adminassurances that the businesses will turn around.
The usual culprits are those that claim to have conducted a rights issue in which funds were mainly earmarked for working capital purposes and debt reduction but the operational and financial positions of the companies do not look as if any recapitalisation took place. What happened to the money could be anyone’s guess.
One starts wondering if such a company has the capacity to inform the relevant stakeholders that the ship is about to sink — probably not.
The Shift in business
On a day-to-day basis, a manager is faced with unforeseen circumstances of business. One is not certain of the next stage of events and so on a day- to-day basis, one is surrounded by the fear of failure, power base, and even skills irrelevancy.
Many of us will remember that each office used to have a secretary who used a typewriter to make official documentation. Those that could not use computers have now fallen by the wayside. Computerisation and the Internet have definitely made things easier for many.
The use of robotics in production systems which has resulted in the elimination of human labour such as vehicle assembly has given companies that extra competitiveness it needed.
Organisations have had to eliminate certain jobs and forced to invest in expensive production systems. Most machinery that is being designed today is operated at the click of a button.
This has eroded individual craftsmanship and deskilled employees that were highly trained in their trades. Turner machinists have now been replaced by programmers who now do programs that are fed into CNC machines.
Genetic Science
The development of genetic science has increased the productivity in agro-based organisations. Genetic science has allowed the development of crops and animals that grow faster, are resistant to diseases and require less investment than normal animals and crops.
Recently Zimbabwean companies were complaining about competition coming from chicken and maize that is being produced in Brazil and South Africa which are far much cheaper than what they are charging. This is because Brazilian and South African farmers have adopted genetic science which is helping them to increase productivity on their farms.
Mechanisation in Agriculture
There has been a shift for organisations that are in the agricultural sector from labour inten-sive production systems to capital intensive system.
Due to developments in technology most farming activities are now being done by machines from planting, weeding and harvesting. This has resulted in organisations reducing the human labour replacing it with machine labour. This has also helped improve overall productivity in the farming sector.
Transportation
Due to breakthroughs in science and technology the world has developed efficient and effective transport systems which have reduced the cost of transporting goods and services around the world.
People by their nature become accustomed to their way of doing things. Practically they get used to their problems and will know the ways and means of getting round their challenges.
They create power bases and will have the comfort of stability. Even when things get tough the proven way is the preferred. There is always the question: “What if things get worse?” This is answered by sticking to the old ways. Organisational change creates fear and uncertainty. The more significant the change, the greater the fear and resistance
Emotion overload
There is an inherent fear that a new way may not bring improvement. There is fear that the new way may actually make things worse, the worst case scenario of the unknown can be scary.
Fear on personal impact
Change causes shock, particularly if significant change has not been the norm for the organisation or the individual: “Will I need to be retrained, will my job still be relevant, will the change make my job easier?”
Anxiety: Particularly if the consequences of the change are uncertain and likely to remain so for a significant period of time.
Anger: Particularly if individuals feel they have no say in the nature of the change and its implementation .
Expectancy: There are those who relish the prospect of change and are motivated by the opportunities it may bring. These are the much needed “change agents, survivors and rationales”.
Quote of the week
He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery — Harold Wilson
Till next week, may God richly bless you!
Shelter Hamandishe-Chieza is a Management Consultant. She can be contacted at shelter.chieza@ gmail.com
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