EMPIRICAL STUDY RELATED TO CHANGE ON SCHOOL CLIMATE AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS.

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CHAPTER TWO MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE

INTRODUCTION

“Organisations exist in a dynamic environment in which changing ways of life,political trends and events in the environment, especially the ability to forecast the implications of these for managerial decision making, are now becoming a top priority for management, since past experience in the rapidly changing environment is often of little help when management has to deal with new problems. Knowledge of trends in the environment and identification of environmental dimensions that largely determine the progress of an organization, are also necessary for decision making to maximize efficiency” (Smit and De J Cronje, 1999:84-85). This knowledge requires scanning of the environment which enables management to timeously identify threats and challenges in the environment and, where possible, to transform them into opportunities. This chapter attempts to highlight the role of school managers with regard to new value systems that were brought about by the new democratic government. A major issue, however, is how effective are school managers in implementing change? During the period before the 1994 elections, people (learners, educators and parents) were expected to fit into the environment rather than act on it to implement changes. Any action or statement that conflicted with ideologies of the principal (acting for the state), were frowned upon or regarded as insubordination (Mda and Mothata,2000:65). In this chapter, the concept of management is no longer limited only to principals, it is a dynamic and inclusive concept that incorporates a participative approach and regards all stakeholders as active participants. The difference lies in the level at which each constituent operates. Participation is generally considered the most effective technique for overcoming resistance to change. It is also important in bringing together those affected to help implement the change (Smit and De J Cronje, 1999:267).

WHAT IS CHANGE?

According to Smit et al, (1999:260) organisational change can be defined as “a process in which an organization takes on new ideas to become different. The necessity for change can be brought about by factors in the external environment or within the organization itself”. In general terms change represent the struggle between what is and what is desired. “Change is also a deliberate effort to change the status quo by means of a complicated process that requires thorough strategic planning”(Van Der Bank, 2000:101). Change always aims at improvement.Profound change requires investment – of time, energy, and resources. It requires a team genuinely committed to new organizational purposes, methods and working environments. The most important change initiatives seem to have these qualities:
They are connected with real work goals and processes;
They are connected with improving performance;
They involve people who have the power to take action regarding these goals;
They afford people an increased amount of opportunities to think and reflect without pressure to make decisions;
They are intended to increase people’s capacity, individually and collectively; and
They focus on learning about learning, in settings that matter (Senge et al,1999:43).
Some managers experience the new managerial work as a loss of power because much of their authority used to come from hierarchical position. Now that everything seems negotiable by everyone, they are confused about how to mobilize and motivate staff (Kanter, 1991:13). Most school managers in black schools have not had much management training in their role as change agents. They assume that a problem is solved when employees verbally agree to a change. Later they may learn that the employees have neither accepted nor learned how to implement the change. Fear of change is understandable, but because the environment changes rapidly and it has been doing so increasingly, organisations cannot afford not to change. In this study the major task of a manager is to implement change, and that entails overcoming resistance to it. (Kotter and Schlesinger, 1991:67).

CHANGES IN EDUCATION

South Africa now has a new system of education. It emphasizes equal access and improving the quality. School managers and leaders will, in the future be judged on the quality of education, their school educational policy; and management in the educational institutions must change. Schools are now encouraged to become self-managed and self-reliant. The manager is expected to form a school management team (SMT) made up of senior level staff. The SMT is responsible for the day-to day running of the school and for putting the school’s policies into practice, while the school governing body (SGB) determines the policies. (Managing and Leading Schools, 2000:1-2)
Aspects of the development of the new framework are discussed to assess the possible positive contribution of this framework to the provision of high quality education during educational change. 27 April 1994 was a watershed in the political, legal and educational history of South Africa. It ushered in a democratic political system, a supreme constitution to replace a system of parliamentary sovereignty and a single integrated and democratic education system in the place of fragmented systems marked by rigid divisions along racial lines at all levels of management (Beckmann,1997:123).The challenge that presented itself to South Africa on 27 April 1994 may best be summarized in the words of the Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic Of South Africa, 1996 (Act No.108 of 1996), namely to:
• Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values,social justice and fundamental human rights.
• Lay the fundamental democratic law that equally protects open society and in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen.
• Improve the quality of life of each of all citizens and free potential of each person.
A government desiring to bring about dramatic changes to the education management, is likely to use the new mechanisms of the new legislation rather than policy changes to do so most effectively School governors and managers need to be familiar with some of the democratic principles that have informed and influenced policies regarding transformation in the structure and functions of school management and governance, such as, the national Constitution (1996), South African Schools Act (SASA) 1996, The White Paper on Education and Training (1995-6), and the National Qualification Framework (1996). (Mda and Mothata, 2000:66-68). The available policy documents focus primarily on dismantling discriminatory policies such as those which deny people the right of entry into certain schools; equal access to education resources; and opportunities for academic growth and economic advancement. According to Beckmann et al (1995:8) the law of education regulates all the interactions of individuals, groups, independent bodies and officials within the system. In other words, the law of education is a collection of legal rules, principles and norms which come from Statute Law, Common Law and Case Law that have in common, elements that can be applied in education relationships and acts. The law of education helps school managers in schools because it governs the actions, functions and behaviour of all people and bodies that are involved in education. Educators know the legal concepts that apply to education matters and can safely make a decision or call on legal experts for advice. The school as a learning institution involves different parties that have an interest in education. These parties include educators, learners, administrators, education departments, parents, teacher organisations, and school governing bodies, NGO’s,Churches and the community at large. Education management requires all these parties to work in partnership and collaboration. It is in this respect that the law of education is regarded as an important pivotal joint functioning within the education system. (Beckmann, 1995:8 -13). Educators can now judge in advance whether the decision he is to make will affect the rights of the other parties e.g. suspension or expulsion. The introduction of school governing bodies, a statutory body set up by an act of parliament, emphasizes the importance of the law. The governance of every public school is vested in its governing body (GDE Understanding the SASA,1997:23).

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THE NATURE OF CHANGE

More and more organizations today face a dynamic and changing environment. This in turn, is requiring these organizations to adapt (Robbins, 2001:540). All organisations undergo adjustments in reacting to change. Two fundamental types of organisational change can be distinguished, namely: Routine and Planned change. Routine changes are minor changes and do not affect the organization as a whole.These changes are also called reactive because they are a response to problems as they develop. Such a response is sometimes done in haste and is poorly planned and
executed.Planned change involves the entire organization or a major part of it, to adapt to significant changes in the organisation’s goals or direction, in reaction to expected change in the environment. Planned change is designed and implemented in an orderly and timely fashion in anticipation of future events (Smit et al, 1999:260-261). Essentially there are two goals of planned change. First, it seeks to improve the ability of the organization to adapt to changes in its environment. Second, it seeks to change employee behaviour. Efforts to stimulate innovation, empower employees, and introduce work teams are examples of planned change activities directed at responding to changes in the environment (Robbins, 2001:542).

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTORY ORIENTATION PAGE NO.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.4.1 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
1.4.2 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
1.4.3 LITERATURE REVIEW
1.4.4 EMPIRICAL STUDY
1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1.6 RESEARCH PROGRAMME
1.7 DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
1.7.1 CHANGE
1.7.2 CHANGE MANAGEMENT
1.7.3 SCHOOL CLIMATE
1.7.4 THE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
1.7.5 THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
1.7.6 EMPOWERMENT
1.8 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 2: MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 WHAT IS CHANGE?
2.3 CHANGES IN EDUCATION
2.4 THE NATURE OF CHANGE
2.5 TYPES OF CHANGE
2.6 VISION AND CHANGE
2.7 CHANGE PROCESS
2.7.1 UNFREEZING
2.7.2 MOVEMENT
2.7.3 REFREEZING
2.8 ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE
2.9 REACTIONS TO CHANGE
2.9.1 SHOCK
2.9.2 ANGER
2.9.3 DENIAL
2.9.4 ACCEPTANCE
2.10 RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
2.10.1 INDIVIDUAL RESISTANCE
2.10.2 ORGANISATIONAL RESISTANCE
2.11 OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
2.11.1 COMMUNICATION
2.11.2 PARTICIPATION
2.11.3 SUPPORT
2.11.4 REWARD
2.11.5 PLANNING
2.11.6 COERCION
2.12 CHANGE MANAGEMENT
2.13 HOW CHANGE IS IMPLEMENTED
2.14 RESEARCH ON CHANGE
2.15 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3: ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 AN ORGANISATION
3.3 ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE
3.4 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
3.5 THE CULTURE/CLIMATE DEBATE
3.6 CHARACTERSTICS OF CULTURE IN SCHOOLS
3.7 CHANGE IN THE ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE
3.8 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS
3.9 CONFLICT
3.10 TYPES OF CONFLICT
3.11 COMMUNICATION
3.12 MOTIVATION
3.13 FAILINGS IN EDUCATION
3.14 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4: EMPIRICAL STUDY RELATED TO CHANGE ON SCHOOL CLIMATE AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS.
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 THE AIM OF THE STUDY
4.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.3.1 THE QUESTIONNAIRE
4.3.2 ADVANTAGES OF A QUESTIONNAIRE
4.3.3 THE DISADVANTAGES OF A QUESTIONNAIRE
4.3.4 THE INTERVIEW
4.4 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
4.5 RESEARCH POPULATION
4.6 COMPARISON OF INDEPENDENT GROUPS
4.7 MOTIVATION
4.8 CULTURE OF LEARNING AND TEACHING
4.9 TENSION AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS
4.10 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
ON SCHOOL CLIMATE
4.11 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 THE BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
5.3 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.5 GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
5.6 CONCLUSION