Running head: Consulting Proposal #1 1
Consulting Proposal #1
Liberty University
BMAL 504 – Leading Organizational Change
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 2
Consulting Proposal #1
Definition of Project:
The understanding of the goal to be envisioned at Seagram moving forward is to become,
remain, and develop an outside reputation as the top beverage company with 15% growth each
year (Jick & Peiperl, 2011). The vision must effectively be passed to the 200 senior managers to
make it a shared goal to be given and embraced company wide. The hope is that the top managed
beverage company will be efficient and customer-centered, recognizing employees, while not
micro-managing. The old model, based on decades old vision, needs to be replaced with a quasi-
tried vision that has helped Seagram remain as one of the top, well-known companies. The new
vision has seen success and is moving the company alongvtowards being the top managed
beverage company. There are yet and still steps that will provide some right now actions that
may help Seagram reach this goal of being the top managed company in the near future.
Diagnosis of Current Situation:
The chief concern is the major change and transformation that needs to take place, a new
model that has the potential for new ground, trailblazing ahead. Currently, due to economic,
social, and cultural shifts, Seagram recognizes a need for a shift as well in order to meet new
demands, attitudes, and perferences. In attempting to increase profits, retain reputability, and
influence, Seagram has recognized a need for organizational change. Seagram recognizes a need
to change work processes, culture, training/rewarding employees, and how to implement values
that will be worked out in practical terms while taking a look at revenue (Jick & Peiperl, 2011).
The company has untapped markets even after globally diversifying. The collective culture is
also still more individualistic than management would like and sees now as a benefit to the work
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 3
environment and doing business. The culture at Seagram needs a makeover, revitalization that
will lead to better relationships with each other and customers as well as potentially boosting the
organizational workflow and its prosperity. These things are apart of the old vision, an old model
that is no longer effective at meeting existing organizational needs or the needs created by the
new vision. Basically, the old model is a stagnant, stale, lingering thing that is dying ever so hard
but must be replaced to usher in something better at meeting present and future goals.
Recommendations:
A strategic change initiative is necessary to usher in change that has the ability to spark
effective, suceessful outcomes at Seagram. Several things should be examined and possibly even
adding inital trials to measure success and effectiveness. The product line and company brand
should be a focus of the new model, customer focus, employee-culture focus, market
diversification, and revenue generation. Seagram's ptrialss have made the company so popular
with customers, so famous products should remain (for the sake of comfort with the familiar),
but new products should be implemented and expanded, explored, and given trials in other
markets or segments as seen in the '90s at Seagram. New products can be tested in existing
markets by sampling and mass advertising. This would also be a good way to tap new markets.
New markets can be tapped by also testing new products there to guage effectiveness. Business
as usual will sink a company-so markets should be chosen on a strict criteria, such as the wealth,
attitudes, and perferences. Then, customers should become a central focus. Customers should be
treated as important, keeping in line with the idea that everyone should be treated as a potential
customer (Jick & Peiperl, 2011). The culture of Seagram should change to reach the goal. The
company can realize this goal by shifting to communal culture (encouraging team-building,
eliminating cubicles, encouraging more interaction)-emphasis/adherence to new values-remove
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 4
barriers to innovation, chain of command-targeting top 200 employees. The oft overlooked fact
is the need and duty of middle management. The role of the middle manager is crucial to the
success of any organization. This is where the proverbial “rubber meets the road” for most
organizations. Middle managers have the daunting task of interpreting upper level management’s
vision to subordinate employees while at the same time communicating employee feedback to
upper level management. Not only is this a tough role, it is also often overlooked. Middle
management is known for bearing all of the responsibility with limited authority. However, a
recent study explains that middle managers can also act as change agents in an organization.
"The role of middle managers in effecting changes in organizations to improve performance has
largely been underestimated and unnoticed" (Kissi, Dainty, & Liu, 2012, p. 23). The company
should also continue Friday sessions and possibly monthly meetings to recognize employees and
continue the incline of building a collective culture with better collaboration and cooperation.
Also, employees would be able to talk with management without walls and able to respectfully
express themselves. In effect, there could be positive outcomes in many areas of business to
increase the liklihood of organizatioanl success. There should also be a focus on employee-
preparation through: training (all employees with wise, skilled managers who professionally
understand the vision), motivating, remaining true to ethical values (integrity, respect, and
fostering community) in carrying them out and ultimately the organizational shared goals, a
major emphasis moving forward. “Establishing a positive ethical culture can lead to
improvements in the entire culture of an organization” (Cowart, Giliey, Avery, Barber, & Giliey,
2014, p. 83). Ethical organizations not only earn the trust of their workforce and stakeholders,
they improve the relationships with the markets and general public. Many business organizations
do not adopt Christian values or subscribe a biblical worldview. Therefore, the condition of labor
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 5
can become jaded, and to restore it organizations should look at these values offered in the Bible
that may help them to be productive and have longevity while serving others (Kuzmina, 2012).
Organizations that subscribe to a Christian worldview will bear “good fruit” which will be
manifested in their organizational structure, the people they staff, the nature of operations, such
as customer service, and business dealings (Matthew 7:15-20, NIV). Management that adopts a
Christian worldview brings glory to God by being what pleases God, doing the will of Heavenly
Father and being a light in a dark world, serving others, making life better and hopeful for the
lives touched by the organization. An outline for creating change may be helpful in moving from
theoretical to practical terms of implementation.
Implementation Plan:
Certain processes must be introduced, reexamined, and eliminated in moving forward in
the new vision. Therefore, popular products with customers will be retained and further pushed
and marketed in vast markets. Seagram should introduce, expand existing and new products -
have them given trials in other markets or segments as seen in the '90s. Product placement will
occur each month or at set intervals and evaluated monthly, tracking the reveune to examine the
profitability of the new product in the new market. Seagram will aggressively invest earnings
and retaining earnings for a set period to generate and hold more than ususal revenue as a
protection while testing new products and markets. Knowing what motivates employees is
important. Surveys could be conducted to find out what motivate employees. Then, rewards
could be given based on what employees express as things that they want and need from the
organization for the main purpose of keeping performance and interest levels high for increased
liklihood of successful outcomes. For example, having genuine dialouge with workforce to
determine what satisfies it is a realistic approach to obtaining this knowledge. If employees
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 6
express that paid time off is a benefit, a reevaluation of the leave policy should occur (Dunlap,
2010). To measure if values are working, there should be evaluations by employees and
management about their thoughts about what they have experienced in the work enviroment
working and interacting with other since new values and culture is being tried out. The 200
senior managers will meet at a set time in the infancy stages to ensure progress and for
contingency planning to check if some things are not as effective in practice as thought in theory.
Contingency planning will be crucial in the infancy stages while experimenting with what will
possibly work. Then, passing the "torch" to the other managers to give to other employees will
need to be done with equal level of correctness as given when passed down to them. Middle
managers will hold meetings with employees who are assigned to their team to rely messages
and check progress towards shared goals. There will be company wide meetings at least twice a
year to motivate, reward, and evaluate progress collectively
Summary:
For Seagram to become the top managed company there are steps that can be taken in
order for them to realize this goal. Without more concrete ideas of implementation and
measurement, to say when this will take place is difficult to honestly project. Therefore, it is
crucial for Seagram to challenge themselves to set measurable ways to see how close they are to
reaching goals or the progress that is being made. It is also important to conduct trials and
commitments for a trial-and-error period so that they can see what works and what does not. For
the goal to be shared and embraced, Seagram's top manangement has to convey the goal in an
interesting way that compels other employees to want to embrace the goal for themselves.
Strategic, contingency planning is going to be essential. Jesus tells his disciples to be prepared
because he will come unexpectedly (Lk. 12:36-48). Planning is important to being prepared,
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especially when getting an idea of possible future obstacles.. Being prepared is important to
reacting with the reality an organization finds themselve facing at any given time. Strategic,
contingrncy planning is a way of preparing for things, negative, positive, internal, and external
that can impact the well-being of a company. Luke 14:28-32 contrasts Jesus comparing building
a structure or a king making war without first considering the costs. Organizations must consider
what the possible outcomes of their decisions may be as well as things that may occur as a result
of certain conditions of the market or industry the organization belongs to. All organizational
levels of leadership who are committed to serving with integrity and build teams of people who
are equally committed (while remaining committed) to core values and devising successful
strategies and solutions to the issues that the organization faces will experience victorious
longevity. A biblical worldview of truth provides Jesus’ life and ministry as a prime example for
others to follow, instruments of righteousness for the Master’s use and glory. Ultimately, the goal
has to be shared, understood, and embraced by all levels of Seagram at the beginning to have it
become the top mananged beverage company at some future point.
References
Cowart, T., Giliey, A., Avery, S., Barber, A., & Giliey, J. (2014). Ethical leaders: Trust, work-
life balance, and treating individuals as unique. Journal of Leadership, Accountability &
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Ethics, 11(3), 70-81.
Dunlap, M. (2010). Rewards that keep employees engaged. Journal of Financial Planning, 20-
2.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/612685068?accountid=12085
Jick, T.D., & Peiperl, M.A. (2011). Mananging change: Cases and concepts (3rd ed.). New York,
NY: Irwin/McGraw.
Kissi, J., Dainty, A., & Liu, A. (2012). Examining middle managers’ influence on innovation in
construction professional services firms: A tale of three innovations. Construction
Innovation: Information, Process, Management, 12(1), 11–28.
Kuzmina, J. (2012). Christian social ethics in the business environment. Economics &
Management, 17(2), 699-705. doi:10.5755/j01.em.17.2.2201
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