Track: Business Management

Abstract

This paper explores the dynamic process of change and change management. While change is about moving to a future state, change management is the process of supporting individual employees impacted by the change through their own transitions. The study aimed to investigate the causes of continuous resistance to change towards the implementation of a centralized HR Support Services from business units of a multinational mining house, Company X (pseudonym) with operations in Southern Africa. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods using survey questionnaires and semi structured interviews for data collection to explore different experiences of key employees and management of the mining company and industry as a whole. This study found that poor communication, poor leadership, and poor change management result in resistance to change. Some key recommendations put forward for Company X leadership are to produce a change management framework specific for each business unit concerned, including feedback sessions, and the need to have a communication plan about the need for change and its benefits to be used to persuade employees to accept the change programme. This research contributes significantly to thought leadership on the issues of change and change management in the South African mining industry.