Now that you have identified some of the key environmental forces that are driving change at EKT, it is time to diagnose what needs to be change in the organization. As you continue your research, you document several factors that may help you identify what needs to be changed in the organization. After speaking with several groups across the organization, you come up with a number of key findings.

some findings: Accept Online Training: EKT should think about include online training alternatives in its offers now that it is aware of the movement in market dynamics toward online training. This may entail creating interactive webinars, e-learning courses, or blended learning strategies that incorporate both online and in-person components. EKT will be able to meet the demands of younger workers and capitalize on the rising demand for online training by doing this.

Examine Competitors and Learning Technology Software by performing a thorough examination of the training sector's rivals and paying particular attention to those who provide learning technology software services. Examine these technologies' features, costs, and user evaluations to see how they may be used to improve EKT's training courses. This evaluation can assist in locating possible collaborations or chances to incorporate cutting-edge learning technology into EKT's solutions.

Conduct customer surveys by speaking with current clients to learn more about their preferences and feedback for different online training programs. Surveys or focused interviews can be used to learn more about their desire to buy EKT's online training programs. Customer insights may assist prioritize investments in new training modalities and direct decision-making.

Investigate Strategic Partnerships by taking into account establishing strategic alliances with other educational institutions, trade groups, or tech suppliers. Working together with organizations that share your goals can provide you access to more knowledge, resources, and perhaps even more clients. Strategic alliances can also encourage innovation and information exchange within the training sector.

Enhance Marketing and Promotional Efforts by allocating funds to create an efficient marketing and promotional plan to spread the word about the excellent training options offered by EKT. This may involve showcasing the company's expertise, unique approach, and success stories. Focus on digital marketing strategies as well to reach and interact with a larger audience by utilizing social media, content marketing, and SEO.

Foster Innovation and Adaptability by establishing a culture that welcomes innovation and invites staff members to provide suggestions for enhancements. Create forums where staff members may express their opinions on training initiatives, delivery strategies, and new trends. To improve workers' abilities and understanding of online training approaches, promote experimentation and offer chances for professional growth.

Assess Cost-saving Measures by Conducting a thorough analysis of EKT's operations to find any areas where cost-saving measures may be implemented without sacrificing training quality. This might entail investigating more cost-effective suppliers, reducing internal procedures, and optimizing resource allocation.

Monitor the External Environment Constantly by keeping up on market developments, technology advances, and shifts in consumer preferences. Continually evaluate how PESTE elements are affecting EKT's operations and take the initiative to adjust plans as necessary. This involves keeping an eye on changes to regulations, market demands, and learning technology software.

A new performance management system could be implemented as an illustration of organizational change. It may be necessary to restructure how employees are evaluated, teach managers on how to give constructive criticism, and spread awareness of the change across the entire firm. The business may boost the likelihood of success and make sure the change is ingrained in the culture of the organization by adhering to Kotter's Eight Stage Change Process.

Organizational transformation principles are crucial because they help businesses reach their objectives, remain competitive, and adapt to changes in the marketplace. Companies can increase their levels of innovation, agility, and responsiveness to client needs by implementing organizational change concepts.

Adopting organizational transformation concepts might enable Elite Knowledge Training (EKT) to broaden their clientele, offer more services, and generate more income. EKT might set itself up for long-term success by identifying areas where they could enhance their products and changing their strategy to suit the requirements of new customers.

For instance, EKT might employ the concepts of organizational change to enhance their marketing plan and increase their audience. EKT might design a strategy to reach new clients and broaden their services by instilling a feeling of urgency about the need to diversify their client base, assembling a team of employees who support the change effort, and crafting a strategic vision for growth. Employee initiative and modest victories along the way were encouraged, which allowed EKT to gain momentum and reach their objectives.

Organizational transformation is the act of fundamentally altering how a business runs to increase productivity and adaptability. Companies can improve their chances of success and guarantee that changes are ingrained in the culture of the firm by adhering to a defined procedure like Kotter's Eight Stage Change procedure. Organizational transformation principles are crucial because they help businesses reach their objectives, remain competitive, and adapt to changes in the marketplace.

Adopting organizational transformation concepts might enable EKT to broaden their clientele, offer more services, and generate more income.

It's important to remember that organizational transformation can be a difficult and complex process that frequently necessitates a large investment of time, resources, and effort to supplement the knowledge given. Businesses that implement organizational transformation must be dedicated to the process and prepared to face challenging choices and trade-offs along the way. Additionally, several elements must come together for organizational transformation to be successful, including strong leadership, transparent communication, employee involvement and buy-in, as well as the availability of resources and support.

findings from additional research:

As you continue working with EKT, a picture of the culture and goals of the organization and its employees begins to emerge. Through interviews with several of the employees, you make the following notes, including direct quotes from some of the key interviews.

The Learning Designers

As a group, all of the 8 learning designers who create and adapt the instructional materials seem to support the idea of using the technology to support the face-to-face trainings that are already in place. They also believe that beginning to offer the trainings fully online would be a great possibility and are aware of some web-based technologies and tools that could really work well for most of EKT's content.

The Training Specialists

There is some contention among the training specialists about the future direction of the company. Some of the trainers have been with the company for almost 20 years. Most have been there for 7 or more years. About half of the group seems to be interested in moving into more advanced formats of instruction, including video conferencing, video-based instruction, and distribution of materials in a digital format. A few even mentioned things like online discussions. Some of the trainers, though, are resistant to the idea of beginning to offer online training. They believe that effective learning can only happen in person, and that the online training will never be as effective. One training specialist later confided that there is a fear that many of the training specialists' jobs would be replaced by online courses.

Conflict - Bill Johnson (VP Marketing) and Jay Clark-Gardner (VP Learning Design)

It's become clear that there is some major conflict between Bill Johnson, the VP of Marketing, and Jay Clark-Gardner, the VP of Learning Design. Some of the stories you have heard over the weeks and months go back several years and include disagreements over territory, power struggles, and overall personal dislike for one another. It seems that this has had an impact on EKT's ability to create positive change toward growth initiatives and expanding clients and meeting their needs - they seem to oppose one another in most discussions, regardless of the topic.

More from Sally DeSuzan - VP Finance and Budgeting

Through several conversations with Sally DeSuzan, she really begins to open up about the financial situation at EKT. As costs continue to rise and revenue continues to decline, it appears that the organization could be in a very tough situation within the next 2-3 years. "Based on current trends, if we do not generate a significant increase in revenue in the coming 18-24 months, we will be looking at some pretty drastic measures to simply maintain operations. Through disciplined efforts we have been able to avoid taking on any significant debt, which has really been good, but we are now getting to the point where we will either need a large infusion or cash or we will need to begin laying off some of our less-productive employees. I've talked with Mike (the CEO) about this, and he is really beginning to understand the situation. Although it is risky, we've talked about getting a loan to do this, or even working to generate a few new clients, but at this point there is some disagreement on how to proceed."

Interview with Mike Harrenton - CEO

After a few weeks of research and interviews at EKT, you finally get the opportunity to speak with Mike Harrenton, the CEO of the organization and brother of the owner Ed Harrenton. "Listen, I know we are in a difficult situation here and have been for a while. I have done my best to stick with the strategy that has served us well for the last 25 years - in some circles we have been seen as the premier provider of leadership content, and we have really done well with this strategy. I am proud to stay that with some creativity and fidelity to our clients, we have been able to stay a strong company. But in the last 5-7 years our revenue has gone down, and I read in the Wall Street Journal that some of our bigger competitors out there are really making some strong gains over the last couple of years. I'm getting to the point where I am realizing that we are going to have to adapt our strategy to really stay competitive over the coming 24 months, and we really need to consider a 5 year plan for moving forward." When asked what is getting in the way of creating needed change, Mike laments, "part of our difficulty is the conflict between some of the departments. Marketing and Learning Design have been at one another's throats for years, and they have a pretty tough time aligning with some of the initiatives we have proposed and worked toward over the years. I think this will be something we will need to address if we are going to make some changes in the coming years. I want this company to be successful - I've been CEO since my brother stepped down 12 years ago, and I have at least 5 years of good leadership left in me and I really want to leave a positive legacy and a company that I can be proud of. I believe in EKT and I think we have what it takes to really move forward."

Current Partners

One theme that has kept coming up in your conversations with several of the employees at EKT is their loyalty and fidelity to their current business partners and clients. They have gone out of their way to maintain very positive relationships with these groups and even hold an annual holiday party at their headquarters in which they invite their partners. There is a strong desire to continue to maintain that kind of relationship with current clients.

As you learn more about where EKT's revenue is coming in, you realize that here are a few key partner clients that provide over 60% of the revenue for EKT. And while these partnerships continue to be ma in a positive way, there seems to be a lot of risk - if even one of these partnerships were to dissolve, EKT would be in a great deal of financial trouble.

please help by using Toolkit Exercise 3.2 (on page 92, Organizational Change 4thEdition) to diagnose problems at EKT. You will need to address each of the components described in the Nadler and Tuchman Organizational Congruence Model.

1. Diagnose what needs to be changed at EKT. What is the direction that you would recommend to them as consultant?
2. Prepare a report for EKT on your recommendations for change. Relate the rationale for the recommendations by referring to the Nadler and Tushman Congruence Model, which should be included as an appendix to the report. This report should not only provide a solid analysis to support the change recommendations, but serve as a "sales" document to move the change consulting to the next phase.

The Transformation Process Input Emergent/Informal Structures Output Tasks Formal Organization People: Change Leaders & Recipients Strategy