Implications of Adapting over Conforming

Implications of Adapting over Conforming

In this unit, we have covered aspects like adaptive planning, how organizations can respond to change, and adapting over conforming. Organizations have to adapt to many changes so that they may be successful in achieving their goals and serving creating value to the clients. A business should be able to adapt to changes in the business environment so that they reap the benefits.

Organizations should pursue changes to suit the business needs instead of conforming. Conformity is the act of companies copying or following what other companies have been doing. This can be following the same trend that is followed by other companies. The aspect of conformity is not very advisable in businesses because every company is unique in its way. Companies should, therefore, strive to achieve the element of adapting over conforming.  Adapting is what keeps a business/company relevant in the market (Ahmad, Ismail, Rani & Wahab, 2017). It also ensures that a company deals with its problems in a unique way. This will ensure that companies gain a competitive advantage in the market. It’s always an excellent choice to remain focused and consistent with the calling of your business than conforming to what the others are doing. Conforming will make a business lose its sense of direction. Kim Highsmith, in his theory, Adapting over conformity, noted that plans are not sacrosanct. Companies should be flexible enough to adapt to the inevitable changes. Sticking to a company plan will also ensure that that value and quality are the end goals that are pursued by every organization. Highsmith explained that companies should aim to have a plan and do much exploration of the different services and products they can offer. .

As we have discussed, companies need to study the business environment so that they know how to fit in and offer value to the customers. Technology is changing fast, so should the businesses. One report by Michael Zhang in 2018 analyses the fall and rise of Kodak. Kodak was once the giant when it came to photography. After many years of dominance, Kodak Crumbled and went as far as filing for bankruptcy in 2012 (Zhang, 2018). Analyzing this brand that was big in the last decade tells a lot about adapting. Kodak was doing well during a time when we did not have digital cameras and photography. If it analyzed the market fast and well, the company would still be doing well even today. The company could have also introduced other services but within the digital space so that it stays in operation. If the company had revolutionalized its operations, they would still be doing photography or providing other services.  Kodak invented the whole aspect of photography; it’s unbelievable that they are out of business. The company came way too far only to stop when things were becoming good in the photography business.

Every organization needs to be grounded so that it’s not wiped out by changes in the business environment. The element of adapting over conforming is very vital to all businesses irrespective of the size and location. If a company does not adapt to changes in the market, it might not grow.

References

Zhang, M. (2018). A Brief History of Kodak: The Rise and Fall of a Camera Giant. Retrieved 14 June 2018, from https://petapixel.com/2018/06/14/a-brief-history-of-kodak-the-camera-giants-rise-and-fall/

Ahmad, M. H., Ismail, S., Rani, W. N. M. W. M., & Wahab, M. H. (2017, October). Trust in management, communication, and organizational commitment: Factors influencing readiness for change management in an organization. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1891, No. 1, p. 020019). AIP Publishing LLC.