Veltech Rangarajan Dr.

Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology

School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

UNIT – IV STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION & EVALUATION 9

The implementation process, Resource allocation, Designing organisational structure-
Designing Strategic Control Systems- Matching structure and control to strategy-
Strategic implementing Strategic change-Staffing and directing evaluation and control
in strategic management.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

The implementation of organization strategy involves the application of the

management process to obtain the desired results. Particularly, strategy
implementation includes designing the organization's structure, allocating resources,
developing strategic control systems.

Strategy implementation is "the process of allocating resources to support the chosen

strategies". This process includes the various management activities that are
necessary to put strategy in motion, institute strategic controls that monitor progress,
and ultimately achieve organizational goals.

The Relation between Strategy Formulation and Strategy Implementation

Successful strategy formulation does not guarantee successful strategy

implementation. Strategy implementation is fundamentally different from strategy
formulation. Strategy formulation and implementation can be contrasted in the
following ways:

STRATEGY FORMULATION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

Strategy formulation is positioning Strategy implementation is

forces before the action. managing forces during the action.

Strategy formulation focuses on Strategy implementation focuses

effectiveness. on efficiency.

Strategy formulation is primarily an Strategy implementation is

intellectual process. primarily an operational process.

Strategy formulation requires good Strategy implementation requires

intuitive and analytical skills. special motivation and leadership
skills

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Strategy formulation requires Strategy implementation requires

coordination among a few combination among many
individuals individuals.

PLANS, PROGRAMMES, AND PROJECTS

The strategic plan devised by the organization proposes the manner in which the
strategies could be put into action. Strategies, by themselves, do not lead to action.
They are, in a sense, a statement of intent: implementation tasks are meant to realize
the intent. Strategies, therefore, have to be activated through implementation.
Strategies should lead to plans. For instance, if stability strategies have been
formulated, they may lead to the formulation of various plans. One such plan could be
a modernization plan. Plans result in different kinds of programmes. A programme is a
broad term, which includes goals, policies, procedures, rules, and steps to be taken in
putting a plan into action. Programmes are usually supported by funds allocated for
plan implementation. An example of a programme is a research and development
programme for the development of a new product.
Programmes lead to the formulation of projects. A project is a highly specific
programme for which the time schedule and costs are predetermined. It requires
allocation of funds based on capital budgeting by organizations. Thus, research and
development programmes may consist of several projects, each of which is intended
to achieve a specific and limited objective, requires separate allocation of funds, and is
to be completed within a set time schedule.
Implementation of strategies is not limited to formulation of plans, programmes, and
projects. Projects would also require resources. After that is provided, it would be
essential to see that a proper organizational structure is designed, systems are
installed, functional policies are devised, and various behavioural inputs are provided
so that plans may work.

Strategic Implementation Process

S.Certo and J. Peter proposed a five-stage model of the strategy implementation

process:

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

a) Determining how much the organization will have to change in order to implement
the strategy under consideration, under consideration.
b) Analyzing the formal and informal structures of the organization.
c) Analyzing the "culture" of the organization.
d) Selecting an appropriate approach to implementing the strategy.
e) Implementing the strategy and evaluating the results.

Galbraith suggests that several major internal aspects of the organization may need to
be synchronized to put a chosen strategy into action. Major factors are technology,
human resources, reward systems, decision process and structure. This factors tend
to be interconnected, so a change in one may necessitate change in one or more
others.
Hambrick and Cannella described five steps for effective strategy implementation:
a) Input from a wide range of sources is required in the strategy formulation stage
(i.e., the mission, environment, resources, and strategic options component).
b) The obstacles to implementation, both those internal and external to the
organization, should be carefully assessed.
c) Strategists should be use implementation levers or management tasks to initiate
this component of the strategic management process. Such levers may come from
the way resources are committed, the approach used to structure the organization,
the selection of managers, and the method of rewarding employees.
d) The next step is to sell the implementation. Selling upward entails convincing
boards of directors and seniors management of the merits and viability of the
strategy. Selling downward involves convincing lower level management and
employees of the appropriateness of the strategy. Selling across involves
coordinating implementation across the various units of an organization, while
selling outward entails communicating the strategy to external stakeholders.
e) The process is on-going and a continuous fine tuning, adjusting, and responding is
needed as circumstance change.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION
The resources may be existing with a company or many be acquired through capital
allocation. Resources include physical ,financial and human resources essential for
implementing plans. Resources are broadly of four categories.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

i) Money
ii) Facilities and equipments
iii) Materials, supplies and services
iv) Personnel

Decisions involved in allocation of resources have vital significance in strategy

implementation. In single product firms it may involve assessment of the resource
needs of different functional departments. In the multi divisional organization it
implies assessing the resource needs of different SBUs or product divisions
Redeployment or reallocation of resources becomes necessary when changes take
place. The redeployment of resources is quite critical when there are major changes
and shifts in strategic posture of company. Redeployment of resources may arise due
to strategies of a company to grow in certain areas and withdraw from the other.

Methods of Resource allocation

(i) Based on percentages:
Usually, companies have been following system of allocation of resources by
percentages. It may not serve much purpose these days. They may be of help only in
making some comparisons. The allocation of resources should not be based on their
availability or scarcity as it may prove to be counterproductive. The resource
allocation should be made with regard to strategies of a company for its future
competitive position and growth. The decisions of resource allocation are also closely
connected with the objectives of a company.

(ii) Based on modern methods

Other methods include -Portfolio models, product life-cycle charts, balance sheets,
profit and loss statements income statements. When retrenchment or turnaround
strategies are implemented zero-based budgeting is used. During mergers,
acquisitions and expansion, capital budgeting techniques are suggested. Resource
allocation is not purely a rational technique but is based on several behavioral and
political considerations. The other analytical conceptual models used for strategic
choice are growth share matrix, ‘stop light’, and Directional Policy Matrix used in multi
divisional firms. A more comprehensive approach to management decisions on
resource allocation is provided by the budgeting system carefully geared to the chosen
strategy.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Problems in resource allocation

There are several difficulties in resource allocation. The following are some of the
identified problems.
i) Scarcity of resources.
Financial, physical, and human resources are hard to find. Firms will usually face
difficulties in procuring finance. Even if fiancé is available, the cost of capital is a
constraint. Those firms that enjoy investor confidence and high credit worthiness
possess a competitive advantage as it increases their resource-generation capability.
Physical resources would consist of assets, such as, lard machinery, and equipment.
In a developing country like India, many capital goods have to be imported. The
government may no longer impose many conditions but it does place a burden on the
firm’s finances and this places a restriction on firms wishing to procure physical
resources. Human resources are seemingly in abundance in India but the problem
arises due to the non-availability of skills that are specially required. Information
technology and computer professionals, advertising personnel, and telecom, power
and insurance experts are scarce in India. This places severe restrictions on firms
wishing to attract and retain personnel. In sum, the availability resources are a very
real problem.
ii) Restrictions on generating resources
In the usual budgeting process these are several restrictions for generating resources
due to the SBU concept especially for new divisions and departments.
iii) Overstatement of needs
Over statement of needs is another frequent problem in a bottom-up approach to
resource allocation.
The budgeting and corporate planning departments may have to face the ire of those
executives who do not get resources according to their expectations. Such negative
reactions may hamper the process of strategic planning itself.

DESIGNING ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

An organizational structure is the pattern or arrangement of jobs and groups of jobs

within an organization. Organizational Design is the process of creating or reshaping
an organizational structure optimized to support strategic decisions.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

The elements of organization structure and design are

a) Division of labor
b) Departmentalization
c) Delegation of authority
d) Span of control

A) DIVISION OF LABOR:
It is the process of dividing work into relatively specialized jobs to achieve
advantages of specialization

Division of Labor Occurs in Three Different Ways:

i) Personal specialties
e.g., accountants, software engineers, graphic designers, scientists, etc.
ii) Natural sequence of work
e.g., dividing work in a manufacturing plant into fabricating and assembly
(horizontal specialization)
iii) Vertical plane
e.g., hierarchy of authority from lowest-level manager to highest-level
manager

B) DEPARTMENTALIZATION:

Departmentalization is the process of grouping of work activities into departments,

divisions, and other homogenous units. It takes place in various patterns like
departmentalization by functions, products, customers, geographic location, process,
and its combinations.

i) Functional Departmentalization

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Functional Departmentalization is the process of grouping activities by functions

performed. Activities can be grouped according to function (work being done) to
pursue economies of scale by placing employees with shared skills and knowledge into
departments for example human resources, finance, production, and marketing.
Functional Departmentalization can be used in all types of organizations.
Advantages:
 Advantage of specialization
 Easy control over functions
 Pinpointing training needs of manager
 It is very simple process of grouping activities.
Disadvantages:
 Lack of responsibility for the end result
 Overspecialization or lack of general management
 It leads to increase conflicts and coordination problems among departments.

ii) Product Departmentalization

Product Departmentalization is the process of grouping activities by product

line. Tasks can also be grouped according to a specific product or service, thus placing
all activities related to the product or the service under one manager. Each major
product area in the corporation is under the authority of a senior manager who is
specialist in, and is responsible for, everything related to the product line. Dabur India
Limited is the India’s largest Ayurvedic medicine manufacturer is an example of
company that uses product Departmentalization. Its structure is based on its varied
product lines which include Home care, Health care, Personal care and Foods.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Advantages
 It ensures better customer service
 Unprofitable products may be easily determined
 It assists in development of all around managerial talent
 Makes control effective
 It is flexible and new product line can be added easily.
Disadvantages
 It is expensive as duplication of service functions occurs in various product
divisions
 Customers and dealers have to deal with different persons for complaint and
information of different products.

iii) Customer Departmentalization

Customer Departmentalization is the process of grouping activities on the basis

of common customers or types of customers. Jobs may be grouped according to the
type of customer served by the organization. The assumption is that customers in
each department have a common set of problems and needs that can best be met by
specialists. UCO is the one of the largest commercial banks of India is an example of
company that uses customer Departmentalization. Its structure is based on various
services which includes Home loans, Business loans, Vehicle loans and Educational
loans.
Advantages
 It focused on customers who are ultimate suppliers of money
 Better service to customer having different needs and tastes
 Development in general managerial skills
Disadvantages
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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

 Sales being the exclusive field of its application, co-ordination may appear
difficult between sales function and other enterprise functions.
 Specialized sales staff may become idle with the downward movement of sales
to any specified group of customers.

iv) Geographic Departmentalization

Geographic Departmentalization is the process of grouping activities on the

basis of territory. If an organization's customers are geographically dispersed, it can
group jobs based on geography. For example, the organization structure of Coca-Cola
Ltd has reflected the company’s operation in various geographic areas such as Central
North American group, Western North American group, Eastern North American group
and European group
Advantages
 Help to cater to the needs of local people more satisfactorily.
 It facilitates effective control
 Assists in development of all-round managerial skills
Disadvantages
 Communication problem between head office and regional office due to lack of
means of communication at some location
 Coordination between various divisions may become difficult.
 Distance between policy framers and executors
 It leads to duplication of activities which may cost higher.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

v) Process Departmentalization

Geographic Departmentalization is the process of grouping activities on the

basis of product or service or customer flow. Because each process requires different
skills, process Departmentalization allows homogenous activities to be categorized.
For example, Bowater Thunder Bay, a Canadian company that harvests trees and
processes wood into newsprint and pulp. Bowater has three divisions namely tree
cutting, chemical processing, and finishing (which makes newsprint).

Advantages
• Oriented towards end result.
• Professional identification is maintained.
• Pinpoints product-profit responsibility.
Disadvantage
• Conflict in organization authority exists.
• Possibility of disunity of command.
• Requires managers effective in human relation

vi) Matrix Departmentalization

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

In actual practice, no single pattern of grouping activities is applied in the organization

structure with all its levels. Different bases are used in different segments of the
enterprise. Composite or hybrid method forms the common basis for classifying
activities rather than one particular method,. One of the mixed forms of organization
is referred to as matrix or grid organization’s According to the situations, the patterns
of Organizing varies from case to case. The form of structure must reflect the tasks,
goals and technology if the originations the type of people employed and the
environmental conditions that it faces. It is not unusual to see firms that utilize the
function and project organization combination. The same is true for process and
project as well as other combinations. For instance, a large hospital could have an
accounting department, surgery department, marketing department, and a satellite
center project team that make up its organizational structure.
Advantages
 Efficiently manage large, complex tasks
 Effectively carry out large, complex tasks
Disadvantages
 Requires high levels of coordination
 Conflict between bosses
 Requires high levels of management skills

C) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Delegation of authority can be defined as subdivision and sub-allocation of powers to

the subordinates in order to achieve effective results.
Centralization and Decentralization are two opposite ways to delegate authority and to
change the organizational structure of organizations accordingly.

i) Centralization:
It is the process of transferring and assigning decision-making authority to higher
levels of an organizational hierarchy. The span of control of top managers is relatively
broad, and there are relatively many tiers in the organization.
Advantages
 Provide Power and prestige for manager
 Promote uniformity of policies, practices and decisions
 Minimal extensive controlling procedures and practices
 Minimize duplication of function
Disadvantages
 Neglected functions for mid. Level, and less motivated beside personnel.
 Nursing supervisor functions as a link officer between nursing director and first-
line management.

ii) Decentralization:
It is the process of transferring and assigning decision-making authority to lower
levels of an organizational hierarchy. The span of control of top managers is relatively
small, and there are relatively few tears in the organization, because there is more
autonomy in the lower ranks.
Advantages
 Raise morale and promote interpersonal relationships
 Relieve from the daily administration
 Bring decision-making close to action
 Develop Second-line managers
 Promote employee’s enthusiasm and coordination
 Facilitate actions by lower-level managers

Disadvantages
 Top-level administration may feel it would decrease their status

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

 Managers may not permit full and maximum utilization of highly qualified
personnel
 Increased costs. It requires more managers and large staff
 It may lead to overlapping and duplication of effort

There must be a good balance between centralization and decentralization of

authority and power. Extreme centralization and decentralization must be avoided.

D) SPAN OF CONTROL
Span of Control means the number of subordinates that can be managed efficiently
and effectively by a superior in an organization. It suggests how the relations are
designed between a superior and a subordinate in an organization.

Factors Affecting Span of Management:

a) Capacity of Superior:
Different ability and capacity of leadership, communication affect management
of subordinates.
b) Capacity of Subordinates:
Efficient and trained subordinates affects the degree of span of management.
c) Nature of Work:
Different types of work require different patterns of management.
d) Degree of Centralization or Decentralization:
Degree of centralization or decentralization affects the span of management by
affecting the degree of involvement of the superior in decision making.
e) Degree of Planning:
Plans which can provide rules, procedures in doing the work higher would be
the degree of span of management.
f) Communication Techniques:
Pattern of communication, its means, and media affect the time requirement in
managing subordinates and consequently span of management.
g) Use of Staff Assistance:
Use of Staff assistance in reducing the work load of managers enables them to
manage more number of subordinates.
h) Supervision of others:
If subordinate receives supervision form several other personnel besides his
direct supervisor. In such a case, the work load of direct superior is reduced
and he can supervise more number of persons.
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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

Span of control is of two types:

i) Narrow span of control: Narrow Span of control means a single manager or
supervisor oversees few subordinates. This gives rise to a tall organizational structure.

Advantages:
•Close supervision
•Close control of subordinates
•Fast communication
Disadvantages:
•Too much control
•Many levels of management
•High costs
•Excessive distance between lowest level and highest level

ii) Wide span of control: Wide span of control means a single manager or
supervisor oversees a large number of subordinates. This gives rise to a flat
organizational structure.

Advantages:
•More Delegation of Authority
•Development of Managers
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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

•Clear policies
Disadvantages:
•Overloaded supervisors
•Danger of superiors loss of control
•Requirement of highly trained managerial personnel
•Block in decision making

DESIGNING STRATEGIC CONTROL SYSTEMS

Strategic control systems provide managers with required information to find out
whether strategy and structure move in the same direction. It includes target setting,
monitoring, evaluation and feedback system.

The importance of strategic control

 Achieving operational efficiency
 Maintaining focus on quality
 Fostering innovation
 Insuring responsiveness to customers

Strategic control process

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

The basic control process involves mainly these steps as shown in Figure

a) The Establishment of Standards:

Because plans are the standards against which controls must be revised, it follows
logically that the first step in the control process would be to accomplish plans. Plans
can be considered as the criterion or the standards against which we compare the
actual performance in order to figure out the deviations.

Examples for the standards

 Profitability standards: In general, these standards indicate how much the
company would like to make as profit over a given time period- that is, its
return on investment.
Market position standards: These standards indicate the share of total sales in a
particular market that the company would like to have relative to its competitors.
 Productivity standards: How much that various segments of the organization
should produce is the focus of these standards.
 Product leadership standards: These indicate what must be done to attain such
a position.
 Employee attitude standards: These standards indicate what types of attitudes

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

the company managers should strive to indicate in the company’s employees.

 Social responsibility standards: Such as making contribution to the society.
 Standards reflecting the relative balance between short and long range goals.

b) Measurement of Performance:
The measurement of performance against standards should be on a forward looking
basis so that deviations may be detected in advance by appropriate actions. The
degree of difficulty in measuring various types of organizational performance, of
course, is determined primarily by the activity being measured. For example, it is far
more difficult to measure the performance of highway maintenance worker than to
measure the performance of a student enrolled in a college level management course.

c) Comparing Measured Performance to Stated Standards:

When managers have taken a measure of organizational performance, their next step
in controlling is to compare this measure against some standard. A standard is the
level of activity established to serve as a model for evaluating organizational
performance. The performance evaluated can be for the organization as a whole or for
some individuals working within the organization. In essence, standards are the
yardsticks that determine whether organizational performance is adequate or
inadequate.

d) Taking Corrective Actions:

After actual performance has been measured compared with established performance
standards, the next step in the controlling process is to take corrective action, if
necessary. Corrective action is managerial activity aimed at bringing organizational
performance up to the level of performance standards. In other words, corrective
action focuses on correcting organizational mistakes that hinder organizational
performance. Before taking any corrective action, however, managers should make
sure that the standards they are using were properly established and that their

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

measurements of organizational performance are valid and reliable. At first glance, it

seems a fairly simple proposition that managers should take corrective action to
eliminate problems - the factors within an organization that are barriers to
organizational goal attainment. In practice, however, it is often difficult to pinpoint the
problem causing some undesirable organizational effect.

Levels of strategic control

The various levels of strategic control are

a) Corporate level control:

The corporate level control is done by the top level management. They set
controls which provide context for the divisional level managers.

b) Divisional level control:

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

The divisional level control is done by the managers of the division. They set
controls which provide context for the functional managers.

c) Functional level control:

The functional level control is done by the managers of each department. They
set controls which provide context for the first level managers.

d) First level control:

The first level control is done by the first line managers. They set controls
which provide context for the workers.

Types of control systems

The various types of the control systems are

a) Financial Controls
Since one of the primary purposes of every business firm is to earn a profit,
managers need financial controls. Two specific financial controls include budgets
and financial ratio analysis.

i) Budgets act as a planning tool and control tools as well. They provide
managers with quantitative standards against which to measure and
compare resource consumption.

ii) Financial ratios are calculated by taking numbers from the

organization's primary financial statements the income statement and
the balance sheet.

b) Operations Controls
Operations control techniques are designed to assess how efficiently and
effectively an organization's transformation processes are working. Many of
these techniques were covered in Chapter 19 as we discussed operations
management. However, two operations control tools deserve elaboration: TQM
control charts and EOQ model.

i) Control charts show results of measurements over a period of time

with statistically determined upper and lower limits. They
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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

provide a visual means of determining whether a specific process is

staying within predefined limits

ii) The EOQ model helps managers know how much inventory to order
and how often to order. The EOQ model seeks to balance four costs
associated with ordering and carrying inventory.

c) Behavioral Controls
Managers accomplish organizational goals by working with other people. It's
important for managers to ensure that employees are performing as they're
supposed to. We'll be looking at three explicit ways that managers control
employee behavior: direct supervision, performance appraisals, and discipline.

i) Direct supervision is the daily overseeing of employees' work

performance and correcting problems as they occur. It is also known
as MBWA (management by walking around).

ii) Performance appraisal is the evaluation of an individual's work

performance in order to arrive at objective personnel decisions.

iii) Discipline includes actions taken by a manager to enforce the

organization's standards and regulations. The most common types of
discipline problems involve attendance, on-the-job behaviors,
dishonesty, and outside activities.

IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC CHANGE

Levels of change
Change occurs at three levels
i) Individual level
ii) Group level and
iii) Organization level
At the individual level change is reflected in such developments as changes in a job
assignment, physical move to a different location, or the change in maturity of a

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

person which occurs overtime. It is said that changes at the individual level will
seldom have significant implications for the total organization. Most organizational
changes have their major effects at the group level. This is because most activities in
organizations are organized on a group basis. The groups could be departments, or
informal work groups. Changes at the group level can affect work flows, job design,
social organization, influence and status systems, and communications patterns.
Changes at the organization level involve major programmes that affect both
individuals and groups. Decisions regarding these changes are generally made by
senior management and are seldom implemented by only a single manager.
Frequently, they occur over long periods of time and require considerable planning for
implementation. Example of these changes would be reorganization of the
organizational structure and responsibilities, revamping of employee remuneration
system, or major shifts in an organization’s objectives.

Organizations that seek to create and sustain competitive advantage should be ready
to change and implement the proposed changes. The major forces for change are:
technical obsolescence and technical improvements; political, economic, and social
events; globalization; increase in organizational size, complexity, and specialization;
greater strategic awareness and skills of managers and employees; and competitive
dynamics. The level of change could be at values, culture, or styles of management;
objectives, corporate strategy, or organization structure; competitive strategies,
systems, and management roles; and functional strategies or organization of tasks. It
is crucial to clarify the level of change and tackle needs and problems appropriately.

The major types of strategic change are re-engineering, restructuring, and innovation.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

a) Re-engineering: It is also known as Business Process Reengineering. It is

fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business process to achieve
dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance such
as cost, quality, service and speed. The strategist must completely think how
the organization goes about its business. Instead of focusing on company’s
functions strategic managers make business process the focus of attention.

b) Restructuring: It is the second form of change to improve the firm’s

performance. There are two basic steps to restructuring. First, an organization
reduces reduces its level of differentiation and integration by eliminating
divisions, departments or levels in the hierarchy. Second, an organization
downsizes by reducing the number of its employees to reduce operating cost.

c) Innovation: It is the process by which organizations use their skills and

resources to create new technologies or goods and services so they can change
and better respond to the needs of their customer. Innovation can be done with
the help of research and development department.

Stages in the Change Process

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

STAGES IN THE STRATEGIC CHANGE PROCESS

i) Determine the need for change:

In this step the strategic managers must recognize a gap between actual
performance and desired performance, use a SWOT analysis to define the
company’s present state and then determine its desired future state.

ii) Determine the obstacles to change:

Obstacles may prevent a company from reaching its desired future state.
Conflict is also major setback to change and managers must seek ways to
resolve the conflict to implement strategic change successfully.

iii) Implement change:

Strategic managers play organizational politics to overcome obstacles to
change, resolve conflicts and bring about strategic change, resolve conflicts and
bring about strategic change. To play politics, managers must have power.

iv) Evaluate change:

Strategic managers need to evaluate the results of each change process and
use this analysis to define the organization’s present condition so that they can
start the next change process.

POWER POLITICS AND CONFLICT

POWER
Power is the capacity to influence the behavior of others. There are different sources
of power. They are broadly divided into (a) interpersonal sources and (b) structural
sources.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

(a) Interpersonal sources of power

i) Reward power: It is individual’s ability to influence others’ behaviors by
rewarding their desirable behaviors.
ii) Coercive power: It is an individual’s ability to influence others’ behaviors by
punishing their undesirable behaviors.
iii) Legitimate Power: It is power which comes from the position in the
organization.
iv) Expert power: It is an individual’s ability to influence others’ behaviors because
of recognized competencies, talents, or specialized knowledge.
v) Referent Power: It is an individual’s ability to influence others’ behaviors as a
result of being respected, admired, or liked.

(b) Structural sources of power

Structural sources of power are related to the division of labor and position in different
teams and departments work assignments, locations and roles. The positions in
hierarchy naturally result in a variety of situations in which there is unequal access to
information, resources, and decision making. Any of the situational factors could be a
source of power in an organization, which include knowledge, resources, decision-
making and networks.
i) Knowledge power – This power is from knowledge-information and know-how
that exists in an organization.
ii) Resources power – Organizations need a variety of resources, including human
resources, money, equipment, materials, supplies, and customers, to survive.
iii) Decision-making power – Decisions in organizations often are made
sequentially, with individuals, groups, or teams participating.
iv) Network power – Managers and departments that have connecting links with
other individuals and departments in the organization will be more powerful
than those who don’t.

POLITICS

Politics is the art of acquiring and enhancing power. Employees have a certain role to
play. Therefore, their exercise of power is limited to a large extent by the role
obligations. Political behavior is of two types.

Legitimate - It includes normal every day’s politics. It includes:

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate Professor

 Complaining to one’s superiors

 By passing the chain of command
 Forming coalitions
 Obstructing organizational policies through excessive adherence to rules
 Developing contacts outside through professional activities

Illegitimate – It includes influences that are extreme and violate the implied “rules of
the game.” Such activities include
 disruption,
 Whistle blowing,
 Symbolic protest such as wearing unorthodox dress and
 Groups of employees cumulatively calling in sick.

It may be stated that the vast majority of political actions are of the legitimate
variety. The reasons are pragmatic – the extreme and illegitimate forms of political
behavior pose a very real risk of loss of organizational membership, or extreme
sanctions against those who use them and then fall short in having enough power to
insure that they work.

Factors causing political behavior

Research has indicated a number of factors, which can contribute to political behavior.
Some of these factors are individual and derived from the unique qualities of the
employees in the organization and others are derived from the organization’s internal
culture or environment.

a) Individual factors
A few prominent individual factors are examined here.
i) Need for power and high expectations of success - Some managers who are status
and ego driven often resort to politics to gain access to power corridors. They
use the power for their personal growth and pleasures. Some managers, who
are in-charge of teams or units, may also engage in politics to safeguard their
positions and have more benefits for their units.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate
Professor
ii) Machiavellianism - Machiavellians are people who use dishonesty and
opportunism in interpersonal relations and manipulate others for their
own purpose. Such Machiavellists also have a skeptical view of the nature
of other people and do not care for conventional morality.
iii) Locus of control - Locus of control refers to the extent to which individuals
believe that they can control events that affect them. Individuals with a
high internal locus of control believe that events result primarily from
their own behavior and actions. Those with a high external locus of
control believe that powerful others, fate, or chance primarily determine
events. Those with a high internal locus of control have better control of
their behavior, tend to exhibit more political behaviors, and are more
likely to attempt to influence other people than those with a high external
(or low internal respectively) locus of control. Those with a high internal
locus of control are more likely to assume that their efforts will be
successful. They are more active in seeking information and knowledge
concerning their situation.

(b) Organizational factors

Organizational factors also influence the politicking in organizations. These are as
follows.
i) Reallocation of resources – when organizations downsize the changes many
stimulate conflict and politicking to have advantage in allocation.
ii) Advancement or promotion – people resort to politics for quickly getting
advancement
iii) or promotion in their careers
iv) Low trust – A low trust within the organization can increase political
behavior, which can become illegitimate also.
v) Role ambiguity – When there is confusion in the scope and functions,
employees resort to politicking to have a favorable situation.

CONFLICT

Conflict is defined as a situation when the goal directed behavior of one group
blocks the goal-directed behavior of another. Conflict is necessary for
organizational change as it strikes at the root of the sources of organization
inertia.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate
Professor

Sources of Organizational
Conflict The sources of
conflict are:
a) Differentiation
-Differences in subunit orientations
b) Task relationships
-Overlapping authority
-Task interdependencies
-Incompatible evaluation systems
c) Scarcity of resources
-Distributing sources

Stages in the Conflict Process

The sources of conflict are inherent of the organization’s mode of operations.
The stages in the conflict process are:
 Latent conflict
 Perceived conflict
 Felt conflict
 Manifest conflict
 Conflict aftermath

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate
Professor

Conflict is a dynamic process that does not usually appear suddenly. In fact,
conflict generally passes through several stages:
1. Latent conflict - At this stage, the basic conditions for conflict exist but
have not been recognized by the involved parties.
2. Perceived conflict - The basic conditions for conflict are recognized by one
or both of the parties.
3. Felt conflict - Internal tensions begin to build in the involved parties, but
the conflict is still not out in the open.
4. Manifest conflict - The conflict is out in the open and the existence of the
conflict becomes obvious to other parties who are not involved.
5. Conflict aftermath - The conflict is stopped by some method. How the
conflict is stopped established new conditions that lead either to a new
conflict or to more effective cooperation between the involved parties.
A particular conflict situation does not necessarily pass through all of the stages.
In addition, the parties who are involved in the conflict may not be at the same
stage at the same time. For example, it is entirely possible for one party to be
at the manifest stage, while one party is at the perceived stage.

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate
Professor

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES

Using authority when the function, which has equal power and authority, cannot
solve the conflict themselves, the CEO or corporate office interferes and imposes
a solution.
 Changing controls
 Changing task relationship
 Implementing strategic change
 Changing the strategy [successful turnaround]

TECHNIQUES OF STRATEGIC EVALUATION AND CONTROL

The importance of strategic evaluation lies in its ability to coordinate the

tasks performed by individual managers, and also groups, division or SBUs,
through the control of performance. In the absence of coordinating and
controlling mechanisms, individual managers may pursue goals, which are
inconsistent with the overall objectives of the department, division, SBU or the
whole organization. We will now discuss evaluation and control in detailed way.

Strategic evaluation and control process

The process of evaluation basically deals with four steps:
1. Setting standards of performance-Standards refer to performance
expectations.
2. Measurement of performance-Measurement of actual performance or results
requires appraisal based on standards.
3. Analyzing variances- The comparison between standards and results
gives variances.
4. Taking corrective action-The identifications of undesirable variances prompt
managers to think about ways of corrective them.

TECHNIQUES
The different types of strategic controls are discussed in brief here.

a) Premise control A company may base its strategy on important

assumptions related to environmental factors (e.g., government policies),
industrial factors (e.g. nature of competition), and organizational factors
(e.g. breakthrough in R&D). Premise control continually verifies whether

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 Veltech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
School of Management Dr. Geeta Kesavaraj, Associate
Professor
such assumptions are right or wrong. If they are not valid corrective
action is initiated and strategy is made right. The responsibility for
premise control can be assigned to the corporate
planning staff who can identify for assumptions and keep a regular
check on their validity.

b) Implementation control Implementation control can be done using

milestone review. This is similar to the identification-albeit on a smaller
scale-of events and activities in PERT/CPM networks. After the
identification of milestones, a comprehensive review of implementation is
made to reassess its continued relevance to the achievement of
objectives.
c) Strategic Surveillance This is aimed at a more generalized and
overarching control. Strategic surveillance can be done through a
broadbased, general monitoring on the basis of selected information
sources to uncover events that are likely to affect the strategy of an
organization.

d) Special Alert Control This is based on a trigger mechanism for rapid

response and immediate reassessment of strategy in the light of sudden
and unexpected events. Special alert control can be exercised through
the formulation of contingency strategies and assigning the responsibility
of handling unforeseen events to crisis management teams. Examples of
such events can be the sudden fall of a government at the central or
state level, instant change in a competitor’s posture, an unfortunate
industrial disaster, or a natural catastrophe.

e) Strategic momentum control These types of evaluation techniques are

aimed at finding out what needs to be done in order to allow the
organization to maintain its existing strategic momentum.

f) Strategic leap control Where the environment is relatively unstable,

organizations are required to make strategic leaps in order to make
significant changes. Strategic leap control can assist such organizations
by helping to define the new strategic requirements and to cope with
emerging environmental realities.

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