MANAGING CHANGE IN THE NIGERIA WORK ENVIRONMENT; A STUDY OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE.
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MANAGING CHANGE IN THE NIGERIA
WORK ENVIRONMENT; A STUDY OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE.
ABSTRACT
A major issue of interest to manage and
consultants is the management of change. Today’s organizations are facing a
great challenge as a result of the break with traditional authority, the growth
of socialist ideology, economic affluence and the accelerated of change and
developments. Changes within an organization have seriously undermined the
traditional relationship between organizations and their members. This had led
to a crisis for organizations that may only be resolved by the evolution of new
organizational forms. Managing change is process of introducing, crating and
confronting needed changes as to make it possible for organization to become or
remain viable, to adopt to new conditions to solve problems and to learn from
experiences. The major challenge confronting managers and change agent in the
management of change is the rate of resistance. Since changes within the
organization resolves around people, technologies, process and structures,
there are bound to be a resistance from employees. The resistance may occur
when the two parties disagree on the advisability of change and this would not
be in the best interest of the organization. This occurs when the two parties
are at different levels and functional areas of organization (i.e. low personal
tolerance for change). However, one of the most effective ways of introducing
change obtaining complete acceptance, is to show the employees what is in there
for them. The introduction of new technology for example would mean the
selection and retraining of dedicated employees. This training would carry with
it increased responsibility. For all employees, increase in production would
mean increased ability of the organization to pay high wages or improve
employee welfare services. A new process may reduce too much work for the
present staff and reduce unwanted over time.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Abstract ii
CHAPTER
ONE; INTRODUCTION
1.1 background
of the study 1
1.2 statement
of the problem 4
1.3 purpose
of the study 6
1.4 research
question 7
1.5 research
hypothesis 8
1.6 significance
of the study 9
1.7 scope
of the study 9
1.8 limitation
of the study 10
1.9 definition
of terms 12
CHAPTER
TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 13
2.2 definition
of organizational change 14
2.3 types
of change 16
2.4 purpose
of change 19
2.5 forces
of change 23
2.5.1 environmental forces 24
2.5.2 internal forces 25
2.6 the
causes of change 26
2.7 theories
of change 28
2.8 change
agent 33
2.8.1 the role of the human resources (personnel)
manager 35
2.8.2 skills for change agents 38
2.9 climate
for change 39
2.10 planned
changes 42
2.11 operational analysis 44
2.12 how to introduce change 45
2.13 disagreement
on advisability of change 48
2.14 dealing
with resistance to change 49
2.15 implementing change 53
2.16 resistance to change 55
2.17 overcoming
resistance to change 59
CHAPTER
THREE; RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 71
3.2 research
design 72
3.3 sampling
procedure 73
3.4 data
collection method 75
3.5 questionnaire
design 76
3.6 operational
measures of valuables 76
3.7 data
analysis techniques 78
References
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A
major issue of interest to managers and consultants is the management of
change. Today’s organizations are facing a great challenge as a result of the
break with traditional authority, the growth of socialist ideology, economic
affluence and the accelerated rate of change and developments. Changes within
an organization have seriously undermined the traditional relationship between
organizations and their members. This had led to a crisis for organizations
that may only be resolved by the evolution of new organizational forms.
Organizational
change is a large and diverse body of concepts, tools and techniques for
improving organizations effectiveness. French and Bell (1999) posited that it
is concerned with the vitalizing energizing, activities and renewing of
organizations through technical and human resources. Organizational change and
development is a long range effort to improve an organizations problem solving
and renewal processes, particularly culture of organization with special
emphasis on the culture of formal work teams. (Alan, 1995).
Managing
change is a process of introducing, creation and confronting needed changes as
to make it possible for organization to become or remain viable, to adapt to
new conditions to solve problems and to learn from experiences. Change
management involves commonly used and quite specific techniques that can be
used as a basis for an operational implementation. It is intervention activities
which have been called the human process approaches to planned change.
From
the rate of change and development in the organization, the organizations are
composed of four interacting systems: (a) people (b) technologies (c) process
(d) structure. Organizational change can be viewed from two perspectives, the
human processed perspective and techno-structural perspective (Margulies and
Wallace, 1994). Unlike the human processes, which consist of a series of
techniques, focusing on people and processes, the techno-structural perspective
is mainly concerned with technologies and structures. The human process
approaches grew out of techniques developed in early laboratory activities
conducted by the National Training Laboratories (NTL). The human process
approaches can be divided into three basic classes:
1. Group Development Intervention
2. Inter Group Relations Development and;
1. Survey Feedback Interventions.
The
techno-structural system
1. The Socio-Technical system
2. Job Design and;
3. Job Enrichment
The
process of managing organizational change usually involves change agents
(Argyris, 2001). These agents are primarily concerned with interacting,
creating and implementing the required changes so as to make it possible for
organizations to remain viable. The major challenge confronting change agents
in the management of change is the rate of resistance. Since changes within the
organization resolves around the people, technologies, process and structures,
there are bound to be a resistance from employees. The resistance may occur
when two parties disagree on the advisability of change would not be in the
best interest of the organization. This occurs when the two parties are at
different levels and functional areas of organization (i.e. low personal tolerance
for change).
Before
change is introduced, there are certain conditions that must be undertaken.
Bennis (2004) stated the following conditions as necessary for the introduction
of change and these include;
1. Communication
2. The change must be useful
3. Empathic consideration
4. Employee participation
5. It should be timely; gradual and;
6. It should be given positive reinforcement
Management
will accomplish a desired change if they recognize human limitation and try a
deal with them. Every effort must be made to relax anxiety which characterized
changes. Much of the anxiety is a fear of the unknown, not knowing what is
going to happen or how he will fit into a new position or under a new
supervisor.
Once
an organization has decided to implement a change for development, there are
certain steps or method which they must follow. According to Warren (1998), the
ways of carrying out change includes:
1. Empirical
rational method, which involves giving the employees the reasons behind the
contemplated change.
2. Normative
re-educative method, which aims at changing people’s attitudes and patterns of
behaviour or normative orientation to the new pattern, and;
3. The
application of power to obtain compliance which involves using authority and
power to obtain compliance in the case of stiff opposition from one or a group
of people in the organization.
In
pursuance to the above method, many organizations in the manufacturing industry
mapped out their own strategies in managing change in their work environment.
It is in view of this that this study intends to examine the strategies used by
organizations in managing change in their work environment using selected
manufacturing companies as a survey study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
One
of the major problems facing Nigerian organizations particularly those in the
manufacturing sector is poor management of change. There is a silent crisis
between organization and its members which arise as a result of the high rate
of resistance brought about by change. The survival of our organizations
therefore depend on how well managers and change agents acknowledge and
understand this crisis, and hence mapped out effectives strategies in managing
change in their work environment. Managers and change agents as an instrument
for meeting societal and individuals demand need to be sensitive to change in
the expectations and demands from both quarters.
In
most of the Nigerian organizations of which those in the manufacturing sector
are no exception, there has been silent crisis which has negatively affected employees’
performance/productivity as well as organizational effectiveness in terms of
achieving its goal and objectives. Recent reports have it that the major issue
that has led to this kind of crisis is the introduction of change. Most
managers and change agents introduce change without seeking for employee
participation. They do not event communicate the needed change to all those
employees who may be affected by the change. This has led to the high rate of
resistance from employees which consequently lead to internal (organization)
crisis.
However,
one of the most effective ways of introducing change and obtaining complete acceptance
is to show the employees what is in there for them. The introduction of new
technology for example, would mean the selection and retraining of dedicated
employees. This training would carry with it increase in pay and possibly
promotion which means increased responsibility. For all employees, increase in
production would mean increased ability of the organization to pay high wages
and improve employee welfare services. This strategy has been commonly used by
the advanced nations but it yet to be fully appreciated by Nigerian
organizations. It is based on this problem that warranted the researcher to
examine the strategies of managing change in the Nigerian work environment
using selected manufacturing companies as a point of reference.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study include thus:
1. To
determine companies in managing change in their work environment?
2. To
find out whether there is any difference in the strategy used by manufacturing
companies in rivers state in managing change for better organizational
performance/competitiveness.
3. To
find out if there is any significance relationship between the strategies used
by manufacturing companies in introducing change and the rate of resistance
from employees?
4. To
ascertain the extent there is significance relationship between the strategy
used by manufacturing companies in implementing change and organizational
effectiveness?
5. To
know whether the introduction and implementation of change affect employees
performance/productivity?
6. To
find out the problems or difficulties encountered by manufacturing companies in
the process of introducing and implementing change?
7. To
identify the causes reason for the resistance to change and how they can be
overcome?
8. To
find out whether employee participation is an important factor in successful
management of change?
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based
on the statement of the problem and the purpose of the study, the following
questions emerged:
1.
What are the strategies used by
Nigerian manufacturing organizations in managing change in their work
environment?
2.
Is there any significant differences
in the strategy used by manufacturing companies in rivers state in managing
change for better organizational performance/
competitiveness?
3. To
find out if there is any significant relationship between the strategies used
by manufacturing companies in introducing change and the rate of resistance
from employees.
4. To
what extent is there significant relationship between the strategy used by
manufacturing companies in implementing change and organizational
effectiveness?
5. To
what extend do the introduction and implementation of change affect employees’
performance/productivity?
6. What
are the problems or difficulties encountered by manufacturing companies in the
process of introducing and implementing change?
7. What
are the reasons for the resistance to change and how can they be overcome?
8. Does
employee participation assures the successful management of change?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
In
order to have a foresight of what the outcome of this study would be, the
following hypotheses are postulated:
H01:
There is no significant relationship between the strategy used by manufacturing
companies in introducing change and the rate of resistance from employees.
H02:
There is no significant relationship between the strategy used by manufacturing
companies in implementing change and organizational effectiveness.
H03:
The introduction and implementation of change do not significantly affect
employee’s performance/productivity?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This
study is highly significant in the sense that it will make new contributions to
the existing body of knowledge in the field of organizational development. By
so doing, it will help create awareness on the need for management in the
manufacturing sector to introduce changes into their operations in line with
changes in the external environment.
Managers
and change agents would find this study relevant as it will expose to them the
strategies used in introducing and implementing change. It will also
recommended to them the best strategy or method of introducing and implementing
change in order to avoid resistance from employees and hence successful change
management.
This
study will in addition, provide much needed information on the management of
change which management in manufacturing companies will find quite useful in
order to remain competitive. It is
expected to radically alter the way in which manufacturing companies manage
change in their work environment. It will help establish the fact that it is
not just enough to introduce change, but that certain factors have to be taken
into consideration to ensure its successful implementation.
The
findings of this study will provide a background for future research in related
areas of study, which would be of immense benefit to researchers, authors,
writers, students, and other academicians.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This
study ought to have covered all the manufacturing companies in Nigerian, but
since the population would be too large to be studied, given the time and
financial resources at the disposal of the researcher, the study has been
limited in terms of scope of selected manufacturing companies in Rivers State.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
A
fundamental problem encountered while undertaking this study arose from the
suspicious and non challant attitude of some of the respondents. Consequently,
while some of the respondents were forth coming in granting audience to the
researcher, others refused or heisted for fear of exposing their change
strategy to competitors in the industry. They resorted to using delaying
tactics like “come tomorrow” date which they did not honour.
Also,
there was financial constraint. The finance at the disposal of the researcher
was too insufficient to pay repeated visitations to the respondents, sourcing
for materials, purchases and photocopy of materials as well as finance for
typing and binding. This constituted a great limitation to the researcher in
the course of undertaking this study.
There
was also a problem of time. The time available to the researcher to extensively
conduct this study was grossly inadequate because the researcher had other
academic activities to attend to at school, which now had to be combined with
the time set outside due to time and financial inadequacy that made the study
to be limited to selected manufacturing companies in Rivers State only.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
For
the purpose of clarification and better understanding of this study, it is
necessary to present the definition of certain terms as used in this study.
Change
Change
is making things different (Robbins, 2000; 543). It also implies moving from
the status quo. Webster’s dictionary defines change as “to cause to turn from
one state to another”. Change as used in this study implies the introduction of
something new, i.e. in method of preforming a task, organizational structure,
process or any other form of development.
Management
This
is the process of getting things done through people. It can be more
scientifically defined as the co-ordination of all the resources of an
organization through the process of planning, organizing, directing and
controlling in order to attain organizational objectives.
Organizational Change
This
simply refers to those changes that take place within an organization; it
revolves around the people, technologies, processes and structure.
Managing Change
This
is the process of introducing, creating and implementing needed changes as to
make it possible for organization to become remain viable, to adapt to new
condition to solve problems and to learn from experiences.
Change Strategies
This
refers to the different ways, methods or techniques used by organizations in
introducing and implementing change.
Change Agents
These
are persons who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing
change activities.
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