Mayberry
Telephone and Telegraph Co. (d.b.a. Mayberry Bell) is being sold by its
Mayberry
Telephone and Telegraph Co. (d.b.a. Mayberry Bell) is being sold by its
parent, North Carolina Feed and Grain Supply, Inc. and is being
acquiring by Verizon Communications. The old, black candlestick phones
are to be replaced by sleek, modern touch-tone units in a variety of
styles and colors. The lone Mayberry employee, Sarah the switchboard
operator, is being offered a choice of other positions within the
company. She has already rejected a position as a lineman saying, “I
ain’t gonna climb up those utility poles in an ice storm!” She has also
rejected a retirement package saying that at age 114 she “still has a
few good years left.” She is intrigued by an offer of a position with
the company’s billing office in Raleigh as that would allow her to move
closer to her elder sister, Bertha.
ESSAY: Discuss the possible resistance to change that Verizon may encounter in Mayberry, both from customers and employee.
What
steps can Verizon take to mitigate the resistance problem? What tactics
can Verizon take to insure a smooth conversion in Mayberry?
What does a systems analyst need to know about organizational change?
How does resistance to change present risks to the successful implementation of a new software system?