MUJI ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROPOSAL Essay Example

PROPOSED STUDY

Aim: The main aim in this study is to investigate organizational change at Muji Company by detailing the factors influencing change, to basically understand organizational change as proposed by various theorists.

Abstract

The present business environment is increasingly dynamic and highly uncertain and as such to become and remain relevant organizations must effectively respond to the changing environment. Critical business issues such as application of technological innovation, system improvements, organizational learning and change management should be managed in real time to realize a competitive advantage.

Organizations are perceived to undergo change due to environmental competition, increasing innovations in technology, business desire for growth, need to improve its operations, increasing complexity of life, and ever changing government regulations among other factors (Rizescu 2016). As such, the need for organizational change basically requires the adaptability of the organization to the changing environment, restructuring of the organization models, progressive reconstructions, learning processes, and employee training (Helkos 2012).

The study is set against the background of organizational change at Muji company. Muji company undergoes both evolutionary and revolutionary organizational change. Evolutionary change arises when Muji obtains a single brand retail segment by foregoing the retail partnership withYohji Yamato Inc. (Dawson 2014). Consequently, the company undergoes revolutionary by restructuring its infrastructure to venture in overseas market. The core reasons for Muji organizational change is to foster organization growth, improve on product quality, increase the organizational sale, expansion of product line-up, improvement of product management accuracy, and to improve on the company inventory turnover (Milner 2014).

Rationale for the Study

The ratioale for the study is for the reader and the researcher to identify and understand reasons and factors associated with organizational change. As such, the researcher intends to use professional materials such as peer reviewed journals, books and a case study of organization having undergone organizational change. The chosen organization, Muji Company, will provide bird’s eye view and in depth understanding as to why organizations undergo organizational change. Essentially, the rational of the study will employ Lewin and Kotter models as core tools that ensure organization undergo successful change.

Organizational Change (Muji Case Study)

Organizational change can either be revolutionary or evolutionary. Revolutionary organizational change is showcased in Muji company whereby the company restructured its infrastructure to venture in overseas market and foster organization growth, improve on product quality, increase the organizational sale, expansion of Muji product line-up, improvement of product management accuracy, and to improve on the company inventory turnover (Milner 2014). Muji underwent evolutionary change by obtaining a single brand retail segment by foregoing the retail partnership withYohji Yamato Inc. (Shruti 2015). Under policy measure progress, the company opted to reconstruct the housewares segment purposefully to strengthen its products marketability (Masaaki 2014). As such, the organisational sales in clothing and sundries showcased strong performances in sales (Masaaki 2014). This is to argue that Muji company has strongly attained stability hence the capacity to manufacture and sell its products purposefully to operate in a standalone business in their own outlets (Shruti 2015). Early this year the company underwent organizational and personnel changes by employing new executive officers, restructuring of corporate global center whereby the accounting and finance division will focus on policy decisions for accounting and cash management, establishment of new corporate legal affairs, and reinforcement of corporate governance (Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. 2017).

Review of Literature

The literature reviews will significantly expound on underlyingtheoretical aspects on organisational change more so linked to Muji Company. A review of literature shows that organizational change can either be revolutionary or evolutionary. According to Gorge, revolutionary organizational change is known to be rapid, vast, and dramatic purposefully to meet the demand of the external environment (George 2002), while Borwick advocates that evolutionary organizational is narrowly focused, gradual and intermittent with the intention of making continuous developments to the changing environment (Borwick 2013). A broader view of literature provides a contextual understanding of the critical factors involved during the organisational change.

Organizational Changes in Muji Company

1. Global Expansion Plan

The company restructured its infrastructure to venture in overseas market and foster organization growth, improve on product quality, increase the organizational sale, expansion of Muji product line-up, improvement of product management accuracy, and to improve on the company inventory turnover. (Milner 2014). According to Sanborn, change infrastructure are perceived to be standard structures and practices that design, monitor, and implement organisational change efforts (Sanborn 2017). Sanborn further argues that restructuring of organisational infrastructure enables the organisation to accelerate time-to-performance, to build organization capacity, optimize execution which is a clear reflection of Muji restructuring its infrastructure purposefully for global expansion (Sanborn 2017).

1. Foray into Single Brand Retail Segment

Muji underwent evolutionary change by obtaining a single brand retail segment by imposing a halt to retail partnership withYohji Yamato Inc (Shruti 2015). Such a change is a clear reflection of the transformational organisational change. Review indicates that organisational transformational change is simply more than changing the company approach towards business but also changing organizational culture (Solutions LLC 2013). The core purpose of transformational change is simply to improve of product quality, attain business sustainability, improve on customer services, development and participation in all levels of the company (Solutions LLC 2013). Through transformational change in acquiring single brand retail will enable the company to sell its products directly to customers while all goods will be sold under the same brand.

1. Organisational Policy Reconstruction

Muji organisational policy measures changes by reconstructing the company housewares segment and strengthening product marketability purposefully to spur growth in existing stores of Muji company(Masaaki 2014). In this concept, was undergoing operational policy change was to stretch the organisational performance (Cornett 2017). The stretched organisational performance is Muji company is expected to be showcased through growth of sales in Muji stores.

1. Organization and Personnel Changes

Muji company advocated for organizational and personal changes by employing new executive officers, reinforcing corporate governance, and establishment of new corporate legal affairs (Ryohin, 2017). The organizational and personnel changes is a presentation of the sociotechnical perspectives. In this concept, Muji organizational and personnel changes focuses on functional orientation of the personnel and functional organization of the personnel department (Van 2013). As such, it can be argued that that changes are expected to streamline the functioning of the personnel departments which is most likely to manage divisions into new sales divisions, establishment of corporate headquarter, and customer service supervisory division.

Factors influencing Organizational Change

Information Technology

For organizations endorsing organizational change under the platform of innovated technologies, the process can either be deinstitutionalization or reinstitutionalization. Organizations are perceived to undergo deinstitutionalization by adopting the technologies that are coercive, normative, and mimetic purposefully to attain organization change success (Deng 2015).

Politics in Organizational Change

Various organizational politics arise during the organizational change. Though organizational politics pose resistance towards organizational change, organizational leaders are advised to exploit aspects which fosters organizational change. The renowned politics which spearheads organizational change include cultural politics, political capital, and politics of power. For instance, cultural politics play a pivotal role in ensuring organization attain stable change through acts at a free while conflict of interest is inhibited. . For political capital, organizations are perceived to successfully undergo change when employees are motivated to endorse the organizational change while the organizational change might fail when employers frustrates employees (Borwick 2013). Based on politics of power, organization changes are most likely to be influenced through position power, personal power, structural power, and cultural power.

Involved Stakeholders

Review indicates that both internal and external stakeholders play a major role in organisational role. Literature review indicates that internal stakeholders such as employees play significant roles whereby employees opinions are taken into account, and valued simply because such opinions play defining role, vision, and missions of the intended organization change (Boundless 2017). For external stakeholders, their major roles are to ensure that organizations operations are ethical, attain total management quality, and with environmental responsibility (Neil 2017).

Models for Organizational Change

The study examines two models for organisational change thus the Three-Step Model of Lewin, and the Eight-Step Model founded by Kotter. The models will play a pivotal role in enabling the reader to understand the process and procedures followed by Muji company purposefully to attain successful organisational change. As such, the study will examine Syed work regarding Kurt Lewin change model and Pamela arguments on how eight step model contributes towards leading and managing the organisational change. The essences of examines the models will enable the researcher and the reader to effectively understand how Muji underwent organisational change and if the change was successful.

The literature review will draw most of its theoretical aspects from the below table

Syed TalibHussain, 2016	Kurt Lewin’s change model: A critical review of the role of leadership and employee involvement in organizational change	The research examines the three stages of in Lewin model. The article further provides a critical analysisof organisational change theories. As such, the report advices on the constructive framework for management of organizational change throughout the change processes.
, 2013John Borwick	Revolutionary vs. evolutionary organizational change	The report classifies organisational change into two: evolutionary and revolutionary organisational change. The classifications are based on how quickly or slow changes takes place, the type of leadership involved, the employees perception towards change, and the advantages and disadvantage of each change
Masaaki Kanai, 2014	RYOHIN KEIKAKU CO., LTD. Financial Highlights	The report discusses Muji organisational policy measures changes by reconstructing the company housewares segment and strengthening product marketability purposefully to spur growth in existing stores of Muji company.
Pamela Porter	Leading and Managing Organizational Change	The report defines organisational changes based on transitional change and transformational change, the 8 step model to lead change, the management vs. leadership during organisational change, and the change management resources.
Neil Kokemuller	Who are the External Stakeholders of a Company?	The article identifies the external stakeholders of a company: customers, suppliers, and the government and alludes their interests towards organisational change
, 2015Shruti Srivastava	Japan’s Muji to foray into single brand retail segment	The article discuses on how Muji underwent evolutionary change by obtaining a single brand retail segment by imposing a halt to retail partnership withYohji Yamato Inc.
Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.	Announcement: Organization and Personnel Changes	The article showcases how Muji company advocated for organizational and personal changes by employing new executive officers, reinforcing corporate governance, and establishment of new corporate legal affairs
BRIAN MILNER, 2014	Japanese retailer Muji styles ambitious global expansion plan	The company restructured its infrastructure to venture in overseas market and foster organization growth, improve on product quality, increase the organizational sale, expansion of Muji product line-up, improvement of product management accuracy, and to improve on the company inventory turnover

Research Objectives and Approach

To effectively solve the research problem, the first step is to define the scope of the project. Since the main objective of the research is to identify and understand reasons and factors that influence organizational change, defining the research problem will be attained from literature review. Secondly, the researcher formulates the problem by identifying the right model and solve the problem by validating the findings towards real life situation. Lastly, the study will interpret the solution based on the new findings and disseminate the information either through paper wok or through presentation.

Work Plan and Implication

The work plan will act as a guideline for the activities during the research work. The work plan enables the researcher to be responsible and ensure each segment of the research is completed at the expected timeline. The enables the researcher to avoid challenges such as cost overruns, remedial of the already undertaken activities among other pitfalls. Academically, the work plan enables the research to meet the stated dateline for the project. As such, this research puts into account the importance of having comprehensive work plan to ensure successive steps during the research phases.

	Duration
Introduction in Chapter one
Review of the literature in Chapter two
Conduction of methodology in Chapter three
Chapter 4 Engages in Analysis and Evaluations of the findings
Conclusion and recommendations in Chapter 5
Reference and Bibliography
Reviewing and submission

Conclusion

Conclusively, every marketing environmental behaviour is motivated by need, which positions organizations to undergo organisational change. Organisational change is perceived to be either constructive or disruptive towards organization operation process. In this context, organizational leaders and manager’s roles towards organizational change play pivotal role in determining successful implementation of organizational change. Based on organizational structure, organisational change managed appropriately pose positive and successful experience for the company.

References List

Jeaw, M., 2013, ‘Organizational Change and Development.’ p.2. Viewed 24^th/ July/2017, http://www.nacs.gov.tw/english/_files/1000216-301.pdf.

Borwick, J., 2013, ‘Revolutionary Vs. Evolutionary Organizational Change.’ Viewed 24^th/July/2017,http://www.heitmanagement.com/blog/2013/06/revolutionary-vs-evolutionary-organizational-change/.

Boundless., 2017, ‘Internal Stakeholders.’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, .https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management-textbook/ethics-in-business-13/business-stakeholders-96/internal-stakeholders-451-7622/

Cornett, J 2017, ‘The Impact of Changes in Employee Policies & Practice on the Organizational Performance.’ Viewed on 26^th/July/2017,http://smallbusiness.chron.com/impact-changes-employee-policies-practice-organizational-performance-21986.html.

Dawson, J., 2014, ‘Global Strategies in Retailing.’ Asian and European Experiences. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. London, New York. p. 166.

Deng, Q., 2015, ‘Organizational Green IT Adoption: Concept and Evidence.’ Sustainability, p. 16737-16755.

Helkos, G., 2012, ‘Importance and Influence of Organizational Changes on Companies and their Employees.’ Viewed 24^th/July/2017, https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/36811/1/MPRA_paper_36811.pdf.

Jeaw, M., 2013, ‘Organizational Change and Development.’ p.2. Viewed 24^th/ July/2017, http://www.nacs.gov.tw/english/_files/1000216-301.pdf.

Milner, B., 2014, ‘Japanese Retailer Muji Styles Ambitious Global Expansion Plan. Viewed 24^th/July/2017,https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/japanese-retailer-muji-styles-ambitious-global-expansion-plan/article21959247/.

Mourfield, R., 2014, ‘Organizational Change: A Guide to Bringing Everyone on Board.’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, https://spea.indiana.edu/doc/undergraduate/ugrd_thesis2014_mgmt_mourfield.pdf.

Muji., 2017, ‘Announcement: Organization and Personnel Changes.’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, https://ryohin-keikaku.jp/eng/news/2016_1221_e.html.

Neil, K., 2013, ‘Who are External Stakeholders of a Company?’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/external-stakeholders-company-64041.html.

Rizescu, A., 2016, ‘Factors Influencing Continuous Organizational Change.’ Journal of Defense Resources Management, vol. 7, no. 2, p. 139.

Ramona, P., 2010, ‘Organizational Change Process- Steps to a Successful Change.’ Viewed on 25^th/July/2017, http://feaa.ucv.ro/annals/v3_2010/0038v3-025.pdf.

Ryohin, K., 2014, ‘Annual Report 2014.’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, https://ryohin-keikaku.jp/eng/balance/pdf/annualreport_2014_e.pdf.

Sanborn, M.., 2017, ‘Building Organisational Change Capability. Chapter 5, p. 116. Viewed on 26^th/July/2017, http://changeleadersnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/BCM_c05.pdf

Shruti, S., 2015, ‘Japan’s Muji to Foray into Single Brand Retail.’ Viewed 25^th/July/2017, http://indianexpress.com/article/business/companies/japans-muji-to-foray-into-single-brand-retail-segment/.

Solutions LLC., 2013, ‘Organizational Transformation.’ p.3. Viewed 26^th/July/2017, http://www.icon-co.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Transformation.pdf.

Van, A 2013, ‘Personnel Management and Organizational Change: A Sociotechnical Perspective.’ European Work and Organizational Psychologist, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 27