CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 1
Consulting Proposal #1
Anna Sewell
Liberty University
BMAL 504 – Leading Organizational Change
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 2
Definition of Project:
McDonnell-Douglas was the contractor in charge of the C-17 operation back in 1981. As
years passed, several issues began to surface, raising significant concerns regarding quality and
delivery. The primary problem with the production of the C-17 aircraft was the construction
process itself. Two major barriers were the schedule and the delayed aircraft parts. The
schedule controlled the movement of the plane to different positions, while the delayed parts
determined how fast the aircraft was completed. These two components not only caused
additional delays in completing the aircraft itself, but also required extra labor and risked the
quality of work. The aircraft would move positions regardless of whether it was ready or not;
the schedule controlled the movement period. This process added major setbacks as the
employees would have to undo parts of the aircraft to add in the delayed parts. As a result, the
production cost climbed steeply. In addition, the underlying setback was the mindset of the
employees highlighted by Heinz (2021) ‘Yeah, it would be nice if we were never out of needed
parts, but that’s impossible in this industry’ (p. 459).
Don Kozlowski (Koz) was later appointed over the program in 1993 and began to make
changes. The three main priorities announced by Koz were quality, schedule, and cost. That was
the vision he set forth to improve the company's performance. The employees viewed Koz’s
priorities as ineffective, as they viewed the old system as the only correct way of operating. As a
result, minimal changes were not significant to meet the impact of Koz’s priorities and the end
vision to drive change.
Koz later made a directive to leave the airplane in the same position until it was
completed. As a result, the procurement employees developed new strategies to ensure the
timely delivery of airplane parts. Heinz (2021) explained the employees' motives: ‘They didn’t
want to be embarrassed, they didn’t want to hurt the company, they didn’t want to hurt their
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 3
careers, and they didn’t want to let Koz down’ (p. 460). To achieve effective change in this case
scenario, it is essential to identify that the production process is ineffective.
It is therefore ideal to communicate a clear shared vision amongst those who are
involved in the production process to get their buy-in. Donten-Snitker et al. (2021) stated, ‘We
believe that a shared vision can be uniquely effective for change agents in higher education
because it can help incorporate a range of voices and perspectives into a project, building a
more democratic, wider, and stronger base of support for change’ (p. 224). There must be a
practical approach to involving all levels of employees in the change process. McKenzie et al.
(2023) explained, ‘Adopting an inclusive approach when forming BCP and ensuring input from
across the library staffing profile throughout its tenure allowed for the identification and
management of issues in an agile, open, and collaborative manner. This ensured our people-
centered approach to change leadership was strengthened, not threatened, in response to the
rapid change and impacts’.
Diagnosis of Current Situation:
This project will focus on strategies to mitigate the core issue of delayed parts. There has
been a well-known mentality that accepting delayed parts was normal in the aircraft industry.
Breaking through this mentality can introduce some pushback from employees, and
understanding how to navigate through the response is just as important as implementing it.
Zhu et al. (2023) explained. ‘Change involves going from the known to the unknown. During
organizational change, employees must abandon established procedures, assume unfamiliar
responsibilities, and adapt to new organizational goals. Organizational changes introduce
uncertainty into both external and internal environments. According to UMT, uncertain
situations can trigger individuals’ perceptions of uncertainty, and fairness helps people cope
psychologically with uncertain circumstances’.
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 4
First and foremost, the procurement process needs to be revised, and new
communication expectations must be passed down from management to employees to ensure
they can meet timelines that align with company goals. New communication channels to
vendors in connection with the government can help establish reliable expectations on shipping
to meet the deadlines better ahead.
Recommendations:
To break through these barriers and actively get everyone on board, Koz needs to clearly
communicate the vision to the management heads. When the management heads have a
complete understanding of the time, direction, and purpose behind the vision, they will be able
to be more effective leaders to spearhead and direct the initiatives forward. The next step in the
process would be to host a meeting with all of the employees at every level to ensure clarity. If
there are any concerns, the meeting will provide an opportunity to address them before
proceeding with the next course of action. Abumuhor (2025) stated, ‘Engaging and empowering
the staff guarantees that they are valued and included in the decision-making processes.
Continue to encourage other members of the laboratory team at all levels to get involved in
implementing changes such as workflow adjustments, new instrument installations, lean
projects, remodeling, expansion, validations of new instruments, writing standing operating
procedures, and training. This will help foster a sense of ownership and improve morale in the
department’. This source highlights a practical point: when every level is involved in the change
process, the probability of achieving the goals successfully is higher.
Implementation Plan:
To move forward, the course of action is to develop a vision board that outlines timelines
and helps track progress. If any obstacles arise, we can identify them and devise a new course of
action to address them. Through this process, any changes will be communicated clearly to the
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 5
team to ensure current planning initiatives are maintained. This project will be broken down
into three phases. Each phase will have a set of key actions, deadlines, and an outcome review.
Phase one (0-3 months) will consist of a supply chain audit to identify the entire supply
chain process, including vendors, inventory, and shipping. Additionally, high-impact parts will be
identified to prevent further production delays through prioritization. The last target of this
phase will be to establish an emergency contingency plan, which will consist of short-term stock
to mitigate production delays.
Moving on to phase two (3-9 months), vendor performance scorecards will be
implemented to evaluate delivery, turnaround time, and quality of service. The scorecard will
also be used to identify renegotiation efforts needed for further improvement with vendors.
Furthermore, a standard operating procedure will be established to confirm expected timelines
and inventory visibility. Inventory visibility will be updated through a system that aligns with
production schedules. This will prevent the company from running out of parts. The last key
point for phase two will be communicating current processes to employees to maintain
alignment.
The final phase three (9-18 months) will focus on analytics sourced from historical data
to forecast future delays. Work on building a strong partnership with vendors and invest in
creating feedback loops that involve both employees and vendors. The last key point of this
phase is creating a reward system to acknowledge the wins and maintain momentum in the
right direction. The expected outcomes from this implementation plan are to reduce production
delays by streamlining the parts process, lower operational costs by reducing labor hours, meet
deadlines, improve company culture through a decrease in disruptions, and build strong
relationships with vendors. If this plan is implemented with purpose, it can be achieved.
Summary:
CONSULTING PROPOSAL #1 6
McDonnell-Douglas, the original contractor of the C-17 aircraft program, faced major
issues caused by scheduling delays and parts shortages, which led to increased company costs
and quality concerns. In 1993, Don Kozlowski (Koz) took over the program and introduced a
vision to drive change that focused on quality, schedule, and cost. However, with the push back
and limited buy-in from employees, minimal changes were made. As a result, Koz directed the
plane not to move until it was completed, which led to improved procurement processes. This
proposal focuses on restructuring procurement processes, involving employees at all levels and
enhancing vendor partnerships. A three-phase implementation plan is proposed to identify
supply issues, streamlining procurement processes, and forecasting future supply delays. This
plan aims to reduce labor costs, improve procurement processes, and build a strong company
culture.
References
Abumuhor, I. (2025). Leading through change: Strategies for adapting and overcoming
challenges. Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, 43(3), 407.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cll.2025.04.012
Donten-Snitker Kerice, Cara, M., Litzler, E., Ingram, E., & Williams, J. (2021). Developing a
Shared Vision for Change: Moving toward Inclusive Empowerment. Research in Higher
Education, 62(2), 206-229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-020-09594-9
Heinz, A. (2021). Leading organizational change (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill Education
McKenzie, C., Brophy, K., Konstanta, G., & Webster, L. (2023). A vision for change leadership:
Trust, transparency and accountability at university of Wollongong library. The Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 49(3), 102710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102710
Zhu, Y., Long, L., Liu, W., Shu, P., & Chen, S. (2023). How and when does authentic leadership
reduce employee resistance to change? An explanation from uncertainty management
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theory. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 44(8), 969-993.
https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-03-2023-0155
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