Leading in Technological Dominated Workplaces Order Instructions: Airport industry
ONE major challenge
Biometric E-passports
Marking criteria:
• Coherent and convincing identification of a major challenge facing organizations in the contemporary world 20%
• Identification of relevant leadership and negotiation concepts, and insightful application to the essay topic 25%
• Evidence of reading from a range of sources; careful referencing 15%
• Critical and independent thinking 15%
• Good structure: an effective introduction and conclusion, logical organization of material, effective use of paragraphs, integration of all sections into a unitary whole 15%
• The clear expression of ideas, well edited, high standard of presentation and attention to details 10%
You MUST use attached files
Leading in Technological Dominated Workplaces Sample Answer
LEADING IN INCREASINGLY TECHNOLOGICAL DOMINATED WORKPLACES
Introduction
Leadership in a technologically dominated workplace is a challenging endeavor that requires targeted strategies to ensure that technology impacts the organizations in a positive manner. In the contemporary world where a majority of work processes are technology-driven, leaders must take strategic actions to manage continuous change, anxiety, fear and related factors associated with technology adoption. It is also imperative that employees have the right capacity to utilize technology by ensuring that they have the required skills and capabilities. The growing use of biometric e-passports presents an example of how technology affects organizations, including the challenges of adoption and implementation. This paper is a discussion on leading in technology dominated workplaces, with a major focus on biometric e-passports. The discussion comprises challenges faced by modern organizations, relevant leadership, and negotiation concepts and their application in the context of leading in a technologically dominated workplace.
Leading in Technological Dominated Workplaces Challenges
There is an evident rise in the use of biometric e-passports, with almost half of UN member states utilizing the technology. Biometric e-passports are aimed at promoting efficiency while reducing costs. The technology which comprises a microprocessor chip with the biometric information of the holder is a combined electric and paper passport (Jules, Molnar & Wagner, 2016). The passport, which utilizes contactless smartcard technology was developed with the objective of improving security and increasing efficiency through automation. To authenticate data, the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is used. This infrastructure is significantly expensive and this challenges the technology’s implementation even after security mechanisms have been set up. As a project that is largely considered a government role, challenges are likely to be witnessed in implementation before all airports can adopt the technology. As with any other change process, technology integration in organizations comes with considerable challenges, mostly associated with resistance to change, infrastructure challenges and lack of adequate skills to operate the technology.
Organizations introducing new technologies face the challenge of resistance to change, which refers to the tendency of intended users wanting to maintain the status quo (Saskia Bayerl, Lauche & Axtell, 2016). In essence, they are not ready to change their mode of operation to adopt new technologies. Therefore, leaders in the technologically dominated organization must be motivated to encourage followers to embrace new technology. Griffin, RW & Moorhead (2011) and Nilsen, et al (2016), identify various factors that lead to technological change resistance. These include fear and uncertainty on what the new technology holds, the need to change processes to accommodate the changes, need for technology-specific skills and possible difficulties in operating new technology. The biometric e-passport currently faces challenges of resistance, with opponents citing that there is no available information regarding what will be included in the chip and the level of security it provides.
Communication plays an imperative role in determining the effectiveness of technology acceptance and adoption in an organisation (Scărlătescu, 2014; Saskia Bayerl, Lauche & Axtell, 2016). This means that employees should be adequately informed regarding any changes in technology or adoption of technology within the organization in order to ensure that they are psychologically prepared. Unfortunately, such communication is overlooked, particularly where hierarchical differences exist, such that employees get to know about the technology when it has already been implemented and they are expected to adopt it. According to Leanne & Waldman (2012), communication aids in reducing resistance to change by involving employees in the change process. In order to achieve this effectively, employees need to be involved from the start, by helping them understand the technology, its use, how it will improve organisational processes and how it will affect their work. When employees are actively involved in the setup process, they are more likely to understand the need for technology and embrace it.
Technology implementation remains one of the most significant challenges in technologically dominated organisations. In their research on adoption and implementation of technology, Kyratsis, Ahmad & Holmes (2012) establish that the ‘how-to’ or the information necessary for effective implementation of innovation at both the organisational and individual level determines the success of technology implementation. There is a need to instill the right knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that employees can effectively execute technology change. In the use of the biometric e-passport, users need knowledge on how to troubleshoot and detect untrustworthy information.
Heshan, Yulin & Haiyun (2016)notes that in the adoption of technology, there is no universal technology and that organisations must seek to identify a structural, strategic and cultural fit before making a decision to adopt. A majority of organisation do not put this into consideration and this ends up affecting its applicability. Many companies will invest in technology because it is a trend in the market, without taking the time to understand how the technology fits into the organisation’s strategy, whether the organisation’s infrastructure is adequate to support the technology effectively and whether the organisation’s culture fits well with the new technology. Where there is no strategic or structural fit, implementation becomes difficult and it ends up being a waste of the organisation’s resources. In the case of biometric e-passports, the challenge has been ensuring that airports are equipped with the necessary infrastructure to support the function.
Technological malfunctions present a significant challenge in the management of technologically dominated organisations. Technology and technological equipment are highly susceptible to malfunctioning and a myriad of risks including power and network challenges, loss of data, malware, intrusion and cyberattacks (Florio, 2012). These affect the use of technology due to disruption of operations. Technology has been known to paralyse organisational operations for long periods of time, leading to losses and major inconveniences. Biometric e-passports require reliable power and internet connection and in the event that these are not available, the e-passports would be rendered useless.
There is a looming challenge over technology integration in organisations, given technology is seen as a substitution for process implementation as opposed to being complementary. With the increasing use of technology, there is increased automation in organisations, which leads to the loss of intellectual knowledge. ISMP Canada (2016) notes that people are so reliant on technology that they cannot solve simple problems without the use of technology. The use of biometric e-passport is one such automation and its use could challenge physical verification, thus increasing the risk of identity theft (Jules, Molnar & Wagner, 2016).
Leadership and negotiation concepts
Leading in technologically dominated workplaces requires proactive leadership, to ensure the effective integration of technology into the organization. Therefore, it is important for leaders in such organizations to identify a leadership style that augments their strategy (Chaneski, 2016).
Transformational leadership encompasses leading by encouraging and motivating others. This means that the leader provides followers with clear goals of the technology and how it will impact their lives. Kunnanatt (2016) notes that in the application of transformational leadership, openness and trust play a significant role in influencing leadership efficiency, hence the need to have an open approach during the implementation of any change process (Effelsberg, Solga & Gurt, 2014). This way, the followers are likely to be motivated to implement the technology because they understand and own the process (Jiao & Zhao, 2014). In addition, they are more actively involved in the development of innovative ways to counter the effects of technological changes. In order to facilitate the smooth adoption of technology, transformational leaders are more likely to provide learning opportunities for followers including pieces of training. Transformational leaders also take the time to inspire and promote intellectual stimulation, such that followers can participate in the development of future technology (Jain & Duggal, 2016). Through recognition of followers who perform well in technology use, leaders can encourage high-level performance and effective adoption of technology (Northouse, 2016). Individualized consideration characterized by interpreting challenges at the individual level to address specific problems also presents transformational leadership as effective leadership in the implementation of technology (Dwyer, et al, 2013).
Transactional leadership is considered less effective in managing change and in particular technological change. This is because instead of influencing followers through empowerment and creating opportunities for learning, leaders use their authority to demand compliance from followers. Transactional leaders are more interested in reaching set goals and give little consideration to how these will be achieved. Accordingly, they are more likely to promise a reward for performance and use punishment for non-performance; without necessarily guiding or empowering followers on what is expected of them. As a result, followers are likely to be dependent on the leader’s power to promote technology adoption, thus inhibiting creativity in implementation (Mullins, 2013). In a majority of cases, followers are not involved in the process of technology adoption and only learn of it when they are required to implement it. Given the level of difficulty involved in utilizing new technology, there is the likelihood of conflicts within the organization because there is no positive influence from the leader (Northouse, 2016). The fact that non-compliance is addressed through punishment leads to more resistance to change and the process of technology adoption may be slow and ineffective.
Maruping & Magni (2015) identify employee ownership of technology as the main driving force towards effective technology adoption. This is effectively addressed under the LMX theory, which seeks to incorporate followers as part of the in the group. Leaders utilizing this style are likely to be inclusive and engaging in a bid to influence greater contribution by the employees. According to Mullins (2013), change processes are more effectively achieved when followers understand what the change is all about and when they are encouraged to participate in the change process. This makes the LMX theory highly applicable for technologically dominated organizations because leaders seek to be on the same level as followers in terms of understanding and interpretation of change. Due to the effective collaboration demonstrated in LMX theory, implementing new technology is likely to be highly effective and less costly.
Leading in Technological Dominated Workplaces Implications for leadership and recommendations
Technologically dominated companies face considerable challenges every time a new technology is being adopted, mostly due to the process of change that may affect the organisation’s culture and disrupt employees from their usual way of doing things. Influencing positive change and adjustment to new technology requires leaders in such organizations to be proactive in terms of involving employees in the process. As in the transformational and LMX theory, involving employees in the process and impacting them through positive influence plays an important role in the acceptance of new technology and motivates them to own the process. In this respect, leaders should refrain from transactional processes and focus on seeing beyond financial incentives. Leaders should focus on creating a purpose for work through motivating and encouraging employees to be part of the organization (Mayfield & Mayfield, 2015).
Communication emerges as an important aspect of promoting effective change adoption. Leaders in technologically dominated organizations need to establish communication with followers in order to understand how technological changes affect them and also provide a channel for obtaining feedback for future needs.
Technology is considered a means to improved efficiency within the organization, made possible through automation. This technically means that work is likely to be done faster and more accurately. Based on this, it is an opportunity for leaders to allow employees shorter working hours as technology increasingly reduces human labor. This would play a great role in enhancing motivation and increasing performance.
Leading in Technological Dominated Workplaces Conclusion
Technology adoption, like any other change process, is a complex undertaking that requires effective collaboration and ownership by both the leaders and followers. Having an effective leadership process ensures that change can be managed effectively by encouraging followers to embrace the change. Through an efficient reward and motivation system, leaders can encourage technology adoption in their organizations, through encouraging employee participation. By involving them from the beginning, an organization ensures that it will have employee support during implementation of technology. This is because the employees are conversant with the intended technology, understand its relevance and are of how their roles will be affected by the new changes. In adopting the biometric e-passport, special attention should be paid to the concerns voiced by users in order to ensure that it serves the intended purpose.
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