, Module: MNG 3702
Assignment 1 Semester 1, 2023
Lecturers: Prof T Botha and Dr R Shibiti
Case Study: Anglo American
Page2
Question 1
Those leading change in organisations need to make key decisions around the way in which the
change process will be managed. John Kotter developed one approach to manage change in an
organisation.
Apply the change model of John Kotter to the change process focused on safety that was initiated
and lead by Ms Cynthia Carroll as CEO of Anglo American plc for the period 2007 to 2013. In your
answer, you need to explain each step of Kotter’s model and then explain the application thereof to
the case study. (25 marks)
In the case of Cynthia Carroll's change process focused on safety at Anglo
American, the following steps can be seen:
1. Establish a sense of urgency: Upon arriving at Anglo American's Rustenburg
platinum mining operation and learning of two fatalities within her first day,
Carroll immediately saw the urgency of the situation and took action to shut
down the mine to assess safety conditions. Carroll understood the importance
of safety in the workplace, and the need to reduce fatalities. With 45 workers
losing their lives every year, she saw this as a major problem that needed to
be addressed.
2. Create a guiding coalition: Carroll worked to win allies within the industry,
labour unions, and government to support her safety campaign. Her good
communication and relationship with labour unions helped to build a trusting
relationship between all parties. By doing so, she was able to get the support
she needed to make change.
3. Develop a vision and strategy: Carroll's vision was to reduce fatalities and
improve safety in the mining industry. She implemented a strategy to retrain
workers and assess infrastructure and standards. Carroll envisioned a future
where the company had a culture of safety and reduced fatalities. She worked
to build a vision for the company that would be embraced by all stakeholders.
4. Communicate the vision: Carroll spent a lot of time with external stakeholders,
shareholders, and labour unions, communicating the reasons and benefits of
the changes being made. Carroll communicated her vision for safety to all
stakeholders, including shareholders, labour unions, and government. She
was able to get buy-in from all parties and build a culture of trust and support.
5. Empower others to act on the vision: Carroll took out a layer of people
reporting to her early on to streamline the change process and empower others to
act on the vision. Carroll made changes to the company's
organizational structure and hierarchy, including reducing the number of
people reporting to her. This allowed her to empower others to act on her
vision for safety.
6. Create short-term wins: Carroll's decision to shut down the mine complex and
retrain workers led to a 70% reduction in fatalities, which cascaded into a 50%
reduction in the industry. This was a clear short-term win for the change
process. These short-term wins helped to build momentum and support for
her safety campaign.
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