Change Management Practices on Organization Performance: A Case Study of Mandera Kenya Prisons Service

Abstract

In the last decade Kenya Prisons Service has been implementing changes. The widespread perception is that the reforms process has lost momentum. Some reports reveal that prisons in Kenya have problems touching on financial mismanagement, poor governance, and congestion and overcrowding, rights buses, emerging technologies putting pressure on the organization and warders are still living miserably in ramshackle houses across the country, as reforms started in 2003 are painstakingly slow. Therefore the study sought to determine influence of change management practices on organization performance of prisons service in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To determine the influence of communication, stakeholder’s participation, management skills and finances on organization performance in Mandera Kenya Prisons Service. The study used descriptive research design. This design involved gathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and describes the data. The study target population included 100 prisoners, 28 Kenya Prisons Officers and 5 professionals who work in Mandera Kenya Prisons Service making the total target population of the study to be 133. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used. A sample of 85 respondents was considered. The study used quantitative data analysis approaches.Quantitative data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics with an aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was then presented in graphs and tables. Further, a multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. The study concluded that the mostly commonly used mode of communication used was face to face communication. Further from the findings the researcher concluded that communication is very effective in delegation of duties, forwarding of grievances and enacting disciplinary procedures. Inadequate and less effective communication is a major factor that impacts on the change management process. The researcher recommended that Communication should be done to the entire workforce, it must also occur frequently and the organization should encourage its executives and middle level managers to initiate change.

Keywords: Change, implementation, performance.