Stakeholder perceptions of leadership and organisational change management in two community education and training colleges in South Africa=Imibono yalabo okusetshenziswana nabo ngoshintsho lobuholi nokuphathwa kwenhlangano emakolishi amabili okuFunda nokuQeqesha iMiphakathi yaseNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

This study examines how various stakeholders understand the interdependence of the different parts of Community Education and Training (CET) college leadership in organisational change, how change is managed, and how effective the organisational change is. The relevance of this study is the need for information on how the change management framework and leadership style may ensure that CET colleges in South Africa are meeting their intended objectives as set out in the national policy. This was a case study of two community colleges based in KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga provinces within the interpretive paradigm. Data collection methods were interviews, focus groups, document analysis, observations, and questionnaires to stakeholders who played different leadership roles within the colleges. The study used systems theory and the theory of transformational leadership as a lens through which the findings were analysed. This study found varying understandings of the interdependence of the different parts of the community colleges’ leadership and the management of organisational change management; suggesting that leaders do not view the CET college holistically. The study also found that CET college leadership lacks an understanding of what needs to be changed. I argue that there is an enabling environment for the change management process to occur effectively. That is, there is a clear mandate, vision, resources, political commitment, governance structures, and implementation framework to drive change management processes. However, there is inadequately knowledgeable, qualified, and competent leadership and stakeholders to support the planning and implementation of change management processes. I also argue that monitoring and evaluation of the desired change and contribution by leadership and various stakeholders do not reflect the standardised criteria for CET colleges’ effectiveness. Recommendations suggest a review of governance and leadership structures, the adoption of shared organisational change by all stakeholder levels of leadership and further training on policy systems by policy experts.

Iqoqa Lolu cwaningo lubheka ukuthi abantu okusetshenziswana nabo bayakuqonda ukusebenzisana kwezinhla ezahlukene zokushintsha kobuholi enhlanganweni enjengekolishi leCommunity Education and Training (CET), nokuthi lolu shintsho lusingathwe kanjani, futhi ukusebenza koshintsho kuhamba kanjani. Ukubaluleka kwalolu cwaningo wukutholakala kolwazi mayelana nokuthi uhlaka lokushintsha ukuphatha kanye nendlela yobuholi kungaqinisekisa ukuthi amakolishi eCET eNingizimu Afrika ahlangabezane kahle nezinjongo njengoba zibekiwe kwinqubomgomo kazwelonke. Bekuwucwaningonto ngamakolishi amabili omphakathi ezifundazweni zaKwaZulu-Natali nesaseMpumalanga ngaphansi kwepharadayimu yomhumusho. Izindlela zokuqoqa ulwazi kubantu okusetshenziswana nabo kube yimibuzongxoxo, amaqoqo okuxoxisana, ukuhlaziywa kwemiqulu, ukubukela kanye nezinhlolombuzo kulabo ababambe amaqhaza ahlukene ebuholini emakolishi. Ucwaningo lusebenzise injulalwazi yesystems kanye neyobuholi obuza nenguquko ukuhlaziya ulwazi olutholakele. Ucwaningo luthole ukuqonda okwahlukahlukene ngokusebenzisana kwezinhlaka ezahlukene ngobuholi emakolishi omphakathi kanye noshintsho lokuphatha inhlangano, lokhu kusho ukuthi abaholi abalibuki ikolishi laseCET njengento eyodwa ephelele. Ucwaningo lubuye lwathola ukuthi ubuholi bekolishi iCET abuqondi kahle ukuthi yikuphi okumele kushintshwe. Ngiyavuma ukuthi kunesimo esikhuthaza ushintsho lokuphatha ngendlela enempumelelo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi, kunegunya elicacile, umbono, izinsizakusebenza, ukuzinikela kosopolitiki, izinhlaka zokubusa kanye nohlaka lokusebenza lokuqinisekisa ukuthi indlela yokushintsha indlela yokuphatha iyenzeka. Kodwa-ke, kunokuntuleka kwabaholi nabantu okusetshenziswana nabo abanolwazi olwanele, abaqeqeshekile nabanekhono lokuseka ukuhlelwa nokusebenza kohlelo lokuletha ushintsho lokuphatha. Ngiyaqinisekisa ukuthi ukuqapha nokuhlola ushintsho olubhekekile nokuzinikela kobuholi nabanye abasebenza nabo akutshengisi isimo sokwenza esibhekekile sokuphumelela emakolishi eCET. Iziphakamiso zifuna ukuba kubukezwe izinhla zokubusa nobuholi, ukwamukela ushintsho olusekelwa yibo bonke okusetshenzwa nabo emazingeni ehlukene obuholi benhlangano bese futhi beqeqeshwe ngezinhlelo zenqubomgomo ngongoti balo mkhakha.