Discuss the possible change

Mayberry Telephone and Telegraph Co. (d.b.a. Mayberry Bell) is being sold by its parent, North Carolina Feed and Grain Supply, Inc. and is being acquiring by Verizon Communications. The old, black candlestick phones are to be replaced by sleek, modern touch-tone units in a variety of styles and colors. The lone Mayberry employee, Sarah the switchboard operator, is being offered a choice of other positions within the company. She has already rejected a position as a lineman saying, “I ain’t gonna climb up those utility poles in an ice storm!” She has also rejected a retirement package saying that at age 114 she “still has a few good years left.” She is intrigued by an offer of a position with the company’s billing office in Raleigh as that would allow her to move closer to her elder sister, Bertha.

ESSAY: Discuss the possible resistance to change that Verizon may encounter in Mayberry, both from customers and employee. What steps can Verizon take to mitigate the resistance problem? What tactics can Verizon take to insure a smooth conversion in Mayberry? What does a systems analyst need to know about organizational change? How does resistance to change present risks to the successful implementation of a new software system?

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Discussion

In the proposed acquisition of Mayberry by Verizon, there is possible resistance that is bound to be observed from the customers and employees of the company. Customers may feel that they will no longer have to enjoy the benefits that they received from the fact that Mayberry operated as a small company. Verizon is a large company and this means that it might not concentrate on the individual needs of the customers as Mayberry did. Employees may also resist such a change as the management of the company would be changed and people may lose their jobs since Verizon may want to employ individuals of its choosing and not those who were hired by the previous company.

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