The influence of strategic change on employee Performance: a case of Kenya airports authority, Nairobi

Abstract

Kenya Airways contributes to the growth and development of our economy by creating job opportunities hence growth in the GDP as per the audit report on the importance of the various public sectors of 2015. Kenya Airways has been making tremendous losses annually (-10826 billion) as per 2013 financial year report, rapid employee dissatisfaction even the pilots who threatened to down their tools which can be alluded to poor technology, structures and inefficient organizational culture. The main purpose of this study was to determine the influence of strategic change on performance. Past studies have focused on change in management as the major factor influencing performance yet little is known on the technological, structural and cultural changes on performance which are the specific objectives of this project with a special interest at Kenya Airports Authority. Lewin’s model and Korter’s 8 steps of change were used as theoretical framework. The research design was a case study. The area under study was Kenya Airports Authority in Nairobi head office. The population of this study was 150 staff from different levels of management of Kenya Airports Authority in Nairobi. Due to similarities in characteristics, ease of accessibility of the entire population and to limit the margin of error in sampling, the entire population was sampled by means of census sampling. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data and partly through observation and oral interviews while secondary data was sourced from relevant reviewed literature. Descriptive statistics such as mean and frequency distribution were used to analyze the data. Inter rater reliability was used to measure reliability while validity was measured using experts opinion. Data presentation was done by the use of charts, graphs, percentages and frequency tables. The study found that change management factors (culture, structure and technology) influenced employees’ performance at all levels in the organization. There was a high positive relationship between the change factors and employee performance. Majority with the highest percentage strongly agreed that technology, structure and culture affected their performance with the smallest percentage strongly disagreeing. The study concluded that: technology has resulted in increased efficiency and effectiveness in work as computers are used by the staff from different levels to keep records, retrieve and store large amount of data, store clients’ information and those of its employees. A good organizational structure with a clear line of command, free flow of information and collective decision making creates a healthy work environment. A strong organization will focus on the environment it creates for its workers. Focusing on building and sustaining organizational culture shows employees that they are considered as an important asset of the company. Further, the study recommended that: employees should be enlightened that technology was mainly designed to make work easier and faster. The organization would do well to highlight the urgency and need of the change in simple, easy-to-understand terms; establish a change leadership management team that includes employees possessing the correct technical skills, good interpersonal relationships, and official authority; and articulate logical, clear, and concise strategies for making the desired change. The organization’s vision, mission, objectives and goals should be well defined and more inclusive to everyone in the organization avoiding any form of discrimination whatsoever. It should promote a sense of belonging to every employee. The study may be significant in adding value to existing knowledge where change is to be implemented