Improving the effectiveness of public sector organizations to manage change
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Date
2008-02
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Publisher
The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
Public sector organizations face a momentous task of constant change and upgrade to
their services in today’s dynamic and hyper turbulent market place. Owing to the hyper
active nature of the market place, the pace of change has never been greater than in the
current business environment and is becoming a constant feature of organizational life.
Coupled with massive economic expansion, increased globalization and massive
transnational flow of information, there is a colossal pressure on public sector
organizations to relentlessly instigate change. More so manage change effectively so as to
increase the competitiveness of the states; else the increased diversification and ambitious
growth strategies pursued by states can be rendered futile.
This research focuses on one such change (‘Salik’) wherein the organization (roads and
traffic agency) is faced with the task of resolving the traffic woes of Dubai and is
working towards the integration of the entire road and transport network. The aim of this
research is to examine and improve the effectives of the public sector organizations to
manage change. In light of the aim the objectives of the research are to: Investigate how
the road and traffic agency is managing change, especially change related to the
implementation of advance technology, examine ‘Salik’ as technological change adopted
by the agency, evaluate the consequences of this change on the existing network and
stakeholders and to appraise the management strategy deployed to address the transport
network in general and ‘Salik’ in particular.
The findings of this research indicate key emerging issues adversely impacting change
approach deployed. These include prioritization issues, timing of the change activities,
time allotted to the change activities and issues pertaining to monitoring and feedback of
change. Despite the prevailing issues; the study indicates that the state of flux has
transformed into a state of equilibrium. The research findings also indicate that owing to
this initiative undertaken by the agency, similar other projects are in the pipeline and a
trend of symmetrical change approaches will emerge due to increased public spending
and overhauling of state infrastructure fostered by the economic growth. This
nonetheless, calls for the entities to carefully implement change and manage change
effectively; wherein this research provides detailed insights into the current change and
hence serves as a good case study to extrapolate results.
Description
Keywords
effectiveness, public sector organizations, organizational life, business environment, managing change, management strategy, stakeholders