2- Leading Change

Leading Change (individual)

Signal Sausages factory at Halswell (New Zealand) is in a bad way. Not only is the plant failing to meet production goals, but the Council has just informed the management that if the company cannot consistently meet the terms of its discharge permit within 6 months, it will be closed down. There is also a rumour that the new district scheme in preparation may contain a requirement that all factories have to have their water intake downstream of their discharge. The previous manager has been moved to another post at another plant and you, a high flyer from Head Office, have been sent to Signal Sausages factory at Halswell as the new manager to sort it out.

On arrival you are horrified to learn that Signal has discharged raw untreated tradewaste, containing blood, bone, fats and meat, for years and has exceeded the limits on its discharge permit for the last 5 quarters, and that contaminated storm water flows directly into the Heathcote River. The factory uses 100 cubic metres of clean water per hour for washing, steam plant and hygiene. The company has around fifty staff, and the workforce has a reputation for being lazy and uncooperative.

1. Write a report to your boss in Auckland ( New Zealand) about what you propose to do.

Your approach should address both technical and people aspects and will ideally touch on (though not necessarily deliver the answers on) each of the key components needed to successfully manage complex change – e.g. as defined by Ken Koza (vision, skills, resources, incentives and action plan) or by Doppelt, 2010, in Ch 6-14 “Leading Change towards sustainability”. If your approach is based on certain assumptions about the situation, specify these in a brief introduction. If your approach requires any additional operational or capital expenditure, make your case for these funds (you can use Bob Willard’s spreadsheet (https://sustainabilityadvantage.com/business-case-simulators/sustainability-advantage-worksheets/) if you feel it will assist you.

Your work will be assessed on the basis of how likely we think it is that your approach will ….
– result in the discharge problems being effectively addressed within the 6 months limit the Council has set, and
– set the company on a path towards a sustainable future.

Extra information
Please note also this course is on Environmental Management Systems (EMS)