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Change is not what it used to be. The status quo will no longer be the best way forward. The best way will be less comfortable and less easy, but, no doubt, more interesting- a word we often use to signal a mix of danger & responsibility

-      Charles Handy (Author of The Age of Unreason)

Introduction

Although, there are lots of changes in organizations, pertaining to the concept, the major issue this article throws light is upon individuals thought process and behavioral change. In order to foresee or cherish the sea change in the organization, after implementation, it is important to ponder over the fact To what extent are people ready to think intellectually and change themselves. The employees must pose a question to themselves Being change resistant - Does it really help? There will definitely be some processes in plethora, where employees have been practicing them over ages and are really comfortable with them. But Business Process Re-Engineering questions the status quo and demands innovation and this is not possible without the behavioral change or the change in the way of looking at the processes. The employees must revert back to the fundamental thinking.

The Transformational Flowchart

The process commences with the close scrutiny of the current process and identification of issues where the re-engineering seeds are sowed. Re-engineering takes the shape of a tiny plant wherein the thoughts begin to emerge. This comprises of fundamental or lateral thinking, which form the pillar for re-engineering. Opposing the proposed simply means not only questioning the status quo, but questioning at each and every phase, thereby breaking the stereotypes and transforming the way businesses work. Then, for the pioneers to taste the fruits of re-engineering, the indispensable organizational and behavioral change must happen.

Thoughts

Thoughts are the genesis of all the processes. Creativity (in terms of new ideas and perceptions) is not a mystical gift, but a learnable skill. The formal & deliberate processes of lateral thinking are based upon a consideration of the behavior of information in self-organizing system, such as the nerve network of brain. The pioneer should be in the following thought process We are in the business of changing the way businesses think. Conventional business thinking suggests that implementing organizational change is an inexact science, requiring unique & charismatic CEO leadership to be successful. Others argue that it can be undertaken only in organizations where risk taking and high levels of employee initiative and ownership are already embedded deep in the culture. Whatever be the case, the primary focus should be on design approach of thinking, wherein people are taught about What can be, rather than an obsession with What is. Nothing is more important than thinking, with the ability to think & confidence in that ability a youngster can take control of his/her life. Instead of being and feeling like a cork floating down a stream pushed this way and that by currents, he/she can see things more clearly and make decisions and choices

The Sequel- Comprising the top notch leadership

It is not enough to sit, talk and think; action together with an intentional design of the thought process is required to constructively advance towards results and change. For example, at Xerox, every one of 28000 employees has been trained in principles and practice of total quality. First, the participants have to learn the tools and techniques required to tackle the process and improvement. Second, they learn from the experience of undertaking the project as a team & driving it to a successful conclusion.

To be successful, the reengineering effort must be spearheaded by at least one senior executive with clout. The executives authority and influence needs to cut across functional departments. Business processes such as order fulfillment, sales, service and product development often span functional departments such as purchasing, shipping, and engineering. This senior executive must be a key player in developing the business case, i.e., why there is a need for change, and finally stating the ultimate goals and vision for the company. He also plays a key role in determining which processes require reengineering. The level of dysfunction, impact on the company and the feasibility of change influence which processes to tackle first. Finally, senior managements support is crucial since dramatic change often triggers changes in the reward/compensation system, shifts in the corporate mission, significant personnel changes and considerable uncertainty at all levels. Although there seems to be confusion in the literature as to what constitutes BPR, there is a consensus on the fact that reengineering requires creative thinking. It requires a new perspective on the part of managementmay be even a new philosophy.

Oppose the proposed- A Herculean Task

BPR involves the total creative rethinking of one or more of a companys key business processes. No business assumption or organizational structure is sacred. A burning example is of Dell, which has re-engineered its entire way of doing business via e-commerce and has created a whirlwind in the web. Here opposing does not carry any negative meaning to its name but is more successful when change becomes institutionalized as a core value in a company, and when it is continuously reinforced. How well the people are set for a quantum leap depends upon the readiness level of the people. The readiness level can be assessed by implementing change initiatives at transformational level level of leadership, mission, strategy, mission and culture- and at transactional level- level of systems, management practices, and human motivation. As a sequel, a series of questions need to be answered, viz.:

ü  Is it important to question people about the various systems in the organization (for example, the technology people use to do their jobs and the compensation and performance appraisal systems used to reward peoples work)?

ü  Does current technology support people in working in new ways?

ü  In what ways, both formal and informal decisions are made?

ü  How is power shared and diffused throughout the organization?

ü  Do managers motivate people to do their jobs, be involved, and committed to organization?

ü  Do current ways of managing people squelch personal initiative and risk taking?

ü  How much the organization fosters collaborative work, and whether it has the right people doing the right jobs?  

Conclusion

The success or failure of re-engineering depends upon the people involved. No discussion of organizational change toady is complete without considering the role of people as part of the change process. Too many re-engineering efforts have failed because the people variable in the change equation was not adequately understood or factored into change plans. The pioneers are the engineers of re-engineering. The extent of success of re-engineering to a great extent counts on the perception commitment, and determination of the pioneers. Although, executive leadership is the single biggest determinant of success with change efforts, the understanding that employees have of their roles in making change and organizational renewal happen is of nearly equal importance.

Future pondering

Is Business Process Re-Engineering like asking a right hander to be a left hander?

References

ü  Organizational Transformation through Business Process Reengineering, Applying Lessons Learned, 1/e, Vikram Sethi, William King, Pearson Education

ü  http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/learning-organisation.php

ü  http://www.edwarddebono.com/about.htm

ü  http://www.edwarddebono.com/concept5.htm

ü  http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/home.htm

ü  http://www.edwarddebono.com/creativefourceaction/

ü  http://www.managingchange.com/bpr/bprcult/a1hammer.htm

ü  http://membership.bnet.com/1320-4_23

ü  http://www.debonoonline.com/Six_Thinking_Hats.asp

ü  http://www.surveymethods.com/glossary/Business_Process_Reengineering .aspx