Change and Innovation
NaTasha McNabb
HCA/250
April 28, 2013
Marie Smith, M.S, ARNP, EMT.

Change and Innovation
From large companies, small buisnesses, universities, hospitals, and even the government, experience constant change. With change being a part of a managers job, they must learn how to manage it successfully. Having competitors introducing new products or services, customers making new demands, government regulations being modified, technology advancing, and employees forever changing no certain outcome is able to be made to pin point accuracy of change. Managers will make changes and at some point these changes may be met with resistance.
Changing technology encompasses modifications in the way work is done or the methods and equipment used(University of Phoenix, 2011). Managers seem to deal with changing technology and continuous improvement initiatives, which are focused on developing a flexible process to support better quality operations. So work processes must be able to adapt to continual change and fine tuning. This does require a commitment to educate and train employees. Employees would need skills training problem solving, decision making, negotitiation, statistical analysis in problem solving, decision making, negotiation, statistical analysis, team building, and must be able to act on data.
Change is constant in all aspects of our lives. According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information (2000) website, “Organizational change normally involves some threat, real or perceived, of personal loss for those involved. The rate of change is going up in almost all organizations. The pressure can be intense on anybody connected to it. Some strategies that help manage change and innovation would be to accept change, practice openness, solicit input, provide training, accept and recognize accomplishments and failures.
Initially as management you will have to accept the change. In a technological driven global economy, it is important to accept the inevitability of change and express it to the employees. Once this change has been expressed practice open communication. Organizations manage change most effectively when alert to its impact on staff. Having a fostering environment of openness establishes a trust through open-door policies, tools allowing two-way feedback, and the willingness to listen non defensively to feedback. Asking for input gives the employee the opportunity to offer beneficial insight. When input is accepted employees better appreciate and accept the reasons for change. The organization may benefit from employee insight as well, considering they are on the front lines and understand customers needs and preferences. By providing training this gives employees the knowledge and skills to be ready for the change. With all change failure is guaranteed to occur. Accepting this failure is a very valuable part of of the learning process and it sends a positive message to staff. Also taking the time out to recognize and celebrate success. Change can be stressful, and recognizing the extra time and effort helps to motivate employees and they will continue responding positively.
Unfortunately change also can be disruptive and time consuming, and is not easy for any organization. According to University of Phoenix Fundamentals of management: Essential concepts and applications (2011), “Organizations, and people with in them, can build up inertia that causes them to resist change, even if it may be beneficial. Change is usually resisted because of uncertainty, habit, concern over personal loss, and the belief that change may not be in the organizations best interest. Change replaces something well versed with the unknown. Some may feel that they may be able to adjust and may gain a negative attitude towards it, or behave poorly if required to use them. Another reason why change