Reply of at least 500 words each by 11:59 p.m. (ET), Each reply must be supported by at least 3scholarly peer-reviewed sources in the current APA format. Any sources cited must have beenpublished within the last five years. The main post and replies must contain biblical integration.The Bible must be cited to support your assertions regarding biblical integration and be includedin references in addition the number of required scholarly peer-reviewed sources.
Question 1: Assuming the survey scores are accurate, what conclusions can you draw about Craft Originalities’ culture?
Craft Originalities’ culture reflected a complacency among its low-skilled workforce, who appeared content with the informal status quo, characterized by a slow work pace and fairly minimal oversight. However, this same informality and lack of professional management were significant barriers to addressing the company’s operational inefficiencies and adapting to market challenges (Addisalem & Kenenisa, 2024). Adding new products without precise data on sales or profitability further strained resources, tying up capital in excessive amounts of on-hand inventory. While efforts to modernize marketing and introduce professional design elements hinted at the possibility of a cultural shift under Bob Burnett’s leadership, resistance to change and inadequate management structures left the company vulnerable to continued decline. To recover, the organization needed to overhaul its culture by adopting a more data-driven, professional, and adaptive approach while addressing employee complacency and inefficiencies at the front line of production (Özcan et al., 2024). However, the required changes could only occur with buy-in from existing employees and the continued addition of outside help that possessed the necessary skills.
What is your evidence?
The survey data suggests that the current workforce generally supports their supervisors, suggesting that pushback will continue if additional managers are brought in to enact reforms. It also appears that many workers feel they are not well compensated for their work, which could present an opportunity to drive change. Increased productivity and profitability are necessary for improving pay, which could provide the leverage needed to build support for reforms based on continuous improvement principles (Özcan et al., 2024).
Question 2: If Craft Originalities adopted a mass production manufacturing process similar to its competitor, Saint Crafters, how do you think that would affect the attitude scores of the workers? Explain.
If Craft Originalities adopted a mass-production manufacturing process similar to Saint Crafters, the workers would likely be unsatisfied with the increased workload and speed of operations. Because of the levels of complacency, they are also likely to be averse to changes in work processes. Workers would likely feel that the main concerns expressed in the survey answers were ignored, lowering attitude scores and leading to frustration and dissatisfaction. This cultural misalignment, with the new CEO advocating for change and workers holding onto old practices, would further increase the need for clear communication, employee engagement, and gradual implementation to soften resistance. Stephenson (2023) suggests that implementing change within an organization requires a trigger point and demonstration of why the changes are worth embracing to gain momentum. In other words, communication with all stakeholders that highlights the benefits of adopting the needed changes must occur and be combined with a well-established starting point where the changes can be seen in action.
Many places in the Bible discuss the need for change and how it can be beneficial. I want to highlight the passage in Isaiah that says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (New International Version, Isaiah 43:18-19). Here, God assures the Israelites that they can move on from the past and embrace the future that He is laying out before them. Part of being human is the urge to cling to the familiar, and this is just one example of urging people to embrace change when necessary for their flourishing. Change is not easy or comfortable, but when it is needed to ensure a better future, it must be presented as such and encouraged by good leaders for the benefit of everyone. Acknowledging the reluctance to embrace change and offering support from the organization for those slow to accept reforms can encourage the adoption of new practices and reduce turnover, both of which are better for the long-term success of any organization (Srivastava & Agrawal, 2020).
Question 3: How do you think the rural environment might have influenced the lack of formalization and the casual work environment at Craft Originalities? Discuss.
The rural environment likely significantly shaped the informal and casual work culture that exists at Craft Originalities. Operating in rural Alabama, the company was within a community where relationships and personal connections often hold greater importance than rigid organizational structures (Clark et al., 2022). This environment naturally lent itself to founder Bibby Burnett’s reliance on family and friends for management roles, encouraging a sense of familiarity and trust but at the expense of professionalism. The workforce, mainly drawn from the local area, was likely accustomed to a slower, more relaxed pace of life and work, commonly found in rural parts of the southern United States, which contributed to the complacency and informal practices common within the company.
Additionally, the rural setting may have limited exposure to modern business practices and professional management trends more prevalent in the more competitive urban markets. This isolation reinforced resistance to change and innovation, as employees were likely more comfortable with the established informal processes. The lack of access to a diverse, highly skilled labor pool in the rural area also meant fewer opportunities to hire experienced managers or specialists who could introduce sound organizational structure and better efficiency measures. Overall, the rural environment both shaped and perpetuated a casual, relationship-driven culture that was successful during earlier periods of growth but became a hindrance as the company faced operational and market challenges over time.
References
Addisalem, T. B., & Kenenisa L. D. (2024). Organizational culture: A systematic review. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2340129. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2340129
Clark, S., Harper, S., & Weber, B. (2022). Growing up in rural America. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 8(4), 1–47. https://doi.org/10.7758/RSF.2022.8.4.01
New International Version Bible. (2011). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. (Original work published 1978).
Özcan, S., Huchzermeıer, A., & Mercikoglu, C. (2024). Antecedents of bottom-up operations strategy formation. Verimlilik Dergisi, 58(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.51551/verimlilik.1322084
Srivastava, S., & Agrawal, S. (2020). Resistance to change and turnover intention: A moderated mediation model of burnout and perceived organizational support. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 33(7), 1431–1447. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-02-2020-0055
Stephenson, J. (2023). Cultural change. In: Culture and Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
