Organizational change and developement

Background The Last Resort is a 4-5star in" rel="nofollow">integrated hospitality and tourism resort situated in" rel="nofollow">in regional Tasmania. It developed from a wildlife park and then progressively from standard to luxury accommodation and a range of tourist activities in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing high-end walkin" rel="nofollow">ing tours, game fishin" rel="nofollow">ing and an 18-hole golf course with a reputation for both beauty and difficulty. The busin" rel="nofollow">iness has had success marketin" rel="nofollow">ing to local, state and in" rel="nofollow">interstate customers with an emphasis on a tourism but also attractin" rel="nofollow">ing corporate clients and locals (who help main" rel="nofollow">intain" rel="nofollow">in customer levels durin" rel="nofollow">ing the quieter win" rel="nofollow">inter months). It is a providin" rel="nofollow">ing a well-established busin" rel="nofollow">iness and has the followin" rel="nofollow">ing accommodation facilities; • 25 x 5 star rooms (Recent/new additions) • 15x 4-star self -caterin" rel="nofollow">ing chalets styled units (1 & 2 bedrooms) • 80 x 4 star units Its range of services in" rel="nofollow">includes conference/function facilities, 3 restaurants, bars, gym, pool/spa, golf pro shop, small marin" rel="nofollow">ina and guided 4WD tours (in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing night wild-life tours). The current busin" rel="nofollow">iness environment is mixed with in" rel="nofollow">increases in" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">international tourists and from ‘grey nomads’. These groups split in" rel="nofollow">into three market segments that are either: • Havin" rel="nofollow">ing a short break (2-3 days) and wish to cram as much as possible in" rel="nofollow">into that time; • People with an environmental focus who stay 5-7 days; • Those focused on sportin" rel="nofollow">ing activities such as game fishin" rel="nofollow">ing and golf. There is overlap between these groups, but the ‘experiences’ sought are different and require employees who can effectively cater for the differences. Recently, the Last Report has become the major venue for weddin" rel="nofollow">ings in" rel="nofollow">in the region. This has upset some of the existin" rel="nofollow">ing venues which have lost busin" rel="nofollow">iness. Challenges in" rel="nofollow">include airlin" rel="nofollow">ine and ferry service schedules which sometimes limit total numbers but also are not always attractive to the more ‘high end’ customers. There is a current application proposin" rel="nofollow">ing a helipad and a landin" rel="nofollow">ing strip. Organisational context The GM grew up locally and had a 15- year in" rel="nofollow">international career in" rel="nofollow">in luxury hotels and cruise ships prior to returnin" rel="nofollow">ing to Tasmania 5 years ago to take up the GM role. The Last Resort has enjoyed a relative in" rel="nofollow">integrated and comprehensive human resources approach (by hospitality in" rel="nofollow">industry standards). This was developed by the previous GM (who had an HR background) and supported by the current GM although she is a bit sceptical of whether the value of the HR function is worth the cost. The senior management team (outside of the GM) consists of: • The Hotel Manager (who is also the Deputy GM); • Tourism and Development Manager; • Functions and Events Manager (new to the Last Resort); • Chief Fin" rel="nofollow">inancial Officer (who started an accounts clerk when the busin" rel="nofollow">iness first opened) • Transport and Logistics Manager (all visitor transport and all supplies for the Resort) There has been good corporate culture with ‘team work’ at its core. A stable management team leads a somewhat constant part-time and full-time core crew that is augmented over the peak season with casual labour. Durin" rel="nofollow">ing the softer season the staff numbers are around 150 however, that can swell to above 250 durin" rel="nofollow">ing the peak season. The macro level outlook for the labour market in" rel="nofollow">in regional Tasmania is tight despite unemployment bein" rel="nofollow">ing above the national average. Skills shortages in" rel="nofollow">in key areas such as chefs, tourism professionals and HR together with an agein" rel="nofollow">ing workforce are exacerbated by the relatively low image of hospitality/tourism as a positive long term career option. The Last Resort has been in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ingly employin" rel="nofollow">ing people from in" rel="nofollow">interstate, those on ‘workin" rel="nofollow">ing holidays’ and those on 457 Visas. The GM believes that it is time for The Last Resort to thoroughly review its current approach and plan to become the premier tourism destin" rel="nofollow">ination in" rel="nofollow">in Tasmania in" rel="nofollow">in the next 5-7 years. The senior management team has conducted a diagnosis of the current opportunities and threats prior to developin" rel="nofollow">ing a change strategy and the key fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings are: • Whilst the current reputation is strong, there is a declin" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing percentage in" rel="nofollow">in return customers and a view that Tasmania may be startin" rel="nofollow">ing to lose some attractiveness as a destin" rel="nofollow">ination. There are also some proposed new developments, that are targetin" rel="nofollow">ing high-end tourists, and new golf courses; • There is an opportunity to target the Last Resort as a honeymoon destin" rel="nofollow">ination for couples from North Asia and India; • There are challenges in" rel="nofollow">in selectin" rel="nofollow">ing and developin" rel="nofollow">ing employees who can consistently produce high-end service to customers who appear to be in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ingly demandin" rel="nofollow">ing. There have been a couple of recent poor reviews on ‘Trip Advisor’: one allegin" rel="nofollow">ing food poisonin" rel="nofollow">ing and the other that employees were ignorant and in" rel="nofollow">insensitive to cultural practices and preferred cuisin" rel="nofollow">ine; • A lin" rel="nofollow">inked issue is in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ing complain" rel="nofollow">ints from Local Councillors and candidates for the next State Elections arguin" rel="nofollow">ing that the Last Resort is a poor corporate citizen for not employin" rel="nofollow">ing and train" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing many locals (too many 457 visa employees) and by environmental concerns about activities of game fishin" rel="nofollow">ing, 4WD tours and that the proposed helipad and airstrip will destroy the habitat of local wildlife. • Whilst corporate culture has been strong, there are signs this may not last as turnover has been in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ing, the level of cooperation between Departments is reducin" rel="nofollow">ing and the effectiveness of in" rel="nofollow">internal communications has declin" rel="nofollow">ined: this was managed by the previous Functions and Events Manager but the new appoin" rel="nofollow">intee is still comin" rel="nofollow">ing to grips with the scope of this role. As a result, there has been a marked in" rel="nofollow">increase in" rel="nofollow">in rumours and speculation about restructurin" rel="nofollow">ing and redundancies. The GM is keen for the change process to proceed quickly but has a strong commitment to a transparent, in" rel="nofollow">inclusive and ethical process. As HR Manager (who has been at the Last Resort for 2 years), you have the task to develop a project plan for the change strategy to be delivered to the senior management team in" rel="nofollow">in four weeks. write a report detailin" rel="nofollow">ing a change management strategy (in" rel="nofollow">intervention) for Case Study as provided After a brief Introduction, from the diagnosis in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in the Case Study, provide an in" rel="nofollow">in-depth and clear analysis of the problems and opportunities that are relevant to a change strategy. You are required to utilise at least two (2) change management models/frameworks to support your analysis; (8 marks) Please note that although the Case Studies are only 2 pages long, they in" rel="nofollow">include a substantial number of problems and opportunities. Some of these are outside the poin" rel="nofollow">ints provided in" rel="nofollow">in the ‘diagnosis’ provided. You may choose to limit the number of areas covered in" rel="nofollow">in your analysis provide you clearly explain" rel="nofollow">in the reasons for your choice; 2. A justification for a change strategy (in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing a communication strategy) that will address the problems and opportunities identified. (8 marks) The change strategy is essential a project plan for developin" rel="nofollow">ing and implementin" rel="nofollow">ing a change in" rel="nofollow">intervention that covers the areas identified in" rel="nofollow">in criterion #1. 3. An analysis of the issues and barriers you may face in" rel="nofollow">in implementin" rel="nofollow">ing your in" rel="nofollow">intervention and how you will address them (in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing relevant aspects of resistance to change by various levels in" rel="nofollow">in the organisation); (8 marks) 4. An analysis of the ethical issues implied from the Case Study and that your in" rel="nofollow">intervention may create and how they could be effectively addressed. This criterion in" rel="nofollow">includes an outlin" rel="nofollow">ine of how the change in" rel="nofollow">intervention could be evaluated and a brief conclusion. (8 marks)