Special Seminar on "Systemic Barriers to Managing Change: Is Autopoiesis an Appropriate Metaphor"

On March 7, 2011, Prof.Dr. Chira Hongladarom, Secretary-General, Foundation for International Human Resource Development was invited to join the Special Seminar on "Systemic Barriers to Managing Change: Is Autopoiesis an Appropriate Metaphor" organized by APEC CHRO Network Thailand led by Ms. Sirilak Meksang at Landmark Hotel.

It was a great honor to have Prof.Dr.Alma Whiteley, Chair of International Human Resources, Curtin Graduate School of business, Curtin University as the guest speaker.

Here are her presentations.

These are the learning environment.

[เขียนเมื่อ 7 มี.ค. 2554 19:46 น. 7 มี.ค. 2554]

Special Seminar on “Systematic Barriers to Managing Change: is Autopoiesis and Appropriate Metaphor”

Prof. Dr.Alma Whiteley 

• Attitude prevents change.

 

Workshop: Identify the closed system areas in organization.

 

Group 1

• Accounting Function works with standardizing process, rules and regulation. They convince that the world need one rule “Accounting rule”. Creative accounting seems evil to accounting.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

• Accounting should be about communication. Accounting Function must communicate so that everyone understands it. They should not worry about balance sheet only.

 

Group 2

• Training and Development Department cannot give right answers to HRD to management. We lack of participation in class. Baby boomers’ culture is to listen to boss. Gen Y work on iPad so they do not participate in class.
• They lack motivation to participate.
• Training and Development Department Cannot differentiate Gen Y and Gen X’s training needs
• There is no communication of change objectives.
• In SMEs, training report is about number of people, class not rate of return to company

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

 

• Paradigm in Training and Development consists of performance paradigm and learning paradigm.
• Performance paradigm is based on the trainers’ objectives
• Learning paradigm is trainers and learners’ partnership. Both are working together and learning from both sides what needs to be changed. This leads to creative learning.
• Culture at individual and organizational levels is obstacles for learning.

 

Group 3

• Structures are important barriers to change.
• Top level may play key role to change. If not, change cannot go to lower level.
• Old Generation do not change but new Generation need change.
• We need employees to participate in change.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

 

• Theory of Redundant Parts means that when a person of this task take a leave, other people can be replaced.
• Theory of Redundant Functions means that they are not employed in one task but have multi-skill.

 

Group 4

 

• Line function is dynamic to change.
• Support function is rigid to change because they have a lot of norms and practices.
• Process especially accounting process is fixed because must compliant to laws
• Now, accounting process is computerized so it changes based on the technology.
• The structure of accounting must be changed to be more effective.
• HR Department becomes too mechanistic because it has many tools and is put in many systems. We need to treat people as people and less mechanistic.
• Process can be more flexible. We do not treat people like machine.

 

Group 5

• Human value and dignity.
• HR do not understand to link each function together.
• System of controlling than managing.
• Lack of technology to link many intelligence areas and all departments.
• They do not understand the reality.
• Rewarding system is unreal because it depends on many things not performance.
• Lack of time
• Decision-making.

 

Workshop: Choose areas that are not appropriate to be changed.

 

Group 1

• Old (experienced) people can help new people work well.
• We should invest more in people. Old system can support value added because it helps create past achievements.
• Change must be realistic and relevance.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

• Absolutely right.

 

Group 2

• Ethics. We need to comply with universal laws and standards complied with everybody.
• Sense of belonging.

 

Group 3

• Basic ground of organization like virtue, ethics and code of conducts because it helps many people work together happily

 

Group 4

• Focus on people and understand them

 

Group 5

• In my accounting world, we develop principle based rule and use creativity.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

• You should bring major success with you including the values that drive that success.

 

Workshop: Strategies to develop open system to Thailand

 

Group 1

• Change the culture by providing information and encourage information

 

Group 2

• Change ourselves. Shift our paradigm.

 

Group 3

• Change educational system. Educate Thai way but it is good to be critical thinking.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

• We can put Thai culture to be predominant.

 

Group 4

• Change culture and obligation.
• We need communication among accounting professionals. Welcome people to look at accounting.

 

Prof. Dr. Alma Whiteley

• We must very be careful to apply new culture.

 

Group 5

• We need to change people’s behavior. We should focus on learning from real life.

 

Prof. Dr.Chira Hongladarom

• I would like to thank organizers: Khun Sirilak, APEC CHRO, Alma
• We know learning how to learn.
• I always learn from the students. Ask interesting questions and you will be as good as Peter Drucker.