The Eastern Cape Department of Education has been in the forefront of the media – mostly for the wrong reasons. The major problems that have been reported range from the mismanagement of the feeding schemes, unpaid service providers, lack of adequate infrastructure, corruption committed by the officials, unfilled posts, poor service delivery and the second lowest matriculation pass rate in the country. Although there are many problems, as stated, this study research is focused on the management of change and its implementation in the organisational structure

Muthige, Shumani Ralson

Nelson Mandela University

     MANAGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE   CHANGES AT THE EASTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION          By      SHUMANI  R. MUTHIGE    Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the    degree of Masters in Business Administration at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University             November 2010        Promoter:   DR. R. GERBER    ii  DECLARATION  I declare that this treatise is my own work and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment to another university or for another qualification.   ……………………………………………. SHUMANI  R. MUTHIGE PORT ELIZABETH 30 November 2010      iii     ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  The successful completion of this research would not be realised without the support, guidance and encouragement of certain individuals. In particular, the assistance of the following is highly appreciated and acknowledged. • Dr Robert Gerber, my promoter for his support, guidance and motivation for this research study to be completed within a very short period.  • The Superintendent General and Senior Management in the Eastern Cape Department for Education for giving permission for the research to be conducted as well as availing themselves for interviews despite their busy schedules.   • Dr Goldstone for proof-reading and editing the work in this document.  • My family for its support and understanding.            iv  ABSTRACT  The Eastern Cape Department of Education has been in the forefront of the media – mostly for the wrong reasons. The major problems that have been reported range from the mismanagement of the feeding schemes, unpaid service providers, lack of adequate infrastructure, corruption committed by the officials, unfilled posts, poor service delivery and the second lowest matriculation pass rate in the country. Although there are many problems, as stated, this study research is focused on the management of change and its implementation in the organisational structure.   Change and its implementation is a complicated process. This needs to be approached in a serious manner. If change is implemented in the wrong way, it can cause more harm to the organisation than if it were not implemented at all. It is therefore important to determine if the problem in the organisation is caused by the structure, and also if it can only be solved by changing the structure. Consequently, it is important to develop a business case before embarking on the change process.   Different models of change have been presented in this research study. These models have prescribed the steps to be taken to evaluate the process followed in the past in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. These models range from Carter’s Lewin model, Curzon’s model, Uys’s model, Kotter’s model and the Department of Personnel Services and Administration (DPSA) Guidelines.  After conducting a thorough literature review and document analysis, the empirical study was conducted through interviews with Head Office top-management officials of the Eastern Cape Department of Education. An interview was also held with the union representative, as the most important stakeholder affected by the changes in the structure.  A questionnaire was also sent to the Districts to determine the involvement of Districts in the process of v  change. Although the main purpose for structural change was to align the structure to the strategic plan, the empirical study also indicated that politicians have played a major role in driving the process of change in the structure – and the administrators have largely only implemented the planned changes.   The problems experienced during the implementation of changes were also discussed. These are problems, such as resistance to change when employees perceive that change might adversely affect them – rather than bringing any benefit. The empirical study’s findings confirm the issues exposed in the literature reviewed concerning the resistance by some employees to change and its implementation.  By means of interviews, the empirical study discovered that the greatest cause of the instability of the structure is the constant changes in the appointment and the firing of the Members of Executive Council (MECs) and the Superintendent Generals (SG). The instability in the structure is created when the new MEC comes with his own mandate that demands change in the structure.    The answers to the problem question and its sub-focuses are presented, as well as recommendations and areas for further research studies.         vi  AFFIDAVIT FROM PROOF-READER  Language Quality Assurance Practitioners  Mrs KA Goldstone  Dr PJS Goldstone  14 Erasmus Drive  Summerstrand  Port Elizabeth  6001  South Africa  Tel/ Fax: +27 41 583 2882  Cell: +27 73 006 6559  Email: kate@pemail.co.za  pat@pemail.co.za  5 December 2010  TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN   We hereby certify that we have language-edited the MBA treatise prepared by Mr Shumani Muthige, entitled: MANAGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE EASTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION , and that we are satisfied that, provided the changes we have made are effected to the text, the language is of an acceptable standard, and is fit for publication.         Kate Goldstone      Patrick Goldstone  BA (Rhodes)       BSc (Stell)  SATI No: 1000168      DEd (UPE)  UPE Language Practitioner (1975-2004)  NMMU Language Practitioner (2005)          vii  TABLE OF CONTENTS           PAGE DECLARATION          i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT        ii ABSTRACT          iii PROOF READER AFFIDAVIT       v TABLE OF CONTENTS        vi LIST OF TABLES         xi LIST OF FIGURES         xiii APPENDIXES         xiv  CHAPTER 1          1 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 1.1 INTRODUCTION                  1 1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM                 3 1.3 SUB-FOCUSES                   3 1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH                4 1.5 MOTIVATIONFOR UNDERTAKING THE RESEARCH             4 1.6 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY                   7 1.6.1The change-management process     7 1.6.2 Geographic delimitation       7 1.6.3 Top-management structure      7 1.6.4 Middle-management employees and trade-unions   8 1.6.5 Time delimitation        8 1.7 THE RESEARCH DESIGN       8 1.8 DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS       9                              1.8.1 Management        9       1.8.2 Organisation structure       10       1.8.3 Structural change       11       1.8.4 Planning         11 viii        1.8.5 Benchmarking        12 1.9 OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY     12 1.10 CONCLUDING REMARKS       13  CHAPTER 2          14  THE RESEARCH LITERATURE REVIEW       2.1INTRODUCTION         14 2.2 CAUSES FOR CHANGE IN THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE        OF EDUCATION        15     2.2.1 The influence of internal forces      16     2.2.2 The influence of globalisation      17     2.2.3 The influence of politics in structural change in education  18 2.3 ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR THE CHANGE PROCESS   20     2.3.1 A sound business case for change     20     2.3.2 Planning         23     2.3.3 Strategy         23     2.3.4 Skills         23     2.3.5 Structures         24 2.4 IMPLEMENTATION MODELS FOR CHANGE    25     2.4.1 Carter’s change Model       25     2.4.2 Curzon’s model for change      29     2.4.3 Uys change model        33     2.4.4 Kotter’s model of change       34     2.4.5 The DPSA change model       38 2.5 COMPARISON OF CHANGE MODELS     40     2.5.1 Similarities in content       41     2.5.2 Differences in content and sequence     41     2.5.3 Overall summary of change-implementation model approach 42 ix  2.6 OTHER COUNTRIES’ EXPERIENCE OF CHANGE IN THE        STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION THEREOF   43      2.6.1 African countries        43      2.6.2 East-European Countries (Poland & Albania)    43      2.6.3 Implementation methods in Poland and Albania (work-shadow) 44      2.6.4 The Republic of Turkey’s experience     46 2.7 BARRIERS EXPERIENCED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION        OF CHANGE          47     2.7.1 Organisational culture       47     2.7.2 Communication        48     2.7.3 Resistance by some employees      49 2.8 DEALING WITH BARRIERS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF        STRUCTURAL CHANGE       51     2.8.1 Participation        51     2.8.2 Education         52     2.8.3 Group pressure        53     2.8.4 Management support       53     2.8.5 Negotiation         54     2.8.6 Co-option         54     2.8.7 Coercion         54 2.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS       55  CHAPTER 3  RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND ANALYSIS OF DATA  3.1 INTRODUCTION        56 3.2 THE RESEARCH DESIGN       56 3.3 THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK      57 3.4 THE RESEARCHER’S STANDPOINT     58 x  3.5 OVERALL RESEARCH APPROACH AN PARADIGM   59 3.6 THE TYPE OF DATA COLLECTED AND THE COLLECTION        METHODS         60     3.6.1 The literature reviewed       61     3.6.2 Documents and Archives analysis     62     3.6.3 Interviews         63        3.6.3.1 Permission to conduct research     63        3.6.3.2 Pilot study        64        3.6.3.3 Individual one to one interviews     65        3.6.3.4 Telephone interview with the Trade Unions   66     3.6.4 Questionnaires (Postal survey)      66 3.7 TREATMENT OF THE DATA       68 3.8 THE SAMPLE POPULATION       69    3.8.1 Determining the sample for the interviewees    69    3.8.2 Determining the sample for questionnaires    70 3.9 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION     70    3.9.1 Coding and content analysis      71    3.9.2 Code development process      71 3.10 DATA JUSTIFICATION       75   3.10.1 The data-validation process      76 3.11 PRESENTATION OF THE LEARNING     76 3.12 CONCLUDING REMARKS       77  CHAPTER 4  DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS  4.1 INTRODUCTION        78 4.2 INTERVIEWS         78      4.2.1 Interview 1         79 xi       4.2.2 Interview 2                   80      4.2.3 Interview 3         81      4.2.4 Interview 4         82 4.3 RESULTS OF THE FOUR INTERVIEWS               83 4.4 ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR INTERVIEW REPOONSES               85 4.5 LINKING INTERVIEW-CODED RESPONSES WITH OTHER DATA     SOURCES         91 4.6 THE MEANING DERIVES FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DATA 93 4.7 RESULTS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRES    103        4.7.1 The analysis and interpretation of demographic information 104        4.7.2 Involvement and effect of change on districts      106 4.8 RESPONSE FROM THE TRADE UNIONS     109 4.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS       112  CHAPTER 5  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  5.1 INTRODUCTIONS        113 5.2 ANSWERING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS    113 5.3 LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH STUDY    121 5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PROFESSION    122 5.5 AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH      124 5.6 CONCLUDING REMARKS       124                                    xii    LIST OF TABLES           PAGE Table 2.1 A business case      21 Table 2.2 A summary of Curzon’s model     30 Table 2.3 Implementation steps adapted Kotter’s model  35 Table 2.4 Phases, steps and review points    39 Table 2.5 Comparison of change processes and implementation   Models       40 Table 3.1 Data code book      72 Table 4.1 Verbatim text extract from interview 1    79 Table 4.2 Verbatim text extract from interview 2   80 Table 4.3 Verbatim text extract from interview 3   81 Table 4.4 Verbatim text extract from interview 4   82 Table 4.5 Results of interviews according to their categories 83 Table 4.6 Reasons for structural change    86 Table 4.7 Main instigators /drivers of change   86 Table 4.8 The motivation for change     86 Table 4.9 Feelings about the change     87 Table 4.10 Change process followed     87 Table 4.11 Evaluation of the implementation process  88 Table 4.12 Quality assurance mechanism in the process  88 Table 4.13 Implementation guideline     89 Table 4.14 Problems experienced during implementation  89 Table 4.15 Collection of relevant information to guide change 90 Table 4.16 Fear of losing position and power    90 Table 4.17 Sustainability       91 Table 4.18 Extract from coding interview    92 Table 4.19 The outcomes of the research studies   93 Table 4.20 Responses by gender     104 xiii  Table 4.21 Responses to number of years as District Director 105 Table 4.22 Responses on previous post held    105 Table 4.23 Involvement in giving input into the process  106 Table 4.24 Effect caused by change in organogram   106 Table 4.25 How the change affected day to day activities  107 Table 4.26 Guidance provided to the District on the organogram 108 Table 4.27 Involvement in the evaluation of the process  109                                                  xiv      LIST OF FIGURE           PAGE FIGURE 2.1  The cycle of change (Curzon)     29 FIGURE 2.2 Cycle of change (Cameron & Green)    37 FIGURE 2.3 Organisational structure process (DPSA)   38                    xv      APPENDIXES            PAGE APPENDIX A Letter requesting permission to conduct research APPENDIX B Letter granting permission to conduct research APPENDIX C Covering letter for interview probes APPENDIX D Interview probes APPENDIX E Covering letter for the questionnaire APPENDIX F Questionnaire copy APPENDIX G Responses to interviews APPENDIX H Data coding process            

Managing the implementation of management structure changes at the Eastern Cape Department of Education

SEALS Digital commons

South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS)

http://vital.seals.ac.za:8080/vital/access/services/Download/vital:8534/SOURCEPDF1

Managing the implementation of management structure changes at the Eastern Cape Department of Education

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Nelson Mandela University

SEALS Digital commons

South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS)