Role in the sense-making process
In each situation the best must be achieved, the Ashland University must remain successful in its implementation of the ACCESS Program. The institution must make sure that efforts are not made to solve the wrong problem. In sense-making and taking, action people do not replace the leadership process but aim to seek the best ways to address the problem at hand. To make the institution a center of excellence Sense-Making process must be understood by its leaders who are to take necessary recommended actions; thus in the Sense-Making process one does not need to be a leader but someone who recommends the best actions to be taken (Weick, 2005).
The main challenge at the institution is making the ACCESS Program productive for the international students and streamlining the processes used. The success of the program to the university has made the international students increase by 100% and the problem that faces the study is currently having effective teaching staff to enable the program to run efficiently. The current rate of 108 students for every one staff is very unethical and has proved to be a burden to the staff. The students do not have a good teacher’s attention. Therefore this requires a brainstorming session that will allow the leadership of Ashland University to get the impacts of the situation and understand the gravity of the matter (Weick, 1995). The role in making this change happen for Ashland University is advising the institution to overcome the challenges and provide recommendations on the best necessary steps to be taken; this will be the steps of being a change agent or a mediator (Weick, 2005).
Challenges Experienced
Every opportunity has its challenges and the role of Sense-Making and action taking will present a great challenge since it will seek to analyze the situation with the correct data. The institution will present its terms and conditions which must be agreed upon and these terms may involve complications in that they will be conflicting interests with the students. For example in terms of finances, and programs of study, if the proposal to raise allowances to attract the two significant staff members back will mean that the school will have an additional budget that must be considered. Or the likely option for the finances would be to increase fees to the students thus transferring liabilities to the students who might be angered and cause riots.
Most challenges may not be seen in the Sense-Making process but rather in the action taking where implementation is required. The situation makes or breaks Ashland University because the reputation is at stake; thus there is so much pressure in the system. However, working under intense pressure is a challenge since one makes decisions in a hurry that may not warrant the situation.
To achieve the ideal state or desired future the sacrifices required in the university are high and many may be evading being part of the sacrifice (Weick, 2005). Other staff may be hired but the process of hiring may not be procedural or effective thus jeopardizing the teaching process; i.e. the staff may not be qualified enough or they may be reluctant to work at certain terms. There could also be no teamwork with the hired staff; this will make the process unbearable for the students and bad for the university’s image (Weick, 1995).
The best position required by the institution is increasing teaching staff for the ACCESS Program; the teacher, student ratio must be reduced for better learning in the institution through a program as recommended by Dr. Bob who is the director of both international programs and Dr. Pettigrew the provost of the office.
Needs to be met
Being a change agent requires adequate time to analyze the situation at hand. The Sense-Making process has seven dimensions; social aspects, identity, retrospection, cues, ongoing, plausibility, and an enactive environment (Weick, 1995). All these dimensions must be connected to come up with an action-driven, occasional, substance, and sense-making process which is driven by belief. The process will require detailed information on the situation of social status and social conditions and problems at the University. The identity of the institution is also required to be stated, this will enable the consultant to focus on its impact. The process will ensure analysis of the schema of the current environment coupled with the actual current situation using the available information is explored (Weick, 1995).
This will enable institutions to make complex and dynamic actions that will transform the University from an experiencing crisis. This would require total support from the institution in terms of getting information on key decision-making processes and information on the past, current, and prospects without withholding any (Weick, 1995). Access to the ACCESS Program to work out possibilities of simplifying it would be necessary since that would be the best option. The change must be consultative to ensure all stakeholders are involved and they are active participants who include; the students, administrators, teaching staff, and subordinate staff. The desired change must be inclusive of encompasses the goals and aims of Ashland University.
References
- Weick, E. (1995). Sense Making in Organizations. London: SAGE Publishers,
- Weick, E. (2005). Organizing and the Process of Sense-making. Organization Science. 16(4), 409-421