TLI 254

Misty Tarrh
September 2, 2016
Chapter 2 Case Questions
1.) Which of the six change images discussed in this chapter can be identified in the
assumptions about managing turnover that were held by Gunter? The hospitality
literature? The consultant? The first image that came to mind was caretaker.
Caretakers, despite their best intentions to implement activities to encourage
entrepreneurial and innovative behavior, they may feel like this is a continuous failing
exercise (Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd
ed.) (p. 28). Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education). Gunter, no matter how hard he
tried, or what changes he made, still experienced turnover. As far as the hospitality
literature, it came in with a nurturer image. Future outcomes are nurtured or shaped,
but the ability to produce intended outcomes at the end of the day is severely limited
because of the impact of much wider, sometimes chaotic forces and influences
(Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.) (p. 32).
Their advice was just to minimize the debilitating effects: streamline training, simplify
jobs, dont become independent on individuals (Managing organizational change: A
multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.) (p. 41). Obviously the approach that Gunter
took from the literature didnt work, because it didnt take into effect the outside forces.
As far as the consultant was concerned, I saw him as the interpreter, who looked at the
whole situation, not just the problem at hand. He asked Gunter, What is good about
turnover (Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.)
(p. 41)? This caused Gunter to take the same approach as the interpreter and see why
people were leaving.
2.) How did these assumptions influence the prescriptions for dealing with the
turnover problem? According to the reading, the first two approaches that Gunter took
did not work, and thats why he chose to contact a consultant, the interpreter. The
consultant looked at the situation from a different perspective where a solution, so to
speak, is found.
3.) Choose another change image and apply it to the turnover problem. To what new
insights does it lead? If you choose the director image, this would be a more controlling
change. A director would control every single aspect in regards to the change in the
organizational. The change manager would direct the organization in particular ways n
order to produce the required change (Managing organizational change: A multiple
perspectives approach (2nd ed.) (p. 27).

4.) What conclusions do you draw from this about the statement at the start of the
chapter that if we only draw upon one particular frame, then this will take us away
from thinking about what is going on from an alternative perspective? By only
focusing on one change image, organizations are selling themselves short. Just as it was
shown in the case study, Gunter tried different options to try and fix the turnover
problem. Had he not realized he needed a new way of thinking about his situation
(Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.) (p. 41)
and called in a consultant, Green Mountain might not be in business today. Instead,
Gunter and the consultants approach put them on the map as being excellent recruiters.
Instead of looking at the situation as something that was bad for Green Mountain, they
looked at it as an opportunity. If you wanted great training, early responsibility to get on
the fast track, Green Mountain was the place to go (Managing organizational change: A
multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.) (p. 41). They didnt solve the problem of
turnover, but by looking at it from another approach and looking at other alternatives,
they succeeded in making the organization better.