Proper Change Management and Its Effect in Electronic Commerce Adoption for Organizational Growth

A Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the change management process by Unilever Kenya, while adopting Leveredge, a new form of Electronic Commerce by the firm, together with its impact on ways of working. It specifically gives a detailed analysis of the change management actions taken in readiness for the new Distributor system change, how Unilever handled the change and the challenges encountered as well as the actions taken to manage the change transition from Ultra, the current system, to Leveredge, the proposed system for implementation and the effects thereafter. This Research used both descriptive and inferential research designs for this study. The methodology also outlines the data collection method as the study using both structured and semi-structured questionnaires as well as interviews conducted to a Unilever change agent and the Outlet Distributor. This was to capture their thoughts as they were considered key people in this study. A census was carried out to capture the quantitative bit of this research as the population at hand consisted of a total of 32 people, which was later analyzed using interpreted frequencies and inferential analysis of the variables. Key Informant interviews enabled the collection of the qualitative data in which content analysis was used to draw conclusions from the data. In overall, the study used both descriptive and inferential research designs to draw its conclusions and state its recommendations. Findings as per the first research questions were that it is important to ensure that the guiding coalition is completely sold to the idea. Proper training and willingness to see change acceptance by them is critical. This is the only way the coalition can lead the change effectively during the implementation. Findings as per the second research objective justified the importance of effective and efficient communication. The communication mode used by Unilever in Leveredge’s implementation was however not visually appealing as most felt there was too much detail on posters and other material. Proper training is also key in that it determines the status of the flow of information from one person to the other or even in execution while in the line of duty. This in turn greatly reduces the number of challenges that can be encountered. As per the third research objective, findings were that Post-Go Live support is also essential in managing teething problems that would definitely be encountered. A command centre is therefore essential as it shortens the response time. In this study, the interviewees were only able to discuss the immediate benefits of Leveredge. They also said that most benefits would be realized after some time of approximately a month or so. The study concluded that change is never a smooth transition and thus this study gives best practices in dealing with change as well as shows the importance of proper change management before, during and after transition. This report examines all these aspects critically, outlining all steps followed and later documenting the findings based on a pilot exercise, which is the focus of the study. The study recommended that in regard to organizational growth and change; proper employee and guiding coalition preparedness, exhaustive training of all parties, effective and efficient communication, an active command post-Go Live and a review of the results after a pilot exercise are essential for a successful change implementation project