| dc.description.abstract | Strategic change management is the use of systematic methods to ensure that an
organization change can be guided in the planned direction, conducted in a cost effective
manner and completed within the targeted time frame and with the desired results. This
perspective views change management as a process. Change management is a structured
and systematic approach to achieving a sustained change in human behavior within an
organization. This views change management from people’s perspective. Strategic
change has become a constant phenomenon which must be attended to and managed
properly if an organization is to survive. Changes in technology, the marketplace,
information systems, the global economy, social values, workforce demographics and the
political environment have a significant effect on the processes, products and services
produced. The culmination of these forces has resulted in an external environment that is
dynamic, unpredictable, demanding and often devastating to those organizations which
are unprepared or unable to respond. While organizational change is a constant
experience, knowledge and awareness about many of the critical issues involved in the
management of such change is often lacking in those responsible for its progress. Clearly
if banks in Kenya are ever to experience a greater level of success in their development
efforts, managers and other staff need to have a better framework for thinking about
change and an understanding of the key issues which accompany strategic change
management. All organizations are currently undergoing some type of change. Many of
these change programmes arise from organized management strategies such as culture
change, business process reengineering, empowerment and total quality. Other change
initiatives are driven by the need for organizations to reposition themselves in the face of
changing competitive conditions. Strategic change often involves radical transitions
within an organization and encompasses strategy, structure, systems, processes and
culture (Drucker, 2004). The track record of success in bringing about strategic change
within most organizations has been poor in most organizations since many fail to grasp
that they are performing an implementation which actually means turning plans into
reality rather than formulation. The various attempts to improve on performance resulted
in the mushrooming of alternative approaches and strategies to deliver services.
However, despite the efforts by the banks to employ new approaches and strategies it has
failed to manage the proposed strategic changes to yield expected results to enable it
improve its service delivery to the expectations of stakeholders. This study therefore
established leadership attributes and management of strategic change at commercial
banks in Kenya. | en |
