INFLUENCE OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED MEDIA FIRMS IN KENYA

Abstract

The operations, structures and performances of traditional, new and converged media formats have been affected by the availability and appropriation of changes in the environment such asdigital technologies. Better change management strategies are needed to cope with the changing environment. The performance of media firms in Kenya was affected as a result of the digital migration which was a major change in the environment. The argument that a change in the environment of operation for instance digital migration affected performance of media firms also raises questions on the level of preparedness as well as change management strategies implemented by the media firms. The current sought to establish the influence of change management strategies adopted by media firms during digital migration on performance.The study specifically sought to establish the influence of empirical-rationalstrategy, normative-reeducative strategy, power-coercive strategy and environmental-adaptive strategy on performance of media firms in Kenya.The target population of the study comprised of 135 employees of standard media group, Nation media group and Royal media servicesin management positions (Head of departments, Managers, assistant managers and supervisors) from all the departments. A multiple linear regression model was used to test the significance of the influence of change management strategies on performance of media firms. The study findings indicated that environmental adaptive strategy, power coercive strategy, normative Reeducative strategy and empirical rational strategy positively and significantly affect organizational performance. The study recommends that media firms can enhance their performance by adapting to the changes in operating environment through implementation of environmental-adaptive strategy, power-coercive strategy, normative re-educative strategies and empirical-rational strategies.