In the case of News Corp, those who excel in change related initiatives could be rewarded and recognized going forward. Building on Change/Consolidation of Gains

Here, quick wins should be taken as a beginning and not as an end. Hence in a way, victory must not be declared before the whole change process is over. When it comes to News Corp, efforts could be undertaken to ensure that each success or failure is taken as an opportunity to learn.

Institutionalization of New Approaches

Lastly, change should and must be made to stick. Hence effectively, change should be made part and parcel of the organization by anchoring the same on the corporate culture. In regard to News Corp, to embed change on the culture of the organization, efforts may be undertaken to ensure that change is seen in every aspect of what is done within the organization.

Leader Role, Style and Skills Required

According to Hiatt and Creasey (2003), change is taken to be a process and hence in that regard, its implementation does not take place in a single phase or moment. The authors further note that the role of a leader in this case should hence be visible throughout the change process. One of the key roles of a leader in the change process is the identification of threats and opportunities. Indeed, it is through the identification of the various threats and opportunities to the change process that a leader adjusts the course of the process so as to mitigate failure. Secondly, it remains the role of a leader in this case to a put together a change team that will help in the management of the change initiative. Further, the creation of the change vision as well as the communication of the need for change remain two duties of the leader as far as the change process is concerned. Also, it may be noted that the leader may be required to ensure that progress is directed in stages so that the end results can be seen to be more realistic. Lastly, it is upon the leader to ensure that progress is rewarded and empowered.

For leaders to be able to see the change process to its conclusive end, they should also possess certain skills and capabilities. The skills in this case could include but may not be limited to superior communication and negotiation skills. Further, leaders in this case should have superior persuasion skills and the ability to work as part of a larger team. The ability to motivate and influence individuals towards the accomplishment of goals in this case is another plus on the part of the leader. When it comes to the specific style, I am of the opinion that the leader in this scenario should have a democratic or participative leadership style as opposed to the other leadership styles i.e. autocratic and delegative. The democratic or participative leadership style is common with those leaders who seek and incorporate the opinions...

I am of the opinion that this is the most appropriate leadership style based on the need to motivate employees to act as change agents.
Barriers to Success and the Plan for Overcoming Them

In my own opinion, limited resources may act as a barrier to success in this case. According to Mills, Dye and Mills, (2008), even after the need for change is established or identified, the lack of resources may end up frustrating the change process. Indeed, insufficient resources may force managers to resort to mediocrity in their quest for change. One way of overcoming this impediment could be through effective planning prior to launching the change process. The other barrier to success in this case is lack of motivation. Should this barrier be overcome by motivating employees and all those affected by change in one way or the other, the change process could have enhanced chances of succeeding. Another significant impediment to success in this case could be failure to come to the realization that change is indeed necessary. Mills, Dye and Mills, (2008) are of the opinion that many change initiatives fail to succeed as a result of people not seeing the need for change. This can however be addressed by ensuring that each and every individual recognizes both the urgency and need for change. Lastly, another impediment to success in my own opinion is opposition from those whose interests are threatened by the imminent change. Mills, Dye and Mills, (2008) propose building powerful coalitions as one of the ways of overcoming this impediment

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be noted that though change is a necessity in some cases so as to ensure that the organization remains relevant in a competitive marketplace; its adoption, management and coordination is not easy. With this in mind, restructuring and reengineering the organization by instituting the necessary changes remains an uphill task for most leaders. However, to be able to effectively manage and handle change, leaders must first understand the nature of problems they face and based on this understanding embrace the appropriate change model based on the particulars of the organization under consideration.

References

Hiatt, J. & Creasey, T.J. (2003). Change Management: The People Side of Change. Prosci.

Mills, H., Dye, K. Mills, A.J. (2008). Understanding Organizational Change. Taylor and Francis.

Pulley, B. (2011, May 5). News Corp. Profit Drops 24% as Film Sales Fail to Measure UP to 'Avatar'. Retrieved October 20th, 2011, from Bloomberg website: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-04/news-corp-s-third-quarter-earnings-decline-24-on-falling-movie-revenue.html

Shapiro, A. (2010). Creating Contagious Commitment: Applying the Tipping Point to Organizational Change, (2nd Edition). Andrea Shapiro.