Managing Change - Case Study of Al Asayel Primary School

Authors

  • Alyazia Alsuwaidi Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University
  • Haya Alanasari Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University
  • Mariam Almarzooqi Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University
  • Shamsa Bin Kalban Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47604/ejbsm.1894

Keywords:

Change Management, Process, Resistance, Change Agent, Change Leader

Abstract

Purpose: The paper aims to study the change process strategies and approaches followed by Al Asayel School administration and their change agent, Alef Education, to transform the school from being a traditional primary school to a smart technology-based one. This was performed through tackling the change process and its impact on different stakeholders, and highlighting the importance of managing change successfully, to better deliver a successful change journey.

Methodology: To further understand the change process and its impact on Al Asayel School - Abu Dhabi, an interview was held with the school's stakeholders who are: The school's principal, a primary school teacher, and a primary school student. The responses obtained were then supported with secondary research where literature and models were used to better illustrate and analyze the findings.  

Findings: The study showcases a steady and gradual change process initiated by Alef Education. With the willingness, dedication and cooperation of Al Asayel School administration, teachers and students, the change process was successfully implemented. Regardless of minor issues, the initiator responded quickly, was constantly available to provide solutions before, during and after the change. The level of resistance of the different stakeholders was identified, along with how the school and its change agent dealt with it. The analysis showcased that Al Asayel School's principal and Alef Education implemented Lewin's change model successfully and communicated the change with teachers, students and parents in a motivational manner, through focusing on explaining all change aspects while addressing and easing raised concerns. This aided in controlling resistance to change and guaranteeing a successful transformation.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The paper showcases a unique case that broadens our understanding of the usage of Lewin's change model by Alef Education to education in the UAE through investigating the first school that implemented this change and how they managed to adapt while inspiring schools to adopt new platforms and educational technology.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alef Education (2022). Our Profile. Available at: https://www.alefeducation.com/our-profile/

Alyammahi, A. H. (2019). The impact of Alef Platform on students' performance at Al Asayel School in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Journal for Researching Education Practice and Theory , 2(1), 80-108. Available at: https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/bitstream/handle/1234/1433/The%20impact%20of%20Alef%20platform%20on%20Students%20Performance%20at%20Alasayel%20Sch%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi-UAE%20-%20Aisha%20Hassan%20Alyammahi.pdf?sequence=1

Bateh, J., Castaneda, M.E. and Farah, J.E. (2013). Employee resistance to organizational change. International Journal of Management & Information Systems, 17(2), 113. Available at: https://doi.org/10.19030/ijmis.v17i2.7715.

Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2019). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Dobbin, F. (2009). Inventing equal opportunity. Princeton University Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400830893.

Elsan Mansaray, H. (2019). The role of leadership style in organizational change management: A literature review. Journal of Human Resource Management, 7(1), 18. Available at: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jhrm.20190701.13.

Errida, A. and Lotfi, B. (2021). The determinants of Organizational Change Management Success: Literature Review and Case Study. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 13. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/18479790211016273.

Erwin, D. G., & Garman, A. N. (2010). Resistance to organizational change: linking research and practice. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 31(1), 39-56. Available at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01437731011010371/full/html

Isnaini, I. et al. (2021). Principal's efforts to change in scho Bozbayindir ols: A case study in Indonesia. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 1(4), 241-251. Available at: https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v1i4.570.

Kalman, M. and Bozbayindir, F. (2017). An investigation of dispositional resistance, change-specific resistance and change-related information: The case of the "˜4+4+4' educational reform in Turkey. Multidisciplinary Journal of Educational Research, 7(2), 125. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17583/remie.2017.2622.

Kellogg, K.C. (2012). Making the cut: Using status-based Counter Tactics to block social movement implementation and micro institutional change in surgery. Organization Science, 23(6), 1546-1570. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1110.0704.

Kho, J., Gillespie, N. and Martin-Khan, M. (2020). A systematic scoping review of change management practices used for telemedicine service implementations. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05657-w.

Kotter, J.P. and Schlesinger, L.A. (2009). Choosing strategies for change. The Principles and Practice of Change, 161-174. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-16511-4_10.

Lomba-Portela, L., Domínguez-Lloria, S. and Pino-Juste, M.R. (2022). Resistances to educational change: Teachers' perceptions. Education Sciences, 12(5), 359. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050359.

Metz, M., 2021. Overview of Change in Organizations. Resistance to Change. A Literature Review. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, 21(1), 611-620.

Miller, K. (2020). 5 Critical Steps in the Change Management Process | HBS Online. Business Insights - Blog. Available at: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/change-management-process.

Mohamed, H. and Bashir, H. (2018). Mohamed bin Zayed spends time in class with pupils on First Day of school. Emirates News Agency. Available at: http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302706237

Pereira, V.R., Maximiano, A.C. and Bido, D.de (2019). Resistance to change in BPM implementation. Business Process Management Journal, 25(7), 1564-1586. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/bpmj-07-2018-0184.

Pettersson, F. (2020). Understanding digitalization and educational change in school by means of activity theory and the levels of learning concept. Education and Information Technologies, 26(1), 187-204. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10239-8.

Robbins, S.P., Coulter, M., Martocchio, J.J., and Long, L.K. (2018). Always Learning, and My Management Lab, 14. Pearson.

Rousseau, D.M. and Have, S.T. (2022). Evidence-based change management. Organizational Dynamics, 51(3), 100-899. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2022.100899.

Stryja, C. and Satzger, G. (2018). Digital nudging to overcome cognitive resistance in innovation adoption decisions. The Service Industries Journal, 39(15-16),1123-1139. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2018.1534960.

Suda, L. (2013). In praise of followers. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013"”North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Swaim, R. (2014, January 8). Nine reasons organizations need to change. Process Excellence Network.

https://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/organizational-change/columns/why-organizations-change-and-what-they-can-change

Wang, T., Olivier, D.F. and Chen, P. (2020). Creating individual and organizational readiness for change: Conceptualization of system readiness for change in school education. International Journal of Leadership in Education, pp. 1-25. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2020.1818131.

Weiner, B.J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for Change - Implementation Science. BioMed Central. Available at: https://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1748-5908-4-67

Downloads

Published

2023-04-03

How to Cite

Alsuwaidi, A. ., Alanasari , H. ., Almarzooqi , M., & Kalban , S. (2023). Managing Change - Case Study of Al Asayel Primary School. European Journal of Business and Strategic Management, 8(1), 16–30. https://doi.org/10.47604/ejbsm.1894