Managing organizational change at Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe change management at Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited. The study was guided by the following objectives namely; determine change management practices; establish the challenges and to identify strategies adopted in managing change management challenges at KPRL. The study adopted a case study design. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. Primary data was collected using an interview guide as key instrument. The research targeted 6 senior managers, 6 middle level managers and 10 supervisors within the organisation. Secondary data was also collected through internal documents (strategy and vision papers, company plans, internal reports and surveys and reports from external consultants). The study response rate was 82 percent. The study found out that Change process within the organisation took different forms. However its management had embraced a number of change management practices such practices include; constitution of teams within department and overall organisational team that were charged with overseeing the implementation of change. Notably, organisation had also embraced effective communication mediums such as; emails, employees meetings, supervisor face to face meeting and memorandum. The organisation employed other strategies like; financial resource support, involvement of union leaders and proper coordination between different departments within the organisation. The study revealed that the major challenges identified in the study were resistance to change and people management in change process. The sources of resistance were; anxiety, employees perceptions on change, resistance, poor communication on change process, fear of job losses, low motivation and agitation in meetings. The study also found that in managing these changes, KPRL had improved organisational communication, introduction of motivation for employees, direct communication, organisation leadership, organisational research and employees direct engagement in the change process. The study recommends that the change management practices of KPRL should be those that understands and appreciation of how each person in an organisation is important in making change process a success. In future the management should consider educating employees making them to understand their roles and functions in making change happen in their organisation .