Strategic change management practices at Municipal council of Kiambu

Abstract

This research was designed to investigate into the management of strategic change at Ki~bu Municipal Council. The study .sought to achieve two objectives. The first objective was to establish strategic change' management practices at Kiambu municipal council, and the second was to determine the factors influencing the management of strategic change at the council. To achieve these objectives, the study was carried out through personal interviews using an interview guide in which senior level management of the council were targeted. The findings of the study showed that the council has undertaken both structural and strategic changes. Both changes were necessary in order to for the council to' ,be efficient and effective in service delivery and bring about transparency and accountability in running the affairs of the council. The changes involved the adoption of strategic planning, putting in place a new top management team, coming up with customer service charter, having a formal organizational structure in place, installing an ICT system, refurbishing the council library, and having cultural transformation within the council. In undertaking both the strategic and structural changes at the council, the study established that various change management practices were adopted. These include extensive adoption of business planning at departmental and sectional levels, restructuring and/or, redesigning of the departments and sections, spearheading • cultural transformation in the various departments and divisions/sections, instituting a performance management system, career development programmes, adoption of performance improvement strategies, and encouraging the spirit of collaboration and coordination among departments and departmental members. Further, the , management of change at the council was influenced b~ such factors as the new top management team and new employees into the council, the general change of attitude by the employees and the civic wing, government directives/initiatives, and technological developments among others. The study findings led to a conclusion that most of the changes at Kiambu municipal council were both deliberate and necessary. The changes at the council were

necessitated by the need for the council to be efficient and effective in service delivery, and the need for transparency and accountability. As a result, the changes targeted areas that would lead to the desired efficiency and effectiveness in undertaking the council's core business. The areas include information technology, licensing, rates, contracting, revenue collection, staff training, placement and motivation, cleanliness and sanitation, environmental management, street lighting,and road maintenance and construction among others.