| Course | BUS 400 Driving Business Opportunities |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 6 |
| Paper type | undergraduate discussion post on stakeholder support for a new business initiative |
| Length | About 370 words, 3 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Program | BS Business Administration |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for BUS 400 Module 6
Module Six Discussion
The Head Grower and the Category Manager
The greenhouse's family approved the herb room after the pilot. Two people, though, could quietly undermine it. The head grower has run the lettuce operation for nineteen years and trained most of the staff. She was cool toward the pilot and told the family's son that if the lettuce had been good enough, they would not need herbs. The second is the category manager at the largest grocery customer, which takes about 45 percent of the greenhouse's lettuce. When he heard about the herb room, he asked whether his stores would be shorted when the greenhouse is stretched during a January cold snap.
Oreg (2006) found that resistance to change reflects both personality and context, and that context, especially trust in management, the amount of information people receive and how much they are involved, strongly shapes how people respond. The head grower's resistance is mostly context. No one asked her opinion before the pilot, and the herb specialist was described as reporting to the son. To her, the room looks like a verdict on her work. That concern is partly mistaken, since the herb room responds to grocery price pressure, but her loss of standing would be real if the plan proceeded as described.
Kotter (2012) argues that change succeeds when leaders form a guiding coalition with enough credibility to carry others. The head grower is the most credible person in the greenhouse. I would ask her to lead the hiring of the herb specialist, have the specialist report to her and put her name on the quality standard for the new crops. Edmondson (1999) found that people speak up and learn when they feel safe, and giving her real authority invites her expertise rather than her silence.
The category manager's concern is reasonable on the facts: a cold snap stretches heat and labor. A written supply guarantee, committing to his weekly lettuce volume with priority over herbs in any shortage, addresses it directly and costs little because the herb room has its own climate system.
For classmates: which of these two do you think is harder to win over, the long-serving employee or the large customer, and why?
References
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Oreg, S. (2006). Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 15(1), 73-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320500451247
What the BUS 400 Module 6 instructions ask for
The Module Six discussion in BUS 400 usually asks how to gain support for a new opportunity from stakeholders such as employees, customers, investors or partners. A strong post identifies specific stakeholders, explains why each might resist, draws on research about resistance to change and leadership of change, and proposes steps that address each group's actual concerns. It recognizes that resistance often has reasonable causes and can be informative. Replies can test whether a classmate's proposed step would actually change the stakeholder's mind. Many versions ask you to consider both internal stakeholders, such as staff, and external ones, such as customers or lenders. Be ready to explain what each stands to lose.
How this BUS 400 Module 6 discussion example is built
The post identifies two stakeholders: the head grower, who built the greenhouse's lettuce operation over nineteen years and sees the herb room as a sign the family doubts her, and the category manager at the largest grocery customer, who fears the greenhouse will divert heat and labor to herbs during cold snaps and short his stores. Using research showing that resistance stems from both personality and the context of change, including trust and how much people are involved, and a model of change that stresses building a guiding coalition, it proposes that the grower help hire and supervise the herb specialist and that the grocer receive a written supply guarantee. It asks classmates which group would be harder to win.
Where the BUS 400 Module 6 rubric puts the points
Marking on this thread typically looks at identification of stakeholders and their concerns, use of change research, quality of the proposed steps, insight about resistance and engagement. Strong posts treat resistance as information, tailor steps to each stakeholder's concern and connect them to research. Posts that recommend better communication in general, or that dismiss resistance as stubbornness, earn less. Replies that test a proposed step against what the stakeholder actually cares about add the most. Instructors also look for steps that give stakeholders a real role rather than only information. A post that cites research accurately and applies it to one person's situation tends to stand out.
BUS 400 Module 6 help: the mistakes that cost points
Posts about stakeholder support often recommend explaining the benefits more clearly. Ask instead what each stakeholder stands to lose and whether that loss is real. A long-serving employee may lose status; a customer may face real supply risk. Design steps that address those losses, such as giving the employee a role or the customer a guarantee. Use research to explain why involvement and trust matter. Wrap up by having classmates name the harder stakeholder to win and say why. If a stakeholder's worry is factually reasonable, say so and address it with something concrete, such as a guarantee or a role.
Get BUS 400 Module 6 written to your instructions
Send the BUS 400 Module 6 prompt. The post will look at the people who might resist a real initiative, use research on change and propose concrete steps for each. About two days; a first post is free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.
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BUS 400 Module 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free BUS 400 Module 6 Discussion sample?
This page includes the full BUS 400 Module 6 post on winning staff and customer support for a greenhouse's herb room.
Why do employees resist new initiatives?
Because of personal dispositions and, often more importantly, the context: lack of trust, little involvement, fear of losing status or workload and doubts about the change's merits.
How can leaders reduce resistance to change?
By involving people early, addressing their specific concerns, building a coalition of respected supporters and showing early results.
Should a business tell customers about a new initiative?
When the initiative could affect them, such as by competing for capacity, telling them early with specific assurances usually protects trust.
What is a guiding coalition?
A group of people with enough credibility, expertise and authority to lead a change effort, often including respected figures who were initially skeptical.