Organizational setting of the United States postal serviceThe United States postal service has worked at ensuring that there is maximum productivity through empowerment of the employees and increasing team work. The organizational setting of the USPS has, however, faced low level managers who are a threat to the success of the organization. The US postal service thus faced a challenge of adjusting to change due to the organization’s structure. The organizational structure of the corporation is basically both organic and mechanistic. The management of the USPS is still based on the para-military structure. The Postmaster General is the head of the postal service which basically explains the rigidity with regards to adjusting to change since the title dates back to the day when the service was formed in 1945.
The postal service was a department of the United States government but the entire organizational structure changed in 1970 to ensure that there is a change in the management structure. The congress still has the most power over the postal corporation and thus has the final say to most decisions made. The organization has however decided to work on team based management approach which has been successful in other business settings. The new model looks promising for a better future and better results for the organization in the future (Kotter, 2007). New model for the United States postal service presents a totally different organizational structure which will need time for adoption and may be faced with numerous challenges. In most cases, change takes effect when an entire organization is reconstituted from the management to the staff members thus replacing the ideologies, cultures, visions and missions.
Two factors that are likely to be challenges to successful change management in US post service
Not establishing a powerful enough guiding coalition – This is one of the challenges that the USPS is facing with regards to the need to influence a successful change in management of the organization. The organization is facing the challenge especially with some aspects of the initial hierarchy being maintained as before. As a result, very few changes will take effect in the long run for the organization. The organizations need to influence change in the management will need first to deal with the existing system. However, due to the previous structure, the United States postal service is likely to face the challenge to successful change by not establishing a powerful enough guiding coalition. Additionally, the management might not have any history of teamwork in their career line thus presenting a difficulty in implementing the change which is required by the corporation (Kotter, 2012).
Not anchoring changes in the organization’s culture – The postal corporation might face the challenge with regards to the fact that the changes might not be anchored to the organization’s culture. When new changes occur, there is a need to ensure that everything in the organization is made to fit the changes that are made and the required needs of the organization. The organization’s culture is basically based on the para-military culture and the need to implement teamwork in the management might be a challenge for the entire management. The changes anchored might thus not be in line with this para-military structure of the United States postal service. The organization is basically anchored in the old structure which might need a change from the top to the lowest ranks. The employees can be maintained but the general structure changed to fit the changes required by the new system. The United States postal service thus requires a total structural change to enable the changes take effect. Kotter’s organizational change management approach has enhanced the understanding of the facts about the organizational changes in details (Kotter, 2012).
- Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
- Kotter, J. P. (2007). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail: Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 21 June 2016, from https://hbr.org/2007/01/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail
