LEAD FPX 5220 Assessment 2

Abstract

A robust infrastructure plays a crucial role in facilitating communication within an organization. By implementing a strategic infrastructure, organizations can minimize inconsistencies and communication barriers, enhancing both cross-functional and interpersonal interactions. This paper discusses how XYZ Corporation’s infrastructure was unsustainable from its inception. Altering IT infrastructure resembles remodeling a house while still residing in it—if done improperly, it can lead to significant challenges. Effective technology is essential for a business to operate efficiently.

A weakly designed IT infrastructure does not only frustrate workers but also makes the organization less efficient and productive, with very high long-term expenses (Lazor, 2020). The proposition presented in this paper emphasizes the imperative of strategic infrastructure to organizational achievement. Its absence led to disorganization and shutdown that took many months. The conclusion offers recommendations of changes needed and their importance for future organizational success and sustainability.

LEAD FPX 5220 Assessment 2:Change Challenge

Change within any company is inevitable; however, the approach to change managed by a company will be what succeeds or fails the company. In order to preserve anonymity, the subject firm shall here after be referred to as XYZ Corporation. Being a Director of Finance in the gaming industry, I understand that change is very prevalent in that there’s always new game creation and release. Preparing a web game involves a lot of details, and there wasn’t enough infrastructure in place, set by staff who lacked IT skills. While the original equipment managed the few games that had been published, since the company grew, the necessity for an upgrade was inevitable, yet the leadership group didn’t perceive this as a need.

The portfolio then had three games and one data center with approximately four servers, routers, firewalls, storage devices, and server racks with approximately five staff. The data center was significant for game operations and organizational operations. During a period of rapid growth in the early 2000s, the list of games grew from three to fifteen, and the number of staff grew from five to 215. XYZ Corporation offered quality games, excellent customer service, and a cash shop with costumes and customization enjoyed by players. Revenue went from $500,000 in 2001 to $3.5 million in 2003 to $7.5 million in 2004. The company continued to perform better than expected until 2005.

Consumer complaints started in April 2005 regarding server issues, including connectivity and game-dropping, and problems with missing avatars and cash shop purchases not going through. There were also internal complaints regarding broken office servers; email services crashed, the network storage filled up, and critical information was lost because there was no backup server.

Factor Driving Change

Successfully navigating the ever-circular process of change is crucial to the success of any organization. Change affects everyone—businesses, industries, and individuals—on a daily basis. The two primary causes of change are external and internal.

External Factor

Technology is one of the key forces that cause change. In today’s digital era, organizations must constantly update their technologies in order to stay competitive. One of the key requirements for a long-term and successful operation of any organization is the ability to predict events and react to market conditions” (Jan & Veronika, 2017, p. 5). Unfortunately, XYZ Corporation lacked an experienced IT expert who understood the necessity of technological advancement. Thus, the corporation had to shut down for six months to hire IT consultants to scan and improve infrastructure.

Internal Factors

Lack of management vision significantly restricts organizations from achieving their goal and mission. Continual turnover of leadership will interfere with continuity and introduce fresh strategies that could not be supportive of existing objectives. Ineffectiveness in leadership negatively impacted XYZ Corporation, with no effort in establishing strategies towards improvement or modification.

Identify the Change

XYZ Corporation must invest in professional personnel and new technology to proceed. The existing technological inefficiencies endanger the company’s momentum in the North American gaming industry. Ineffective strategic leadership has lost millions of potential revenues. To surmount these obstacles, the company must reevaluate its IT infrastructure and strategic practices. “People resist change as a defense mechanism since change of any type elicits some level of anxiety” (Staren & Eckes, 2013).

Readiness for Change and Heightened Awareness

Force Field Analysis Approach

Force field analysis (FFA), which was created by Lewin, offers a scientific method of initiating effective change management. The FFA consists of five steps: (1) identify planned change, (2) identify driving forces, (3) identify restraining forces, (4) formulate strategies for reinforcing driving forces, and (5) devise strategies for weakening resisting forces.

Driving Force #1: The Digital Revolution

Equipment insufficiency has propelled the digital revolution as the major driving force. Customers demand smooth gameplay, quick server feedback, and a successful cash shop transaction. The new equipment cost involved and the undermanned employees, however, are weighty obstacles. The digitalization trend had hit XYZ Corporation harder than anticipated initially, culminating in expectation-exceeding operational servers.

Driving Force #2: Globalization

Lack of executive mandate and management trust has turned globalization into another force that drives things. Low understanding of firm goals and poor incentives slow down the transformation to a global mindset. Firms must understand the impact of globalization so that they can take advantage of global trends and expand their market size (Morris, 2013). As a subsidiary of a multinational firm, XYZ’s administration did not look at Asian markets but only North America, and this had adverse effects in 2005.

Driving Force #3: Acceleration

The direct changes that customers demand are an acting driving force. The expanding portfolio is a restraining force. As per Morris (2013), “the driving forces are mutually interdependent, and they feed off one another” (p. 11). The change in momentum of XYZ, with the surge from three to fifteen games and five to 215 employees in just four years, necessitates rethinking operating strategy.

Recommendation

I recommend upgrading current technology with more robust equipment, including establishing additional data centers to support global expansion. According to Dallas (2015), “once you’ve gathered your data… you’ll be ready to make a recommendation” (p. 27). XYZ Corporation has demonstrated potential in the gaming industry and can enhance its position by broadening its strategic outlook. Hiring highly qualified individuals is critical to achieving long-term objectives; the right people in the right positions will do well for XYZ both now and in the future.

LEAD FPX 5220 Assessment 2 Assessing Priorities and Planning for Change 

Morris, L. (2013, July 18). Innovation Management. Retrieved from Innovation Management

Staren, E., & Eckes, C. (2013). Optimizing organizational change. Physician Executive, 39(3), 58-60. Retrieved from ProQuest