Module 3 – Case

THE FOUR CHANGE ANTECEDENTS: CULTURE, CAPACITY, COMMITMENT, AND CAPABILITY

Case Assignment

Begin the Module 3 Case assignment by reading the following Case study:

Burton, O., & Pope, D. (2012). Winds of change at Measurement Equipment Supply Co., Inc. Journal of Case Studies, 30(1), 51-57. Retrieved from EBSCO—Business Source Complete.

Then, in a well-written 5- to 6-page paper, respond to the following:

1. What do you believe are the most important 3-4 threats confronting the Measurement Equipment Co. Inc. (MESCO)? Hint: As you read the case, take note as to how events that have emerged in the company’s external environment, for example, increased regulation, economic, social, and technological—have created the need for the company to consider undergoing major changes.
2. In the Background section of this module, we reviewed the role of:
   1. Culture
   2. Commitment
   3. Capacity
   4. Capability
      in determining the extent to which companies are prepared to successfully undertake major organizational changes. Your task is to rank each of these four factors from the highest (#1) to the lowest (#4) company need as they relate to MESCO’s readiness to change. Next, defend each of your rankings (for example, if you ranked “Commitment” as #1, explain specifically why you believe Commitment is the factor that the company has the greatest need to address; what circumstances or threats faced by the company cause you to rank this factor as being the most important need?).
3. Using the factors you ranked as #3 and #4, provide 2 or 3 recommendations for each concerning what you believe the company should do in order to sufficiently prepare the company to undergo a major organizational change. For example, assuming you have ranked the company’s “Capability” as #4 (the lowest of the four factors—and as the greatest need), what do you recommend Bill Smith should do to improve “Capability” before MESCO can successfully move forward with the company’s major organizational changes?

Case Assignment

Begin the Module 3 Case assignment by reading the following Case study:

Burton, O., & Pope, D. (2012). Winds of change at Measurement Equipment Supply Co., Inc. Journal of Case Studies, 30(1), 51-57. Retrieved from EBSCO—Business Source Complete.

Then, in a well-written 5- to 6-page paper, respond to the following:

1. What do you believe are the most important 3-4 threats confronting the Measurement Equipment Co. Inc. (MESCO)? Hint: As you read the case, take note as to how events that have emerged in the company’s external environment, for example, increased regulation, economic, social, and technological—have created the need for the company to consider undergoing major changes.
2. In the Background section of this module, we reviewed the role of:
   1. Culture
   2. Commitment
   3. Capacity
   4. Capability
      in determining the extent to which companies are prepared to successfully undertake major organizational changes. Your task is to rank each of these four factors from the highest (#1) to the lowest (#4) company need as they relate to MESCO’s readiness to change. Next, defend each of your rankings (for example, if you ranked “Commitment” as #1, explain specifically why you believe Commitment is the factor that the company has the greatest need to address; what circumstances or threats faced by the company cause you to rank this factor as being the most important need?).
3. Using the factors you ranked as #3 and #4, provide 2 or 3 recommendations for each concerning what you believe the company should do in order to sufficiently prepare the company to undergo a major organizational change. For example, assuming you have ranked the company’s “Capability” as #4 (the lowest of the four factors—and as the greatest need), what do you recommend Bill Smith should do to improve “Capability” before MESCO can successfully move forward with the company’s major organizational changes?

Assignment Expectations

1. Your paper must be at least 5-6 pages in length.
2. Be sure that you incorporate sources found at the Background page into your written analysis.
3. You may want to review information about the industry in the library’s IBISWorld resource.
4. Be sure that you properly cite all sources used in your paper (APA Style) in-text and in your end referencing.