Seagram

There are times when organizations need to implement changes for many different reasons. When the change is to be implemented, there is a list of Ten Commandments that can be a starting point. “Analyze the organization and its need to change, create a shared vision, separate from the past, create a sense of urgency, support a strong leader role, line up political sponsorship, craft an implementation plan, develop enabling structures, communicate, involve people, reinforce and institutionalize change” (Jick, 2011), p. 215. One of the main things that can be done is to communicate the change vision through all avenues possible. “All successful cases of major change seem to include tens of thousands of communications that help employees to grapple with difficult intellectual and emotional issues” (Kotter, 2012), p. 93. The communication aspect needs to become a two-way endeavor. In the process, the values need to be changed and embraced by all employees. “Effective visions also have a balance of new and old or sustaining ideas, values, or perspectives” (Jick, 2011), p.247.

Seagram’s Company was undergoing major change and transformations including trying to increase their profits. The company has struggled to maintain an image of who they were and to portray that change to the employees. The employees did not embrace the cultural changes or the values. The company over the last 10 years or so has remained uniformed in their products and services of distilling alcohol beverages and has not ventured outside of those items. Eventually things have caught up to Seagram’s at a time when there were many external changes that had a tremendous effect on the company. The company was facing many challenges during the 1990’s that included increased taxes on liquor, new sobriety laws, the recession, increased government mandates, and criticism from their marketing.

Seagram’s implemented the new values in order to reshape the culture and understood that the change was...