Purpose: This study aims to investigate the role of Control mechanisms in sustaining Change initiatives. Method: Following qualitative research with inductive approach, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews from 10 change practitioners of multinationals in various fields, including Information Technology, Project Management, Banking, Logistics, Manufacturing and Telecommunication. Grounded theory was used to analyse the empirical findings. Findings: The results show that control mechanism play a crucial role right from guiding and governing the entire process of change. On the other hand, findings reveal a wide range of control tools in context to change management. Also, change readiness is crucial step, it is critical to be well prepared before a change project is initiated. Moreover, new concepts such as design thinking, CAPA (corrective action preventive action) and PDSA (Plan, do, study, act) emerged as control tool throughout the process of change improving efficacy, mistake proofing and driving continuous improvement. Finally, control mechanisms can make contribute to sustenance of CM initiatives through its potential of continuous monitoring and indicating Implications: Theoretically, the study challenges established conceptions of CM by emphasizing the role of preparedness and adaptation. It proposes dynamic frameworks and proactive control methods to facilitate organizational transformation. Practically, it emphasizes the importance of extensive training, logical methods, and a variety of tools for effectively navigating change process.

The requirements on companies' sustainability work are growing due to the increased awareness of greenwashing which has led to an interest in creating sustainability goals that are “science based”. Therefore, this study investigates the possibilities for a company to get verified Science Based Targets (SBTs) through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). By using a qualitative approach with empirical data gathered from a case study of a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME), this paper further provides how such a sustainability change can be managed by adapting company operations and activities. The results show that the requirements for getting verified SBTs differ depending on certain conditions of the applicant company, where SMEs can utilize a simpler and more stripped-down alternative. However, for all companies it is mandatory to do an inventory of their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and annually report the progress towards the targets. The study further presents some contradictory aspects regarding the credibility of the initiative. It is argued to improve a company's trustworthiness against external stakeholders but at the same time it can be questioned how thoroughly the initiative checks the reporting of emissions. Moreover, the SBTi acts as a driving force for sustainability changes but it can also create misleading pictures of companies and their progress against the targets. Regarding how to adapt a company's operations and activities and manage a sustainability change to reach the targets, the results show that it depends on three factors. These are the size of the company, the level of sustainability integrated in the culture and the company's view of the entire value chain. For SMEs it is presented to be favorable to include collaborations with bigger actors in the industry and learn from these. It is also shown that, regardless of the size, it is beneficial to have a well-integrated sustainability culture and to strive for incremental changes that include the entire company. Above all, the activities in the value chain are proven to be an important aspect to prioritize. Finally, the paper provides some recommendations for further research, both regarding the development of the SBTi and also regarding the theory of change management in relation to sustainability changes.

In today's business landscape, characterized by rapid technological advancements and digitalization, industries worldwide are experiencing transformative shifts. With this change, opportunities as well as challenges appear, making it important for companies to stay updated. Businesses must continuously innovate and adapt their strategies to utilize the benefits of new technologies and reduce the risks of failing this digital transformation. This is specifically important in the consultancy industry as their aim is to help other companies undergo changes. Thus, consultancy companies that fail to adapt to digital transformations themselves, risk losing out on competitive opportunities and customers. Furthermore, as a majority of digital transformation attempts fail, the authors identified a need to further explore this area. Thus, this study investigated success factors for implementing digital technology within the consultancy industry. Thriving within these success factors intends to enhance a company’s ability to implement digital technology and reduce the amount of resistance to it.  The research was conducted as a single case study at a technical consultancy company, utilizing qualitative methods. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with project employees and section managers recently involved in change initiatives. Thematic analysis was then applied to interpret the data, allowing for the identification of key themes and patterns. The findings from the study indicate that successful digital transformation is not solely about the integration of new technologies but also necessitates changes to business processes and the cultural framework of an organization. The success factors identified were: Structured education and flow of information, Mandatory requirements with clear consequences, and Organizational and individuals incentives. Those success factors are supposed to guide organizations in adopting digital digitgy and provide insights on valuable aspects to consider when implementing digital technology.

I takt med den digitala utvecklingen i byggbranschen har arbetet med att integrera artificiell intelligens (AI) fått genomslag. Utvecklingen har öppnat upp nya dörrar för automatisering och optimering av processer men skapar samtidigt utmaningar då processerna ställer krav på att branschens aktörer navigerar, förändrar och anpassar sitt arbete. Denna studie undersöker hur personer med professionella roller inom byggbranschen arbetar med att integrera AI-teknik inom sina organisationer och ger perspektiv på hur dessa personer upplever integreringen av AI. I denna studie refererar personer med professionella roller till individer som på olika sätt är relaterade till hur organisationerna arbetar med att integrera AI i sin verksamhet, både inom den egna organisationen och i projekt. Dessa roller inkluderar verksamhetsutvecklare, forsknings- och innovationsledare, digitala affärsutvecklare, digitala strateger med flera, som har direkt inflytande över hur nya teknologier integreras och används i organisationerna. Inom ramen för denna studie används två analytiska ramverk: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) och förändringsledning via Kotters 8-stegsmodell. Dessa teoretiska perspektiv ger tillsammans en djupare förståelse för hur organisationer reagerar på och anpassar sig till införandet av nya teknologier. För in-samling av empiri tillämpades en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes. Resultaten visar att integreringen av AI idag sker på i en utforskande nivå genom pilotprojekt. Förändringsledningsstrategier tillämpas med ett tydligt inriktat fokus på att förbättra, automatisera och effektivisera arbetsprocesser, vilket direkt påverkar arbetsprocesserna i organisationerna. Utmaningarna är flera och inkluderar organisatoriska, tekniska och kulturella aspekter såsom strukturell tröghet, brist på interoperabilitet, säkerhetsutmaningar, rädsla för arbetsförlust och motstånd mot förändring i etablerade arbetsmetoder. Trots utmaningarna framhålls att AI bidrar till ökad effektivitet i arbetsprocesserna, förbättrad dataanalys och beslutsstöd samt har potential att omdirigera arbetsuppgifter och kompetenser till att nyttjas i andra områden inom organisationen, vilket leder till framväxten av nya roller och ansvarområden i byggbranschen. / As the digital development progress in the construction industry, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made an impact. This development has opened new doors for automation and optimization of processes but simultaneously creates challenges as the processes demands that industry actors navigate, change and adapt their work. This study examines how individuals with professional roles in the construction industry work to integrate AI technology within their organizations and provides perspectives on how these individuals experience the integration of AI. In this context, persons with professional roles refer to individuals who are involved in various ways in how organizations integrate AI into their operations, both within their own organization and in projects. These roles include business developers, research and innovation leaders, digital business developers, digital strategists, among others, who have a direct influence on how new technologies are integrated and utilized within the organizations. In this study, two analytical frameworks are utilized: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and change management through Kotter's 8-step model. Combined, these theoretical perspectives offer a deeper understanding of how organizations respond and adapt to the introduction of new technologies. For the collection of empirical data, a qualitative research method was applied, where semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results show that the integration of AI currently occurs at an exploratory level through pilot projects. Change management strategies are applied with a clear focus on improving, automating and streamlining work processes, which directly affects the work processes within the organizations. The challenges are many and include organizational, technical and cultural aspects such as structural inertia, lack of interoperability, security challenges, fear of job loss and resistance to change in established work methods. Despite the challenges, it is emphasized that AI contributes to increased efficiency in work processes, improved data analysis and decision support, but has also the potential to redirect tasks and skills to be utilized in other areas within the organization, leading to the emergence of new roles and areas of responsibility in the construction industry.

This thesis presents a case study on the internal communication dynamics during the restructuring of an organization, specifically focusing on combining two departments under the same management. Previous research underscores the importance of internal communication practices on employees during the change process. However, this aspect is often neglected. This study utilizes literature to form an analytical framework for understanding the factors affecting communication practices and observing employees' reactions to internal communication during a strategic change, specifically by investigating how managers communicate internally and how employees perceive communication. A mixed-method approach was employed, collecting qualitative and quantitative data from interviews, observations, and one survey to provide a comprehensive view and real-life context. Despite the restructuring aiming to improve organizational performance, the findings reveal critical areas for improvement, particularly in the communication and collaboration between the two departments. The study uncovers that communication was mainly done through informal channels such as rumors and word of mouth, leading to differences in perspective, assumptions, and misunderstandings among employees. Despite highlighting positive effects, the findings revealed the absence of organizational structure, leadership, communication channels, and preparations, impacting how communication was executed and negatively perceived by employees.  However, these findings also present an opportunity for improvement. Several factors influence the internal communication of the restructuring, including the need for a clear vision and mission, inadequate preparation, differences in perspectives between managers and employees, and varying departmental differences. To mitigate negative effects and enhance organizational effectiveness, the study recommends implementing communication strategies such as fostering common values, facilitating open dialogue, and providing feedback and training programs to employees and managers. Additionally, the results reveal that preparedness is essential for strategic changes.

Time-based reform proposals are founded on the assumption that more time in school will produce great learning outcomes. Research shows that when schools adopt time-based reform initiatives, there are certain considerations that they should make and methods they should follow to ensure the change produces the outcomes intended. This was not the case in a local Archdiocese where a calendar extension was adopted by several elementary schools. This qualitative case study focused on the adoption of a calendar extension at one Catholic elementary school. The researcher gathered data from the pastor, principal, teachers, parents, and students to determine how these stakeholders envisioned the outcomes of this change, how they perceived the time was being used for curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular purposes, and the challenges and opportunities that they felt existed after three years of implementation. Data collected over a four-month period included classroom observations, stakeholder interviews, focus group meetings, and document analysis. An inductive analysis of the data collected was used to determine emergent themes and domains within the school. The seven themes that emerged include: decision making, planning and implementation, advantages, financial motivations, the culture of teaching, leadership, challenges and complications of the extended calendar. Recommendations include the need for school leaders to familiarize themselves with change management techniques including setting a shared vision, establishing a collaborative implementation plan, and developing a system of assessment prior to embarking on school reform.

The main aim of the research project was to develop a change agent identification framework, to be used by organisational change management specialists to identify change agents more effectively in large organisations moving forward. To date, little research has been conducted regarding the role and identification of change agents in large organisations. In the context of the research project, the sample of change agents used, referred to employees affected by the change, spread across the organisation, assisting in communicating key messages and ensuring that their peers become change ready. A thorough 12-step empirical research process was followed, which included both a qualitative and quantitative approach. The qualitative process consisted of the development of a change agent identification framework, comprising of four dimensions, each with supportive information and/or items. The aim of the quantitative process was to empirically test the personality trait dimension of the framework with a sample group of 27 change agents and 135 employees influenced by a transformation process. This was to determine which change agent personality traits has a positive impact/effect on employee change readiness levels during transformation. Through a rigorous analysis process, only the phlegmatic, persuasive and optimistic personality traits resulted in having some positive effect on employees during a transformation process. In support of these findings, the literature study findings as well as the qualitative empirical research findings indicated that the persuasive and optimistic personality traits need to form part of a change agents’ personality profile. The phlegmatic personality trait was not evident throughout all literature findings. The literature and empirical results contributed towards a comprehensive understanding of the way in which individuals should be identified as change agents in large organisations. The developed framework should assist industrial and organisational psychologists in the future to identify individuals as change agents, more efficiently. Recommendations were made on the future expansion of a knowledge base for organisational change agents. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Organisations and job content will continually change irrespective of the employee or job context. The ability to understand, initiate and manage change is therefore, an essential skill for any change agent. The general aim of this research was to investigate the impact of change management on role conflict, role ambiguity and job satisfaction. "Change management", "role conflict", "role ambiguity" and "job satisfaction" were conceptualised. This change process was described and the effect of change management on role conflict, role ambiguity and job satisfaction was determined. Instruments for measuring these concepts were administered among 116 employees who have been subjected to extensive organisational change within a large transport organisation. It was found that change management has a significant impact on role conflict, role ambiguity and job satisfaction. The change management process used in this research potentially enables Human Resources managers and change agents to reduce role conflict, role ambiguity and job satisfaction during large scale organisation change. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial Psychology)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether organisational restructuring of business units within a South African Fast Moving Consumer Goods company had any effect on the organisational climate of the organisation. An organisational climate survey was used before and after the restructuring over a two-year period. Five manufacturing plants formed part of the study; with four plants undergoing the restructuring (experimental group) and one plant being the control group, where no organisational restructuring took place within the two-year period under review. The total population consisted of 3700 employees. The samples for 2010 and 2011 were drawn from the population of the five manufacturing plants’. The sample of employees that took part in the survey from the five manufacturing plants was, in 2010, 778 versus a headcount of 1802, yielding a response rate of 21.02%, and in 2011, 904 versus a headcount of 1736, yielding a response rate of 24.43%. The research results show that organisational restructuring did have a significant impact on organisational climate; with a drop in the organisational climate from 2010 prior to the organisational restructuring, to 2011 after the organisational restructuring at four of the manufacturing plants (experimental group). Interestingly, the control group (the 5th manufacturing plant) also showed a significant drop in its organisational climate scores from 2010 to 2011; without organisational restructuring taking place. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences that the principals encounter when managing curriculum change at the secondary schools in the Maseru district. The study is qualitative in nature and employed a case study to investigate principals’ experiences with the LGCSE curriculum change. This study used Kotter’s theory of change management as a theoretical foundation for the analysis of the data. Semi-structured in-depth –interviews and non-participant observations were used to collect data. A total of six principals from urban and rural secondary schools were interviewed and observed. Content analysis was employed to analyse data in this study. The findings revealed that the secondary school principals in the Maseru district lack skills and knowledge to manage the LGCSE curriculum change. The findings showed that the majority of the principals were not thoroughly trained on how to manage and implement the LGCSE. The principals needed continuous support from the Ministry of Education and Training. There was also a need for relevant and adequate resources to support curriculum changes. This study revealed that most principals delegated the instructional roles to the Head of Departments and the deputy principals to manage lesson plans, selection of teaching and learning materials as well as monitoring lesson presentations. This study found that most principals concentrated on administrative roles. Team work and school based workshops were found to be the strategies that principals used to manage the LGCSE curriculum change. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)