The Relationship Between Change Management Practices and Performance of Telecommunication Companies in Kenya: A Case of Airtel Kenya

Abstract

Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation and above all consultation with, and involvement of the people affected by the changes. The influence of change management effort has strong implications to the strategic competitiveness and performance of the telecommunication companies. Among the inexhaustible list of challenges that telecommunication organizations face is organizational alignment with the challenging environment, managing institutions and individual power relationships, setting the parameters of managerial discretion and employee empowerment as well as responding to new imperatives regarding calling rates, government regulation and the rise of globalization. In spite of the attention that the management of change has received, telecommunication organizations continue to have problems in managing organizational change. The general objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between change management practices and performance of telecommunication companies in Kenya with a focus on Airtel Kenya. This study applied the descriptive research design. The target population of this study was the one hundred and eighteen (118) management staff working in the Head Office of Airtel Kenya in Nairobi. A sample of 40% (47 respondents) was taken using stratified random sampling. The study collected both primary and secondary data. This study utilized a selfadministered questionnaire. Data collected was purely quantitative and it was analyzed by descriptive analysis. To test the hypotheses and answer the research questions, the study used a multiple regression analysis. The strength of the relationship was measured through the use of the adjusted r2. The significance of the model was tested using Anova table by measure of F at p< 0.05. The study recommends that there is a need to develop change management practices to promote processes of change which enhance these aspects of the organization culture. The study recommends that employees' adaptability should be tackled by enlightening them in advance through seminars, workshops and offering training programs to influence change management in the institution. The study recommends that the institution should install technological systems that are compatible with the change management practices. They will enable in dealing with challenges of management, roadblocks to collaboration between departments which fails the implementation of change management.