CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE OF SAFARICOM PUBLIC LIMITED, NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE OF SAFARICOM PUBLIC LIMITED, NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
Anne Murimi - Master’s Student, Department of Business Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Patricia Kungu - Lecturer, Business Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
In the rapidly changing telecommunications industry, companies must navigate a landscape filled with constant shifts and challenges. Telecommunication firms face various factors, including government regulations, competitive pressures, changing consumer demands, technological advancements, and globalization. The present research aimed to explore the effect of change management strategies on performance of Safaricom Public Limited in Kenya. The research objectives were; to investigate the effect of reengineering, restructuring, innovation and leadership alignment on the performance of Safaricom Public Limited in Kenya. These findings would help telecom companies navigate challenges, such as technological disruptions and increasing competition, by adopting proactive and well-coordinated change management strategies. The research was grounded on; Kurt Lewin`s change management model and Balance Scorecard Theory. The research employed a descriptive research design. The research targeted 240 staffs working at Safaricom main branch in Nairobi City County. The functional managers in this sector were the study respondents who took part in this study. To choose 72 respondents, stratified simple random sampling technique was utilized. A five-point Likert scale semi-structured closed-ended questionnaire was utilized to gather primary data. The reliability of the research variables was tested through test and retest method utilizing Cronbach's alpha. Cronbach's alpha score of more than 0.7 was achieved hence regarded satisfactory for all constructs. The validity of the study was determined using a pilot test. The quantitative data was collected. The quantitative data was analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 26) both descriptively and inferentially, including multiple linear regression. The results indicated that the correlation coefficient (R) of 0.823 demonstrates a strong positive relationship between change management strategies and the performance outcomes of the company. Additionally, the R² value of 0.677 suggests that approximately 67.7% of the variance in Safaricom's performance can be attributed to the change management strategies implemented. The research uncovered that various change management strategies such as re-engineering, restructuring, innovation, and leadership alignment significantly influence the performance of Safaricom Public Limited, evidenced by a P-value of 0.003, which is below the 0.05 threshold. Thus, the research concluded that change management strategies have a substantial effect on the performance of Safaricom Limited. It was determined that re-engineering strategies are crucial for improving the company's performance. Additionally, restructuring strategies contribute significantly to enhancing organizational effectiveness by better aligning internal structures with external market demands. The study recommends that managers and CEOs within the telecommunications sector should prioritize ongoing re-engineering and innovation within their companies. Furthermore, the Government of Kenya should establish a conducive environment that supports telecommunication firms in implementing effective change management strategies, including the creation of regulatory frameworks that facilitate restructuring and innovation.
