Organisational culture change at Kenya Power And Lighting Company Limited

Abstract

Flexibility in organizational culture enables an organization to easily adapt to the changes in the environment. Due to dynamic environment, globalization and competition, it is important to align the organization culture. Organizational culture is either critical variable, which emphasis a perceptive dimension or root metaphor, emphasizes culture as something organization ‘is’ which is negotiated and not observable. The study is a result of research project on organizational culture change in Kenya Power and lighting company limited. The objectives of the research project were to establish how KPLC has managed organizational culture change and challenges encountered during this process. The study employed a case. The data was collected from interviews and secondary sources. The findings indicated various factors for organizational culture change. The factors include customer demands, anticipated competition, technological innovation and government legislation. Organizational culture change adapted integration perspective of culture and was implemented in four stages hybrid model that adapted planned approach of change management. This was expected to achieve homogenous congruence organizational-wide culture. Implementation used external consultants with appropriate expertise and experience. The Organizational culture change process was supported by top management and championed by a team of Change Agents or Ambassadors drawn from formal and informal structures of the organization. Training strategy was used to foster awareness and to build capacities, which were critical for behavioral change. Communication strategy was used to provide continuous information to stakeholders. Both the training and communication strategies assisted in managing and reducing resistance. Regular performance review provided important feedbacks, an essential input used to review communication, training and maintenance processes. Maintenance stage was an iterative process as the organization strives to achieve the desired dominant, central and effective system of meanings, beliefs and values which are ‘organized’ and ‘lived’. There was a limitation of sufficient time to critique all factors, processes and challenges of organizational culture change and to examine its impact to all stakeholders. The research provides critical processes for implementing a successful organizational culture change, which includes formulation of mission, training, communication and use of change agents. There is need for further research on impact of training, performance of individual change agents, and impact of leadership in implementation of organizational culture change.