Strategic Change Management Practices Adopted by World Agroforestry Centre (Icraf) in Kenya

Abstract

The ability of organizations to manage and survive change is becoming increasingly important in an environment where competition and globalization of markets are ever intensifying. This study investigated strategic change management practices at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). The objective of the study was to establish strategic change management practices adopted by ICRAF and to determine the challenges faced by ICRAF in managing strategic change. The research design employed in this study was case study method. Primary data was collected using interview guides. The collected data from the interview guides was analyzed using content analysis. The paper provides a situational contextual analysis of the ICRAF and the statement of the problem. Due to external forces ICRAF adopted a new strategy to align itself with the CGIAR reforms on the following areas, CGIAR Research Programmes (CRPs), new strategy to influence some of the CGIAR reform thinking, ICRAF had many new partners and staff recruited since the last staff strategy who didn’t feel much ownership of it, ICRAF had a new senior leadership team with new strategic thinking, new donors private sector and foundations that was best approached with a refreshed strategy. Using primary data collected from the senior managers in ICRAF, the paper discuses the findings after the data was analyzed focusing on the following areas; procedure and design of the strategic change review process, communication process and level of engagement of employees, monitoring and evaluation of the adoption process of change, level of external stakeholder’s involvement in the adoption of change, role of the senior leadership team in the adoption of change, challenges of adopting strategic change management. 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 related to change management.