Change management in the Botswana water sector
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis has been to assess how change management
interventions during the Water Sector Reform Process were perceived by the
employees in efforts to help them to understand and embrace change. A
questionnaire was designed and distributed to 342 respondents. The respondents
involved in the study consisted of Water Utilities employees from Gaborone,
Lobatse, Palapye, Selebi-Phikwe and Francistown. The analysis demonstrates
several key findings: data analysis reveals that management interventions during the
Water Sector Reform Process were negatively perceived by the employees in
understanding and embracing change. The findings reveal that communication,
leadership and employee participation all have a direct impact on how employees
are able to embrace change. Training and development were found to also have an
impact on employees' support for change. The motivations for organizational change
are significant and vital to the long-term survival and competitive ability of any firm.
The research is subject to the normal limitations of survey research. The study used
data provided by all categories of employees at Water Utilities Corporation which
may provide perceived and subjective measures. However, this can be overcome by
using multiple methods to collect data in future studies. Interestingly, the findings
here may be generalizable outside Botswana, i.e. a similar country to Botswana such
as Middle-Income Countries. Management should ensure clear communication,
effective leadership; encourage employee participation and effect training and
development for up skilling of staff. The findings suggest that change was found to
be important to employees because of its effect on the survival of an organisation
and its development or transformation due the integration of the entity after a
substantial merger process. The study integrates unintentional resistance to
organisational change perception constructs. Very few studies have been performed
in Botswana to investigate and understand this issue. Therefore, the research can
make a useful contribution.