Change Management Practices and Performance: A Case of Commercial Banks in Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

Over the past half-decade, a lot of change has been experienced in the banking sector. This ranges from regulatory reforms, technological shifts especially on mobile and internet banking, intensified financial innovations, internalization and heightened competition from other players. Although some banks may have recorded good performance in the period under assessment, most of the commercial banks have recorded dwindling performance. This study was interested in determining the effect of change management practices on performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. Specifically, the study aimed to establish the effect of stakeholder involvement on performance of commercial banks; to establish the effect leadership on performance of commercial banks; to assess the effect of organisational learning on performance of commercial banks, and to determine the effect of communication on performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study was guided by McKinsey 7-S Change Model, Kotter's Eight Step Model, Resource Dependence Theory, and Kurt Lewin’s Model. A descriptive survey research design was utilised. The target population comprised of 15 banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study used a census approach. The study used purposive sampling to select branch managers, accountants, credit managers, and marketing managers of all the commercial banks as the choice class of respondents. The study considered non-financial performance of the banks for five (5) financial years 2012-2017. Primary data was collected through questionnaires while secondary data was extracted from the financial and management reports and corporate handbooks. Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability test was used to test the instruments for reliability while expert opinion assessed the validity status of the instrument. The study used descriptive and inferential analysis. The study targeted all the commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study targeted sixty respondents who were the top management of the commercial banks. Questionnaires were used as the main tool of data collection in the study. The researcher used the drop and pick method to administer the questionnaires. The data was coded and entered into Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) where both descriptive analysis and inferential analysis of multiple regression analysis was done. The study found that stakeholder involvement had a positive and significant effect on performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. Leadership had the largest positive effect on performance while organization learning had the least but positive effect on the performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study concluded that communication had significant and positive effect on performance of banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. As established from the multiple regression analysis the results affirmed that stakeholder involvement, leadership, organization leaning and communication had significant effect on performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study recommends improvement of organization learning which was found to be deficient through development of mentorship programs and up scaling the level of employee training and development.