W1 Assignment 1 Final Project Topic Selection

W1 Assignment 1 Final Project Topic Selection The Final Project R

The final project involves diagnosing a process, structure, or environment in a familiar organization that needs improvement and designing an organizational development (OD) intervention to achieve positive change. The organization can be your workplace, community group, volunteer group, school committee, or government entity. The paper should introduce the chosen organization and identify the specific process, structure, or environment requiring change. It must discuss why you selected this organization, diagnose why change is necessary, and propose relevant organizational behavior concepts from the course text that apply to developing an intervention.

Paper For Above instruction

The organization selected for this project is Walmart, a global retail giant known for its extensive network of stores and supply chain operations. Walmart's size and complexity create unique organizational challenges, particularly in areas such as supply chain management, employee engagement, and customer service. Identifying areas for improvement within Walmart offers a valuable opportunity to explore organizational development strategies tailored to large-scale corporations.

My motivation for choosing Walmart stems from its prominent role in the retail sector and its significant impact on community economies and employment. As one of the largest private employers worldwide, Walmart exemplifies the complexities of managing large organizational structures, and I am interested in analyzing how its internal processes can be optimized to foster a more positive work environment and enhanced operational efficiency.

The need for change within Walmart primarily centers on issues related to employee engagement, supply chain sustainability, and customer satisfaction. Reports have indicated challenges such as high employee turnover, labor dissatisfaction, and concerns over environmental impact. These issues highlight the necessity for a comprehensive organizational development intervention aimed at improving internal processes, cultural practices, and stakeholder relationships.

Diagnosing the underlying causes reveals that Walmart's expansive size leads to bureaucratic inefficiencies, communication breakdowns, and a corporate culture that may prioritize cost-cutting over employee well-being and customer satisfaction. Employee surveys have pointed to low morale and a lack of engagement, often due to perceived limited upward mobility, low wages, and insufficient recognition. Similarly, supply chain issues contribute to delays and increased costs, exacerbating customer dissatisfaction and impacting brand reputation.

Applying organizational behavior concepts such as transformational leadership, communication effectiveness, and change management is crucial for facilitating meaningful intervention. Transformational leadership can motivate and inspire employees by fostering a shared vision and empowering staff at all levels. Effective communication strategies are necessary to ensure transparency and clarity during the change process, reducing resistance and fostering buy-in across diverse organizational layers.

Furthermore, Lewin’s Change Management Model offers a useful framework for implementing sustainable change: unfreezing current practices, transitioning to new processes, and refreezing practices to establish stability. By diagnosing specific pain points and applying these OD frameworks and theories, the intervention can be tailored to address Walmart’s unique organizational dynamics, ultimately leading to a more engaged workforce, efficient operations, and improved customer service.

References

• Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2018). Organization Development & Change (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics. Human Relations, 1(1), 5–41.
• Spector, B. (2013). Implementing Organizational Change: Models and Tools for Leaders. Oxford University Press.
• Burke, W. W. (2017). Organizational Change: Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications.
• Yukl, G. (2012). Leadership in Organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.
• Marquardt, M. J. (2014). Optimizing the Power of Action Learning. Pegasus Communications.
• Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Peters, T. J., & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In Search of Excellence. Harper & Row.
• Argyris, C. (1991). Teaching smart people how to learn. Harvard Business Review, 69(3), 99–109.
• Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1988). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources. Prentice Hall.