Business Process

 

GB560-1: Improve the impact of business processes on organizational performance.

Apply one of the models from either the Capability Maturing Model (CMM) or the Kotter 8-Step Model from the Learning Activity to address a business process change needed at the organization of your choice. You will also apply Porter’s 3-phase process from the Learning Activity to suggest a strategy and steps to be taken in each phase.

Prepare your original Business Process Change in a Word document using APA format. Use the Writing Center accessed through the Academic Tools area of the course by selecting Academic Success Center. You can also consult APA tutorial located in the Academic Tools area as well.

Please note that you will need to obtain sources specific to the industry and/or organization selected. In other words, it is your responsibility to ensure you have access to the information required for this Assignment and that you do not share any proprietary information regarding your organization.

Checklist:

• Select one industry from those recommended below and then choose one of the types of organizations provided for that industry. Select an existing company in that industry or the company for which you work (Note: Do not share any confidential information.) and do some research. Then choose a business process change at that company you might propose and address the checklist items (a) through (f).-Medical Care: Hospital; retirement homes
  -Manufacturing: Cars; modular housing; home office furniture
  -Service Industry: Cleaning services; transportation
  -The organization for which you work. (Be careful not to share proprietary information.)

(a) Provide the name of the organization. This must be a real organization and you may use the organization where you currently work. It is your responsibility to ensure you have access to the information required for this project and that you do not share any proprietary information regarding your organization. You can use public organizations if you are concerned about proprietary information.

(b) Describe the organization’s size (i.e., locations, divisions, employees) and summarize the primary mission and vision of the organization. Do not simply copy from the organization’s mission or vision statements.

(c) From your research of the organization, identify and explain a single business process change that the organization will need to undertake in the coming year. The change can result from new technologies, economic issues, or changes in the marketplace.

(d) Utilizing either (1) the Capability Maturing Model (CMM) or (2) the Kotter 8 Step Model from the Learning Activity, briefly outline needed changes at each of the stages.

     -Explain how using the chosen business process will improve organizational performance.

(e) Evaluate Porter’s three-phase process (page 29, figure 2.1 and also see the Learning Activity) for defining a company strategy, and create a simple chart of the recommended change addressing issues in each phase.

(f) Use

APA format and citation style

and demonstrate consistency in the body of the paper, indenting paragraphs, proper margins, citations, and references. You should use 5 references for this paper properly cited and referenced using APA format and citation style.

Please complete this paper on Kaplan Higher Education

 Michelle, it does appear that you have read the module announcements.  The selected organization is appropriate, but the process selected for analysis is not suitable and the paper is not correctly formatted to adhere to directions.   

Please make corrections for the items indicated in red.

GB 560 Modular, M1-M2
Designing, Improving, and Implementing Processes
Term 2007D

October – December 2020

DR. JERRY HAENISCH, PhD, P.E.

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Overview
UNIT 1 SEMINAR
Introduction
Course Elements
Process Improvement Assignments
General Tips and Advice
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
GB 560
Dr. Jerry Haenisch
jhaenisch@PurdueGlobal.edu
GB 560 Course Virtual Office
Teaching Philosophy — Help students to succeed, always.
Office
Home Phone: 307-742-8542
Mountain Time Zone
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

Introduction
GB 560 Designing, Improving, and Implementing Processes
2007D Term: Wed, 28 Oct – 8 Dec 2020
The course pace is fast, but steady with work in each module.
The process analysis assignments will illustrate new techniques and principles in each module.
You MUST complete prior modules before being allowed to enter the next subsequent module.
Purdue University Global | GB 560
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Process Analysis Assignments
Each module will have a different assignment or case study that illustrates process change and analysis techniques.
Follow the directions carefully for each assignment and review the grading rubric for details of what must be included for full points.
Each assignment will incorporate material from the text book, so it is very important to read the chapters before starting the assignment.
Do NOT copy any material directly from online sources.
At least five valid reference sources are required for each CA assignment in this entire course.
Purdue University Global | GB
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

Process Analysis Assignments (Cont.)
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Address EVERY element described in the assignment directions.
Use the checklist items as headings in your paper. Use the template provided in the announcements to help with the APA style rules.
Include a cover page and a formal reference list page with each submission. List at least five valid reference sources with each Module’s assignment submission. A “valid” reference source is one from the text book, a journal article, an article from a business magazine (Forbes, Fortune, Inc, Entrepreneur, the Economist, Business Week, WSJ), but NOT from a blog site, a newspaper article, a consumer or popular magazine, a news release, a web site, any social media, or Wikipedia.
Include a graphic element, chart, or diagram in EVERY CA assignment. Reflect material from the course textbook.

Purdue University Global | GB 560

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Assignment (M1)
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Select and briefly describe the organization you have selected. Follow the criteria listed in the assignment directions.
  Do NOT use any of the following companies as your foundation organization, select different organizations.  WalMart, Publix (or any other similar food retail store), Rent-A-Center, IKEA, AT&T, Lowes, Best Buy, Verizon, Sprint, Time Warner, or Apple. In addition, do not use any material directly copied from online sources in your responses to the project questions for this course.  
Select a business (work) process for analysis such as selling something, creating, preparing, maintaining, or assembling something, quality evaluation, customer service actions, logistics or transportation of materials, resource management, etc.
DO NOT select a one-time event, policy, project, or task, rather pick an ongoing work process comprised of actions and steps performed by people within the organization. [Creating a web site or purchasing app is NOT an ongoing business process. Neither is buying or building a facility. Changing policies or strategies are NOT suitable work processes.]
 

Purdue University Global | GB 560

Assignment (M1, cont.)
 Select a work process that has concrete, tangible starting and ending points. A work process is something people do in their daily jobs. It is not a one-time effort or project. It is not a condition or situation, but a series of actions that result in a specific desired outcome for that person’s effort. 
 Do not try to save the world with a grand process to fix health care or change the tax system. Do NOT attempt to analyze and change the management system of an organization. Do NOT try to analyze issues like “morale”, strategic planning”, or “pay and benefits”. Do NOT suggest installation or use of a new software program. Those are not suitable work processes for analysis in this course.  Keep your selection of processes simple and real for analysis using process evaluation tools. 
Apply the five stages of the CMM approach to your process. Or, use Kotter’s 8-step model to analyze the process. Indicate how your plan will improve and standardize the work process. Tell who will do what to implement each step or level of the model you apply. Describe the concrete actions to be taken in each stage or step to reflect your grasp of the technique. [You will find it very useful to complete the learning activities prior to each assignment.]
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

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Assignment (M1, cont.)
Evaluate how Porter’s three phase model can be applied to your selected process change. Write a narrative to describe the contents of the model shown in the graphic elements. [Follow the directions carefully and provide a chart or boxes to show the model. Pay particular attention to the environmental scan and suggested changes sections of the model. Be detailed and precise! Relate the model to the work process change you selected] [Porter’s model is discussed in Chapter 2 of Harmon (2014)]
Be sure to reflect the language and models as discussed in the text. Demonstrate that you grasp the meaning of each approach.
Add a reference page to the assignment containing at least five (5) valid sources in correct APA format. [At least five sources are required for each week’s assignment. You may use the same sources each module, if appropriate, or replace some with new sources, as needed. The course textbook is always a valid source.]
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Assignment (M2)
Below are the details of the tasks for the M2 CA Assignment:
Your assessment assignment is to apply Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) concepts to enable a business process change to occur based on your chosen scenario from the topics below.
Choose one of the following topics:
A retirement home wants to acquire self-drive vehicles to enable their elderly residents to shop around the corner from the retirement home.
A Hospice Care facility wants to introduce robots to converse with patients and relay and complete simple patient requests.
A building manufacturer wants to institute virtual reality tours in 3D for clients coming into their offices to save on gas and time.
You can identify a business process change at your current or former employer. You will be responsible for maintaining the organizational information confidential.
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

Assignment (M2, cont)
Checklist:
Select one specific activity to be performed within the process change and explain the process (Ex: For a rebranding of a toothpaste you might specify the marketing process used to determine how to repackage the product.)
Explain where that selected activity would be performed within the organization and who would perform the task and how they would manage it, measure it, and evaluate task completion. Make sure you separate out the information requested. Do not place the information in a large block paragraph. Use subheadings to guide your work.
In a separate section, delineate and describe the differences between measuring human performance and task completion. [Reflect the factors listed in Chapter 10 of the course textbook, (Harmon, 2014).]
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

Assignment (M2, cont)
Checklist:
Describe how Six Sigma would be used to evaluate, measure, and encourage continuous improvement concerning the scenario topic you chose. [Six sigma is best applied to ongoing work processes, it is NOT suitable for one-time projects.] Tell who will do what to implement the method (Harmon, 2014, Chapter 12).
Provide an original fishbone diagram that addresses one risk, a potential defect, or a problem that may result from the change which may impact goal attainment. Describe the diagram’s meaning in a narrative.
In a separate section, discuss the use and value of the fishbone diagram as a visual representation for process analysis in general.
Your response to these questions should be in an essay format with correct spelling and grammar and 3–5 pages in length not including a title page and references page. Your Word document should follow APA format and citation style using standard English and correct spelling and grammar.
As usual, at least five reference sources are required!
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Purdue University Global | GB 560

Example Reference Format
A reflective journal is a personal record of your learning experiences; no references are needed. It is a space where you, the learner, can record and reflect upon your own observations with the ultimate goal to explore, think, and analyze.
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Fournies, F. F. (2000). Coaching for improved work performance. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Haenisch, J. P. (2012, March 13). Factors affecting the productivity of government workers. Sage Open Journal 2(1). DOI: 10.1177/2158244012441603
Harmon, P. (2014). Business process change: A business process management guide for managers and process professionals, (3rd ed.). Elsevier
Owen, K. O. &  Dietz, A. S. (2012, October 23). Understanding organizational reality: Concepts for the change leader. Sage Open Journal 2(4). http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/2/4/2158244012461922
Saladis, F. P. & Kerzner, H. (2011). Bringing the PMBOK guide to life: A companion for the practicing project manager. [pdf of e-book]. Wiley. https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/eds/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzQxMDU2MV9fQU41?sid=069c4837-91e6-40f3-843d-fec15b88b7db@pdc-v-sessmgr06&vid=0&format=EB&rid=16
Taylor, F. W. (1911). The principles of scientific management. New York: Harper & Brothers.  https://books.google.com/books?id=HoJMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=false

Purdue University Global | GB 560

Running head: PUT THE TITLE HEADING HERE IN ALL CAPS 1

TITLE HEADER IN ALL CAPS

2

[Delete all the guidance in red from this template when you use the format.]

[Cover Page format]

The Title of the Report

Assignment Number or Unit

Student Name

Purdue University Global

GB 560 Modular – Designing, Improving, and Implementing Processes

Instructor’s Name

Date

Title of the Report

[Write your report from here. Do not use a heading called “Introduction” since that is not used in the APA format. The first section is always considered to be the introduction, so no heading is needed. For a scenario analysis, provide a brief overview of the scenario situation and background. Establish a foundation for your analysis of the situation or topic.

Do not add extra space between paragraphs or sections. Double space only.

This template is already APA formatted: 1” margins, ½” new paragraph indents, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, title page, headers with page numbers, left justified, double spaced, and with a separate references page. When using references in your paper to support your content, be sure to apply the APA in-text reference citation format.

Any item listed on the references page must also be applied and cited within the paper. The citation name and the reference listing must match exactly. If you include verbatim quotes, put them within quotation marks, cite the reference and include a page number. (However, avoid using quotes, if possible.) If using internet resources, be sure they are reliable (for example, Wikipedia is unacceptable, as are most newspaper reports, blog posts, social media info, and web advertising.) and use the APA formatting for internet references. Never copy any material from online sources without indicating the exact source and enclosing the material in quote marks. If you state a fact, provide a reference entry. Avoid including quotes in most academic papers. State the facts in your own words, and use quotes only for very unique or special information.

Avoid using the pronouns: you, your, we, our, and us in academic papers. The readers may not wish to be so cloely involved in the topic. In reflective papers or essays you may certainly use first person, “I” to express your own opinion or ideas..

Include section headers to help organize the report. For papers in GB 560, you can use the main topics from the assignments. Do not add extra space before or after headings. Double space everything and only double space. Note that the paper’s header, the title of the paper on the cover page, and the main title heading on the first page should all be exactly the same.

First topic heading

Second topic heading

Most papers have a conclusion so the following section would be included.]

Conclusion

[A conclusion is a recap of a paper and should not include new information. The references are listed on a final, separate page as shown below.]

References

[The reference list should contain at least 5 valid sources. Avoid use of blogs, newspaper articles, commercial magazines, whitepapers, online news or informational sites, Wikipedia, or other non-authoritative sites, unless highly relevant to your topic.]

Harmon, P. (2014). Business process change: A business process management guide for managers and process professionals, (3rd ed.). Elsevier

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Note: if you were to apply and cite references within your paper, you would use this References page. If you were to apply and cite a textbook, how to format it using APA style is included above.

Note: References should be listed in alphabetical order.

Note: If you were to have more than one reference, you would NOT add an extra line space between the references

Note: the formatting for margins on this page indents the word wrap ½”

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Note: all APA line spacing must be set as follows:

Go to Page Layout

Go to “Spacing”

See the settings area:

Before = 0

After = 0

Check the box “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style”

The U-Tube video in the link below may be useful for you to use the APA format for reports. Give it a view.
After you click on the link, click to “Open this content in a new window.”

You may also adapt the APA template above to use as the format for your reports

Delete all of the red font and the directions included within this template before you submit your paper. The following pages should be copied to another document if you wish to use this one as report template. The following is a handy checklist for the APA format rules.

The checklist below addresses common errors in entries of Reference sources in assignments and discussion threads. Obtain and review the
APA Publication Manual (7th ed.). It will be a great help to you.

 If you see the first name of the author, the ref entry is NOT in APA format. If no author is given, it is correct to place the article title in the author position.

 If the date in parentheses does not follow the authors’ names, the entry is NOT in APA format.

 If the article or book title is in title capitalization, the entry is NOT in APA format. Use sentence caps (only the first word, proper names and words following a colon have caps.)

 If there is no publication name entered following the article or book title, the entry is NOT in APA format. [Look in the APA Manual for directions, examples, and insights about specific types of ref entries. Note especially how to correctly indicate the volume, issue, and page numbers for journal entries. Vol. Issue, No, and page word indicators are NOT to be used.]

 If the article title is in quote marks, all caps, or italics, the entry is NOT in correct APA format. Book titles should be in italics.

 The newest version of APA rules does not require a “Retrieved on DATE” entry for online sources, rather the entry is “Retrieved from url of the online source location.”

 Article titles, blog titles, and web site article titles are not entered in italics, only formal publications (Books, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc.) and actual web site names are in italics.

 When in doubt, look for an example of the type of source you are using in the APA Manual.

BUSINESS

PROCESS

BUSINESS PROCESS

Business Process

Module 1

Michelle Freeman

Purdue University Global

GB 560 Modular – Designing, Improving, and the Implementation Processes

Professor, Jerry Haenisch

November 10, 2020

Business Process

The business processes influence the performance of an organization or an industry and the situation imply that businesses have to come up with effective processes that will be involved in the operations so that performance might be enhanced. At times, industries or organizations will have to change their business processes that might be required to change and this is all meant to ensure that the performance of the organization has been enhanced. These initiatives are designed to affect change and help people accept and adapt (

Change

Management: Definition, Best Practices & Examples, 2020). The other important thing to realize is that this change in the business process might be explained by applying certain models such as the Kotter’s eight-step model or even the Capability Maturing Model depending on the Model that will be highly suited for the presented situation. Therefore, this discussion examines the application of Kotter’s 8-steps model in analyzing a change in the business processes at Kaplan Higher Education.

a. The name of the organization

Kaplan Higher Education is the intended organization for analysis as far as the discussion under consideration is concerned. It is an international organization that is involved in providing educational services. It is also a long-time leader organization when it comes to the adult education and it has also managed to create a new, but public institution known as Purdue University Global. This organization is tailored toward adult education for students. It opens doors to the adults that need a lot of flexibility in fitting the learning aspect to their daily and busy lives. As a result, the University has made it possible or has created an opportunity for the adults to achieve a high-quality education that is availed by this institution. Many of the courses and online programs that are availed by this University include associate, bachelor, graduate degree programs as well as certificate programs. The university also offers doctoral degrees and even certificates that are availed in this institution.

b. Description of the size of the organization

Various instances or aspects are important or might be used for describing the size of this organization. One of them is the location of the organization, its divisions and also the employees as well as the mission and vision of the above organization. Regarding the location of this institution, it is important to realize that its headquarters is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and it also has support centers that are situated in Orlando as well as Chicago. It is a mission-driven institution and has highly respected services in education and offers an array of support services for enabling education acquisition. The essential divisions include the Kaplan Higher Education as the main institution, the Kaplan International and also the Kaplan Test Preparatory. The firm is a large organization with approximately 9100 employees, and this makes it rank third among its top ten competitors. The mission of this institution is to help adult learners achieve their education and career goals with one success story at a time (Kaplan, Inc, 2020). Through Purdue University Global previously known as Kaplan University the vison is to create a learning platform that is tailored to adults and enable them to achieve their educational and career goals with the support and flexibility necessary.

c. Identification of the business process change needed to be undertaken

It is important to realize that before indicating the business process change which this organization needs to implement in the coming year, it is essential to examine some of the business processes undertaken in this institution. They include administration of the institution, various operations of the organization, procurement, management of information and data, infrastructure, information security as well as customer service.

One of the business processes change that needs to be implemented would be the daily reports. Currently, the organization relies on manual data entry which involves multiple steps and hand-offs between stakeholders to collect data. The purpose of the reports is to provide daily projections for students to be enrolled as well as to provide stability indication for students already enrolled. The reports help to determine where students are in the process allowing advisors as well as management to make accurate projections. The data for these reports are imputed by each advisor individually and some are transferred from report to report. Advisors a well as managers spend numerous hours daily updating and reviewing these reports which create inefficiencies. The organization needs to create a more automated internal workflow which will aid in the organization running more efficiently and improve operational performance.

Typically, these internal workflow platforms exist as WAS (workforce automated software) to automate the monotonous and tedious processes such as Salesforce. This is the platform that is currently being used by the organization for interactions but not fully utilized for reports. It could produce all of the same reports being generated manually within the organization. In today’s marketplace, it is important to realize that certain administrative processes reliant on manual data entry, multiple steps, and physical hand-offs between stakeholders results in time lags and data entry errors (ProcessMaker, 2019). The overall implication of the situation is that the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization will be improved if change is implemented.

d. The use of Kotter’s eight -step model in outlining the change

As realized from the learning activity, Kotter’s eight step model is the appropriate one for outlining the changes that will be required at every stage in the implementation of the anticipated change. The model consists of eight key steps. The first step of the process will entail creating a sense of urgency and in this step, Kotter has revealed that for a change to be realized, the entire company must want the change. Therefore, the essential activity that will be carried out in this step will be informing individuals about the need for having this technological change in the entire processes of the organization. This is done by the Admission’s Director emailing all of the specific details to a group called 4 Minutes of Fame to start the initial process.

The second step is forming a powerful coalition and as per Kotter, people will have to be convinced that this change is necessary. In this case, the information for the submitted recomendtion is reviewed by a group of leaders. This is done using a combination of a brief presentation and a Q&A session.

The third step will entail creating a vision for a change. As per Kotter, the step will entail determining the values central to this change and also creating the strategy and vision of executing and implementing the change. Once the change is determined to be valuable to the organization and is approved by executive leadership it is then sent to the project team for implementation.

In the fourth step, the vision created in the third step will be communicated. In this case, meetings do not have to be called to communicate the vision. Instead, leaders will have to communicate the need for implementing this change whenever an opportunity arises, (The 8-Step Process for Leading Change | Dr. John, 2020). At Kaplan this is usually communicated by the chief executive officer through email. Anxieties such as loss of jobs after implementing the technology will have to be addressed and any anxiety also needs to be addressed not only openly but also honestly by the department managers.

In the fifth step, obstacles will be eliminated and this will include looking at the potential sources of funds to acquire the necessary reports as this is one of the key obstacles. Enough resources will be identified and availed that will acquire the data and the personnel entrusted with making sure that the change becomes a success.

In the sixth step, short-term wins will be created and this is where the supplier of the software programs will be identified, given the contract to supply the data, install and also run the system and this is something that can be achieved. Associate and Directors of the Admission department will dissiminate the imformtion of how the new process will be implemented and how the advisors will benefit. Once the change is implemented the wins will be realized by Kaplan Higher Education because the company will have a more efficient process for producing reports and by the advisors who will spend less time filling in reports and more time contacting student.

The seventh step will entail building on the change and according to Kotter, this change needs to be gradual and the one that will be hard to notice. As an example, the other stakeholders such as the admissions leafership team will be informed and introduced to online business processes by the project team.

The eighth step will entail incorporating the change into the culture of the organization, (The 8-Step Process for Leading Change | Dr. John, 2020). As an example, the incoming students will be fully served electronically while the company will be trying to deal with those stakeholders that had been existing and this becomes a part of the culture of the institution. The chosen business process will enable in improving the performance of the organization by enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of the firm and this will reduce the costs incurred in dealing with losses or redoing certain business process after it has been done incorrectly. In other words, internal workflow platforms are highly effective and efficient in running the operations of the institution.

Evaluation of Potter’s three-phase process.

The three-phase process entail three key steps in the implementation of the change and they include determining the company’s current position, what is changing in the environment and what the company should do next (Harmon, 2014). Therefore, by looking at the above three phases, an effective chart might be created concerning the manner that Kaplan Higher Education might go about in implementing the change. [The description below does not reflect the contents of each analysis phase of Porter’s model as described and illustrated in Chapter 2 of the course textbook, Harmon (2014). 1. What is being done now? Why? 2. Conduct an environmentatl scan. 3. What should be done to improve the present process?]

Activity	Major considerations	Time frame
Current	Creating the perception that a change is needed. Looking at the areas that require such a change. Identifying the potential sources of such changes.	2 months
Changing	Kaplan Higher Education will be able to generate reports directly from Salesforce, changing the way data is collected. Implementing, testing and running the system in the organization	3 months
Change	Kaplan Higher Education will incorporate the system into its culture.	Approximately 5 months.

Bearing all the above information in mind, it is important to argue that the business process of an organization, in this case, Kaplan Higher Education, determines the performance of such an organization. However, the business processes may require a change or an adjustment so that the performance of the involved firm might even be enhanced further. For instance, Kaplan Higher Education will have to ensure that all its processes have been carried out electronically and this will further ensure that the performance of the organization will be more efficient and effective. The above change in the business processes might be better understood by applying the Kotter’s eight-step model and Potter’s three phase strategy as it has been discussed in the body above.

References [Double space only. Revise capitalization of titles to fit the APA format rules. Do not show article or web page titles in italics. Do NOT include blogs as ref sources.]

Change Management: Definition, Best Practices & Examples. (2020, April 16). Snarp. https://blog.smarp.com/change-management-definition-best-practices-examples

Harmon, P. (2014). Business process change: A business process management guide for managers and process professionals, (3rd ed.). Elsevier

Kaplan, Inc. (2020, January 29). Overview. Kaplan. https://kaplan.com/about-us-overview/#:%7E:text=We%20help%20adult%20learners%20return,and%20opportunities%20for%20career%20advancement.

ProcessMaker. (2019, December 9). How Business Process Management Enhances Distance Learning. https://www.processmaker.com/blog/how-business-process-management-enhances-distance-learning/

The 8-Step Process for Leading Change | Dr. John. (2020, November 5). Kotter. https://www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-process-for-leading-change/

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