1. Organizational Change: IT’s role Kim Terry (805) 338-6901

2. `Expectations were not realised' SEBASTIAN D'SOUZA/AFP A run Shourie, Minister for Disinvestment, Information Technology and Communications, speaks on the controversies relating to the Media Lab Asia project. Excerpts from the interview he gave R. Ramachandran: Do you think the Media Lab Asia project was ill-conceived, to begin with? I would not like to comment on what was decided in the past. The point is that the expectations on which it was based were not quite being realised — for instance, contributions by non-governmental sources. Secondly, the contributions by the MIT were not in evidence in the testimony of the research workers of our IITs. Thirdly, the MIT had not been put to any specific deliverables. And yet, enormous amounts of money were pledged to it. The IIT Professors said that foreign collaborations can help, but sometimes the researchers that they wish to collaborate with may be in some other institution. Therefore if it is a relationship it should not be exclusive, it should be project-specific. And the other party should be put to very specific deliverables. Also, very often the collaboration or contact required is between institutions within India — the IITs, the Indian Institute of Science, BARC [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre] or some other institution — for which we do not have the funds or we do not have that culture. For example, some of them are doing good work but it does not get known in the world because we do not have the funds to project our work in international conferences. So they said why don't you assign a part of the funds for this rather than giving it to just one foreign institution. A remoulded project around these ideas has been put to the Cabinet. Let us see what the Cabinet decides.

3. "Information technology is no longer a business resource; it is the business environment." The Economist, John Browning (1990) The question: What role should we as IT managers and our organizations play in Organizational Change?

4. Definition A fundamental change in the way the organization operates –Examples A change to the organization’s mission Restructuring operations (e.g., restructuring to self- managed teams, departmental role changes, layoffs, etc.) Mergers, acquisitions, major collaborations

5. Drivers of change Organizational change is provoked by some major outside driving force, e.g., substantial cuts in funding, address major new markets/clients, need for dramatic increases in productivity/services, etc.

6. Change strategies These categories are characterized by the degree of resistance that the audience is likely to exhibit to adopting the proposed change. The greater the degree of resistance, the more intense is the strategy needed to accomplish adoption. –Facilitative –Educational –Persuasive –Coercive

7. Resistance to change Afraid of the unknown. Things are already just fine and don't understand the need for change. Inherently cynical about change. Many doubt there are effective means to accomplish major organizational change. Conflicting goals in the organization, e.g., to increase resources to accomplish the change yet concurrently cut costs to remain viable. Organization-wide change often goes against the very values held dear by members in the organization.

8. Organization Change Effective Practices Discussion War stories IT’s role – enabler or leader. –Should IT take the lead to change other parts of the organization that IT affects when implementing technology and applications? –Staffing, education, management resistance, etc. What steps are effective to prepare the organization? –Vision setting of results expectations –Staffing, education, management resistance, etc. –Establishing trust –Working with negative influencers

9. Organization Change Effective Practices Discussion Course Corrections –Competing priorities in the organization on which the user department is measured? –Downsizing threats to your customer’s department –Financial support, resource needs –The better idea, changing the strategy End results –Who’s responsible for success? –Initial productivity hits – Is this better than before? –Reconciling the differences between expectations and actual results

10. Things do not change; we change. Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau, Walden (1970) US Transcendentalist author (1817 - 1862)