number, and your name and student number. • Table of contents: Always include a table of contents on the second page, listing the headings and subheadings of your assignment. The titles and subheadings should describe the content of the sections, be numbered, and provide page numbers. • Introduction: There should be only one introduction to the assignment, not one per question. • Discussion: This is also called the body of the assignment. Use the decimal classification system up to four decimals, alphabetical classification for the fifth level, and small Roman numerals for the sixth level, for example, 1, 1.2, 1.2.1, 1.2.1.2 and (a)(iii). • Conclusion: There should be a conclusion at the end of your assignment. This section summarises the most important aspects of the assignment. There should be only one conclusion, not one per question. • Reference List: Provide full details in a list of references at the end of your assignment. Use the APA reference method. 2 Dr. Roberts gained further insight into TII's sustainability efforts and operations through interviews, surveys, and observations. Employee feedback revealed a lack of cross-functional collaboration, limited opportunities for professional development, and a disconnect between leadership and staff as the primary barriers to success. However, during this phase, the TII leadership pressured her to selectively present findings to paint a rosier picture of the company’s sustainability and operational efforts. They agreed to improve communication and collaboration, foster innovation, and enhance green technology development. Despite feeling pressure from TII’s leadership and acknowledging her lack of expertise in green energy technologies, Dr. Roberts proceeded with the OD intervention. The plan outlined specific interventions to address identified problems, including: (1) Restructure departments to encourage cross-functional collaboration. (2) Introduce green technology to enhance product development processes. (3) Provide leadership training to foster a culture of empowerment and accountability. Dr. Robert's lack of technical expertise became evident during the planning and implementation stages of the OD process. During the planning phase, she overlooked critical aspects of technological development, such as the importance of continuous integration and automated testing. She focused primarily on restructuring teams and introducing new collaboration tools without considering how these changes would affect the quality and efficiency of the software development process. As the change initiative was implemented, the development teams struggled to adapt to the new methods and tools, resulting in delays, increased bugs, and decreased productivity. Dr. Roberts could not provide meaningful guidance or support to the teams, as she lacked the knowledge to troubleshoot technical issues or provide relevant insights. Despite her best efforts to engage with technical stakeholders and solicit feedback, Dr. Roberts' credibility was undermined by her lack of expertise. The developers became frustrated with her inability to understand their challenges and provide effective solutions. As a result, resistance to the change initiative increased, and morale among development teams plummeted. Ultimately, the change initiative failed to achieve its objectives. The TII leadership was disappointed with the lack of progress and questioned her effectiveness as an OD practitioner. Without the technical expertise to navigate the complexities of green technology and software development, Dr. Roberts could not lead a successful change initiative, resulting in wasted time, resources, and employee dissatisfaction. QUESTION 1 Discuss the four activities involved in the general model of planned change and indicate whether you feel these steps were followed in the above case study. Substantiate your answer with relevant examples. (16) 3 QUESTION 2 External consultants may have several advantages over internal consultants. However, they may also face some disadvantages. Describe any four (4) disadvantages of external OD consultants, specifically during the various stages of the planned change process. (4) QUESTION 3 Discuss the critical areas in the contracting phase and indicate whether the essential aspects were addressed. Would you have done it differently? Please motivate clearly. (10) QUESTION 4 Identify and critically discuss the five (5) ethical dilemmas that this initiative might present and how to avoid them. Substantiate your answer with relevant examples from the case study. (10) TECHNICAL ASPECTS A further ten (10) marks are awarded for the technical presentation of your assignment. (10)