Describe a change that you would like to introduce into your business?My business named; Powerhouse Restaurant has lately experienced a significant drop in customers. Research has shown that there have been many campaigns concerning healthier eating habits for the purpose of healthier living. Many of our customers now prefer healthier foods to what my restaurant offers. As a management, I am contemplating making the restaurant more health oriented so as to attract back the lost customers as well as additional customers who seek healthier foods. The change would mean balancing between the existing menu and the potential one. Therefore, some current delicacies will have to be sacrificed to give room for healthier ones.What benefits would this change bring to your business?The main benefit for the restaurant is that it will be able to retain customers who are looking for healthier options. Additionally, the business hopes to attract the growing market of customers who seek health-oriented restaurant, as well as vegetarians. The restaurant also seeks to be a campaigner of healthier eating habits that will benefit its surrounding communities. Through this initiative, the restaurant will be associated with heathier living for the purpose of preventing lifestyle diseases.Are there any negative effects resulting from this change?The decision to change the restaurant’s menu into a healthier one is not without negative consequences. Firstly, the current loyal customers who prefer the restaurant the way it is may be lost due to the change. These are the regular customers to the business who might not appreciate the change. Furthermore, the customer will repel all potential customers who do not appreciate healthier eating habits.Explain why it is important to create a “positive culture” when introducing change in an organization. Give two reasons.The change of choice for Powerhouse restaurant creates a positive culture because it advocates for the community to adopt healthier lifestyles. This positive culture will ensure that the community around the business is in full support of the venture. Another importance is that the business is likely to attract customer because many would like to associate with a positive culture.Step Three: Use Lewin’s Force Field Analysis to analyse thedriving and restraining forces effecting the change.Identify and describe the external forces that are driving this change.Degree of force(high, medium, low)Technological Forces:· Innovative and updated restaurant tools that will enable Powerhouse to give customers quality products.· Adopting ingredients preferred by health conscious customers· Elimination of obsolete products and obsolete machinery that hinder workforce enthusiasm and zealMediumHighMediumPolitical laws and regulations:· Adaptation and Adherence to health regulation put forward by political organizations concern with health. It will portray a good image for the restaurant.· Integrations of the existing regulations to the existing health policies into the regulation of the restaurant.HighHighMediumDemographic / Social Forces:· People are adopting healthier lifestyles and are health conscious in everything they do due to the increasing rates of lifestyle diseases.· Many people enjoy dining out as a social activity.· More young people are embracing the idea of healthier eating habits· The middle aged adults are strictly adopting healthier lifestylesHighLowLowHighEnvironmental Forces:· Weather changes are making healthy ingredients rare and harder to grow. There use will, therefore, create increasing demand that translates to higher prices.LowCompetitive Forces:· Most of the competitions are fast food restaurants which are not quite health conscious· The restaurant plans to produce unique healthy delicacies that are both delicious and observant of health. It will make the business competitive in the market where there is increasing the number of health-oriented restaurants.HighMediumEconomic Forces· Healthy meals are cheaper in comparison to ordinary meals thus creating demand· Other healthier meals can, however, be costly due to rare ingredients. It presents the meals to be of high quality.MediumLowDescribe all employee based resistance to change that will need to be overcome. (E.g. Fear of Failure. Refer to ‘Why Do Employees Resist Change?’ in lecture PPT).Resisting ForceDescription of ForceLack of Employee SupportEmployees play a crucial role in the implementation of new methods or the production of new products. The changes in the menu at Powerhouse will not thrive without the support of the employees. Employee is responsible for the functioning of the restaurant, and lack of support will reflect in the quality of their work.Fear of FailureNew venture is similarly exposed to the probability of either failure or success. Employees may be pessimistic about the future performance of the new venture because of uncertainty. The fear that arises from uncertainty may impact the productivity of employees negatively. Others may even result to quitting their jobs because of fear that the restaurant may fail to lead to wage cuts.The need for new skillsThe employees may be unsure if the as the part of the change they will be required to have new skills for the success of the new venture. The fear of lack of required skills may negatively impact the employs confidence in their work. Additionally, it may make them question their relevance to the business.Lack of RewardEmployees may perceive a change in the restaurant as a need for them to do more for fewer rewards. That is; their job descriptions may become more demanding with no change in their wages. Without any form of reward, there will be no motivation for the employees to support the change. Therefore, management must alter the reward system to support the change.Workplace politicsEvery workplace has its fair share of politics. Employees who want to see the change fail may resist the change. They may also resist the change to show that the change is wrong.Step Four: Use Kotter’s Change Management Model to create an 8-step implementation plan to implement the change described above.Kotter’s 8 StepsHow will this step be achieved within your business?1. Create UrgencyTo create a sense of agency, the restaurant management could assemble its employees and have an open and honest dialogue with to explaining everything that is happening. The managers should explain the changes in the market and develop a scenario to show how the change will affect the future.2. Form a guiding coalitionThe managers must find a way to lead change by putting in place a leader who can drive change. The restaurant could also use team building mechanisms to form a coalition for the support of the change. Use the key employees to ensure success of the change.3. Establish a Vision for change(include your vision for change here)The plan is to put the ideas, solutions and future expectation of the business into one clear statement. The vision should make people understand the purpose of the change. The vision for the change in Powerhouse, “Healthy foods for a healthier future.”4. Communicate the vision of changeTo communicate the vision, the management would hang a written statement in the restaurant. They could also communicate the vision often. Additionally, the leaders of the change process are openly and honestly to communicate any concerns and worries to the people. Finally, application of the vision in all aspects of the restaurant’s operations.5. Empower others to act on the visionIdentify and appoint leaders who sole responsibility is to deliver the change. Alter systems that may not be aligned to the change. Identify those who are resistant to the change and take time to help them understand the importance.6. Short Term WinsPlanning to achieve the less costly targets first and to reward the employees who achieve targets7. Build on ChangeAnalyzing the need for improvement after achieving a set target. Continuously setting new goals to build on the momentum for change8. Anchor changes in the business.Continuously talking about the progress being made towards the change. Including the values and ideals of change while hiring new staff or training the existing ones.
