Strategic Change Management Practices Within Teachers Service Commission-kenya

Abstract

Organizational change is about making alteration to the organizations purpose, culture, structure and processes in response to seen anticipated changes in the environment. Strategic management is all about identifying and embedding in the organization those changes that will ensure the long-term survival in the organization. Globalization of the world economies has resulted in high environmental unpredictability. Environmental changes such as advancement in information technological innovations, political, social and consumer behavior have affected many organizations and they are being force to enhance their business processes in order to survive in an environment which has become very competitive. Organizations are undertaking strategic changes in order to align their business strategies to the environment and match the resources and activities of an organization to that of the environment. One of the key priorities of the Kenyan Government is to implement and institutionalize public sector reforms that would lead to an efficient, effective and ethical delivery of service to Kenyan citizen.TSC is one of the government corporations that has been affected by the reform and has been responding depending on the demands of the changes being introduced. The research project was carried out in Teachers Service Commission of Kenya which has been affected by the changes in the environment just like any other organization. This paper provides a background of the study and discusses change management strategy and strategic change. The paper provides a situational contextual analysis of the TSC and the statement of the problem at the same time highlighting the purpose of the study. The purpose of the study was to establish strategic change management practices and also to understand the challenges that are face during implementation of changes.The paper reviews literature on change management, strategies and strategic change, followed by challenges faced in the implementation of change. The literature review discuses issues to deal with change management practices, strategy and strategic change, challenges faced in\implementing change, institutionalization of change and resistance to change. Using primary data collected from the senior managers in TSC, the paper discuses the findings after the data was analyzed focusing on the following areas; creation of urgency for change, vision for change, implementation of change, change awareness creation, strategy for change for change, structure for change implementation, plans for change management, impact of changes to the organization, institutionalization of change and finally, factors affecting implementation of change. Finally the study draws conclusion, suggestions and recommendation that would contribute to high success in change management. In addition the paper highlights areas for further research relating to change management.