| dc.description.abstract | The study's principal objective was to identify the survivors' responses and the factors
influencing their appraisal of downsizing within the civil service of Kenya. Explaining
survivor responses to downsizing and the factors influencing those responses is
considered a manager's first step towards the management of this phenomenon. This
helps managers stem a variety of dysfunctional consequences that downsizing can have
on surviving employees. The researcher was motivated by the fact that a large number of
organizations, the world over, have and continue to downsize inorder to transform
organizations. These transformations ultimately result to laid - off workers and surviving
employees. And although laid-off workers have had to pay a high price due to loss of
jobs and income, the effects on employees who survive have been substantial as well.
To achieve the stated objective, the study was conducted on the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technology in Kenya. The target respondents were all employees of the
Ministry who are based in Nairobi. The results indicate that a number of responses are
exhibited by surviving employees. Among them are reduced work motivation, emotional
problems, fear, insecurity, mistrust, job stress, tension and anxiety. Further, the study
shows that various factors influence survivors' responses. These include planning,
selection, compensation, communication, participation, job reallocation and
management's attitude.
The study provides guidance to managers who anticipate future organizational
downsizing and those in the process of downsizing. Although implementation of
downsizing does make an explicit difference to employees, the study also points out the
importance of long-term planning and managerial relationships. In this way, downsizing
is to be seen not as a short-term fix but, rather, a long-term investment in the human
resources of the organization.
The study has pointed out both the negative /destructive and the positive/constructive
responses that survivors of downsizing exhibit. Although the study also identified factors
that influence the occurrences of these responses, survivor responses have been found out
to be dynamic. This therefore implies that effective management of surviving employees
will depend on the presence and adequacy of a number of factors that include advance
information, selection processes, training, compensation and management attitudes.
The study further suggests that a similar study be undertaken using one category of
employees, or one specific cadre of employees, as the target respondents. This will avail
an opportunity to cross-check the findings in this study. | en |
