Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Exxaro Breakthrough Improvement Process has been introduced as a tool whereby breakthrough results could be achieved in areas where poor performance was evident. Furthermore it was also envisioned that such a process be sustainably entrenched in the Exxaro business and therefore also become the way continuous improvement is driven on a day to day basis by all employees at Exxaro. In the implementation of this change methodology, varying degrees of successes was realized and time to results also significantly differed. This thesis thus attempt to explore reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, the essence of breakthrough methodology and thinking behind this approach is explored. The importance of the individual involved in the change effort and thinking process is proven to be critical to the success and for that matter rate and extend of success. An individual that has been able to achieve self mastery has a marked impact on the change process. The thesis then explores in detail this journey and factors that influence self mastery and growth from, as Stephen Covey (2004) explains, dependence to independence and ultimately interdependence. It requires that a whole person approach is followed and thus body, mind, heart and spirit be addressed and captured. Failure to do this and any change methodology is doomed to fail or at best do not create sustainable results. The thesis then went on to explore how external consultants address change and what steps they deem to be critical. The importance of business process interrelationships are highlighted and explored and it is clear from research that, when change is to be effected, a holistic business approach is required in many cases. It was also found from study and experiences that, even though the breakthrough methodology addresses most of the crucial steps or ingredients of successful turnaround approaches, more emphasis is needed on the change readiness of both the implementation team as well as the community the change is to be affected. The theory of change is explored and particularly the role of culture and leadership in the change process. It again became very evident that the importance of the individual involved in the change effort is critical to the success and for that matter rate and extent of success. Strong leadership in both the implementation team and community is critical. The ability, however, to be flexible or well rounded and to be able to capture the whole bodied person but also, when necessary, to be a strong driver and sometimes be brutally honest and remove barriers or individuals that hamper the process, are important traits which obviously come from growth to interdependence, as was mentioned before. The theory is related to the current breakthrough process and steps and criticality of steps yet again emphasized. Practical implementation case studies of this process on the background of research is then recalled and explored to determine where the process was successful and why, and related to where the results proved to be less impressive and not sustainable. The case studies are of particular interest, as they vary in business size and scope of change required and thus are it possible to also test theory of business process relatedness and impact to on change process. The beehive tool in particular is used to prove many of the findings and is also discussed in brief. Ultimately the thesis endeavours to highlight the importance of certain success factors and proposes additional emphasis to the existing Breakthrough Process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die “Exxaro Breakthrough Improvement” Proses is bekendgestel in Exxaro as ‘n metode waarmee resultate gegenereer kan word in areas waar swak prestasie aanwesig is. Die oorspronklike intensie was om die proses beide as eenmalige intervensie asook deel te laat vorm van die dag tot dag besigheidsprosesse, om sodoende voortgesette verbetering te bevorder by alle departemente in Exxaro deur sy hele werkskorps. Na aanleiding van verskeie verbeteringsprojekte waar die proses van gebruik gemaak is, was dit egter baie duidelik dat daar baie verskillende resultate bereik word. In die een geval is die uitkomste baie goed en word dit in betreklike kort tye bereik, maar in ander gevalle was die resultate nie na wense nie en het dit redelik lank gevat om te bereik. Die bespreek die redes vir die verskynsel. Eerstens word die sogenaamde “Breakthrough” metologie en denke ondersoek om te verstaan wat dit behels en hoe dit ontketting kan word. Die belangrikheid van die individu in die veranderingsproses en die “Breakthrough” proses word ook ondersoek en is dit duidelik dat dit krities tot die sukses van enige veranderingsproses is. Die individu wat ontwikkel het tot ‘n vlak waar hy homself kan bestuur en interafhanklik van ‘n organisasie kan word, is bewys speel ‘n sleutel rol tot veranderings sukses. Dus word die pad van ontwikkeling van ‘n individu tot interafhanklikheid in detail ondersoek in die verhaling. Volgens Stephan Covey (2004) moet ‘n volkome en onverdeelde persoon aangespreek word in die veranderingsproses en sodoende sal die persoon se liggaam, verstand, hart en gees betrokke wees by die verandering en ondersteuning en dryf gee daaraan. Deur dit te doen, veroorsaak dat ‘n persoon sin kry in wat hy doen en dus gemotiveerd en enrgiek is om ondersteuning te gee in die proses en mense/kultuur rondom hulle. Soos John Dunn eens gesê het – dat geen mens ‘n eiland is nie en dat almal maar met mekaar verbind is en invloed het op mekaar – so sal die persone in ‘n organisasie mekaar positief of negatief beïnvloed en hang dit dus van die manier af wat die persone bemoei, betrek en tot verbintenis geroep word. Die verkeerde of halfhartige bemoeienes met die persone in die veranderingsproses kan dus tot sekere faling lei en groot skade berokken aan jou mense en finansiële kapitaal. Daar word dan ook na eksterne konsultante en hulle metodes en prosesse gekyk om te sien wat hulle as belangrik ag en hoe hulle die dinge aanspreek. Verder word die impak van besigheidsprosesse ondersoek om ook vas te stel interafhanklikhede van die prosese die veranderingsproses affekteer. Dit is vasgestel dat ‘n holistiese besigheidsvisie geneem moet word wanneer ‘n veranderingsproses onderneem word in besigheidsprosesse, aangesien veranderinge in die een slegs volhoubaar is asook die intervlakke en impak daarvan verstaan word en ook aangespreek is. Mees belangrikste egter is gevind dat, alhoewel die Exxaro Breakthrough proses baie van bogenoemde kritiese suksesfaktore aanspreek, daar meer aandag en fokus gegee moet word aan die veranderingsgereedheid van jou implementeringspan en die organisasie waarin so ‘n veranderingsproses geïmplementeer moet word. Daarom word daar ook in diepte na die veranderingsteorie gekyk waarin dit ook duidelik gewys het dat leierskap ‘n deurslaggewende rol speel. Weereens, soos vantevore genoem, is dit belangrik om geronde persone, of eerder leiers, te hê, beide in die implementeringspan asook in die organisasie, om die regte besluite te neem en die vermoë te hê om moeilike versperrings of selfs individue betyds uit die weg te ruim sodat die proses voort kan gaan. Die “Breakthrough” Proses word in detail bespreek en implementeringsgevallestudies word ondersoek om die effektiwiteit van die proses te bepaal en om voorafgenoemde suksesfaktore te beproef en te bewys. Twee spesifieke scenarios is bespreek, een waarin groot sukses behaal was en een waarin daar in betreklike lang tyd nie veel vordering gemaak was nie. Wat die twee gevallestudies uniek maak, is dat die probleem wat geadresseer word, presies dieselfde is, maar dat die organisasies verskil het. Sodoende kan die effek van leierskap, veranderingsgereedheid, kultuur en besigheidsprosesse, goed beproef word. Daar is van die “Beehive” opname gebruik gemaak wat die laasgenoemde faktore toets en aanspreek. Hieruit kon duidelike gevolgtrekkings gemaak word. Ten slotte poog die verhaling om die belangrikheid van sekere suksesfaktore te beklemtoon en dus voorstelle te maak oor hoe die huidige “Exxaro Breakthrough” proses aangepas of verbeter kan word om verhoogde en meer volhoubare resultate te gee.