Organizations are starting to realize that the process of change is continuous and traditional barriers are rapidly disappearing.

Source: Robbins, P. (2003), Organizational Behavior; Page 556-557.

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2. In today’s stiff competitive business world, changes are the most crucial elements and a must for every organization in order to be successful. Two of the most common types of forces for change, which often appear in today’s organizations, are the Technology and Economic shocks. These forces not only bring huge impact to organizations but may also affect the market economy as a whole. Thus, organizations are all scrambling to redefine themselves to stabilize their company from falling.

For example, Asian countries like China, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong’s economy was badly hit by the contraction of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). This has caused them to lose billions of dollars as majority of these countries depend on tourism and tourist had decided to lay low from these countries. Major changes had to be done to adapt to this economic shock, e.g. in Malaysia, the minister had to abolish their duty on imported goods in their latest budget, so that the citizens will spend more money and have more varieties to choose from and also to attract more tourist into the country. Singapore International Airlines had to retrench hundreds of workers and even slashing the prices of their airline tickets. Hong Kong; who recorded the highest death rate due to SARS had to reduce prices of almost everything in order to get people out of their houses. Singapore managed to come up with a new thermal-imaging device that reads body temperatures in a very short time and displays what it sees on the computer screen. This was another way of how Singapore dealt with the SARS hit. Refer to Appendix 1. (Newsweek, Oct-Dec 2003)

Changes had to be done in order to keep up with the technology advancement and to compete with other countries. Asian countries are struggling to keep up, as they not as modernized as the European counties. Malaysia for one had new highways linking one place to the other, so travel time is saved. Monorails and Light Rail Transit System (LRTs) were built. With the introduction of online banking services and online shopping good and services can be delivered right to their door step without the hassle of going through traffic jams. It saves time and other things can be done with no hassle.

Singapore not only created the new thermal-imaging devices that make airport lines a thing of the past. Water purification is another example of its advancement in technology. A Singaporean company, Hyflux began marketing bottled water made from treated sewage under the name NEWater. Singaporean Trade Minister George Yeo said, “It is revolutionary.” (Newsweek, Oct-Dec 2003)

With bullet trains and underground subways, Japan had actually planned to invent complex structures largely hidden underground. Engineering professor from Waseda University; Nobuyuki Takahashi believed that it was necessary for Tokyo to have buildings underground as it lacks of space. (Newsweek, Oct-Dec 2003)

Even China, once a narrow-minded country, has joined the ranks of a developed country by launching a rocket into space. (The Star, 15 October 2003)

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Question Two

To be one of the most successful businesswoman is my goal. Among all the motivational theories, goal-setting theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Theory X and Theory Y helps motivate me towards achieving my goal. Goal setting theory plays an important element, as it will lead us step by step to achieve our goals.

Table 2: The Four-Step Approach

Source: Cook, W. and Hunsaker, L. (2001), Management and Organizational Behaviour, Page 236.

Specific goals must be set as it helps to increase performance. I must have the commitment and self-efficiency and I will achieve my goals no matter what. Self-confidence is needed to succeed. It is important for an individual to believe that he or she is capable to perform as task. I must learn from the US culture as it assumes that performance is considered important. Individual is reasonably independent and low in uncertainty avoidance. All these are a good motivation for me.

I think it is time I fully achieve my goal when I fulfill all the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. In the hierarchy, physiological and safety are the lower-order needs, which are the basic human needs. If I can become a successful businesswoman, certainly these needs can be satisfied easily. E.g. House, insurance, and food. Social, esteem and self-actualisation are the higher-order needs that have to be satisfied internally such as status and respect. It is a feeling of belongingness and self-fulfillment. I hope I can achieve these higher-order needs when I am successful. However, this theory has its drawbacks. As the principle stated that an individual can only move up after fully satisfying one level of need, I do not know when I will be satisfied as it cannot be measured. Secondly, Maslow’s theory mentioned that an individual can only satisfy one level at a time, which is not true. Actually, many of my needs may arise at the same time.

I realized that hard work must be included to achieve one’s goal. So, I strongly support Theory X and Theory Y. Theory Y’s attitude is preferable and can achieve goals easily as these workers like to work, have self-direction and self-control. They can accept responsibilities and at the same time make decisions. All these positive attitudes will help me be a better and more motivated person.

In conclusion, goal-setting theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Theory X and Theory Y are good motivational theories that will guide me towards the right path of achieving my goals.

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Question Three

        

The Coca-Cola Company is a 115-year-old company and one of the most successful in the world. The company is a global company with some of the world’s most widely recognized brands. Today, Coca-cola beverages are produced and sold throughout the world. Yet, the company is reformulating itself to face changes, which are crucial to keep it on top.

There are so many reasons forces the company to change. Coke’s sales have flattened out and it seems to have taken too many battles to keep the product competitive in the market.

Table 3: Coca-cola’s Forces for Change

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Source: Yoon, S.K. (2001), Far Eastern Economic Review; Page 34-36.

It was time for Coke to change. In order to adapt in the changing situation in the business world, Coke have made changes in certain aspects.

Table 4: The Changes of Coke

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Coke is taking risks for all the strategies it had made. Changing is crucial for a company to stay long lasting. To focus without being bland-that’s Coke challenge.

        

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Question 4

I was once a person who had plenty of friends and is very dependent on them, but this changed three years ago. I lost my friends. I got used to the idea but feel lonely at times. I learned how to deal with my emotions without affecting anyone else. You can say that I had adapted to the rapid change in my life.

It happened when I was driving home with my friends, from the shopping mall on a rainy Friday night. Since I was older, I became the designated driver. As I can clearly recall, everything seemed fine and we were having fun and making jokes.

The disaster stuck just a few kilometers a way from my friend’s house. I oversaw that the traffic light was red and hit into something big. I heard a horn and a loud bang and that was it. Everything happened too fast. The next thing I knew, I passed out.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was white walls and a nurse comforting my mother. It felt like every other day, waking up in the morning, what was different was I wasn’t home. I was in the hospital. My mother told me that I had a collision with a trailer and it was amazing that I escaped with minor scratches on my head. I was relieved until I remembered that I was not alone in the car, what happened to my friends?

Swee Lin and Yan Hong were in the next ward and they were fine. I approached them, but received a cold shoulder. I was shocked, what had happened? They started screaming and shouting at me, telling me that I was a tragic driver. I had not suffered but my other friend Linda has been badly hurt and is now in the ICU. I wanted to cry, I felt so guilty. I could not believe that happened, it was like a nightmare. I hurried to the ICU; tears flowing down. I started cursing and swearing, blaming myself for the whole incident.

I knew I was at fault, I was full of regret and apologetic to everyone but I did not expect them to ignore me because of my unintentional mistake. Shouldn’t humans forgive and forget? In the end, only a few true buddies took the initiative to understand my situation and they forgave me. I am very thankful that these pals of mine are supportive and understanding.

What I had gone through had made me take extra caution whenever I drive, so that this unwanted situation will never arise again. I had paid a high price for this lesson and lost not only my friends, but my self-confidence too.

Due to those unforeseen incidents, my lifestyle was changed. I stay home more frequently to accompany my family members. Furthermore, it had made me a quieter person when I am at school, because I am not welcomed in any of the groups at school, and I do not want to cause anymore trouble. You can say that I am exactly like ‘Sniff’ for I can quickly adapt to changes when faced with a difficult situation.

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References

• Books

        Robins, P. (2003) Organizational Behavior, 10th Edition, International Edition. United States of America: Prentice Hall.

        Cook, W. and Hunsaker, L. (2001) Management and Organizational Behaviour, 3rd Edition. United States of America: McGraw-Hill.

• Websites

        

        

        

        

        

• Magazines

        TMF Gibson, 5 Feb 2001

        Newsweek, Oct-Dec 2003

        Far Eastern Economic Review, 1 Feb 2001

        Integrated Solutions Magazine Inc, August 2001

• Newspaper

        The Star, 15 October 2003

Appendix

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