This paper is about organisational change in the Kenyan Ministry of Land. Organisational change is defined as a process of moving from one fixed state to another through a series of predictable and preplanned steps in order to implement changes in the governance, design and delivery of public services. These series of predictable and preplanned steps are, in my learned opinion, subject to an analytical framework that guides the organisation to successfully implement the change.
There are very few studies on organisational change in the public sector, particularly in Kenya. Hence, this paper is a first attempt at examining the change effected in the organisation of the Ministry of Land in 2012 using Fernandez and Rainey’s (2006) model as the analytical framework to analyse the change and discuss whether it was successful or not.
It is important to note that little is known about organisational change in a public sector context because studies concerning organisational change in the public sector focus on the national level as a whole instead of specific organisational departments. Hence, studies tend to examine the transition of a centralised form of government to a decentralised one; or an autocracy to a democracy. Whereas it is difficult to pinpoint studies focusing on the organisational level by examining the change in the structure of a governmental department itself by scrutinising the changes in the relationships between different activities and members in the organisation; subdivision and assignment of roles, responsibilities and authority to carry out different tasks. Also, studies tend to emphasise on the content of change, rather than the processes through which organisational change is implemented. As a result, there is hardly any literature that connects the implementation of organisational change to the actual effects or outcomes of change.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
2.1. The Old Structure of the Ministry of Land and the Need for Change
2.2. The New Structure Following the Organisational Change
2.3. Fernandez and Rainey’s (2006) Model as the Analytical Framework
2.4. Analysing the Organisational Change in the Context of the Analytical Framework
3. Observations and Recommendations
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to examine the organisational change implemented within the Kenyan Ministry of Land in 2012 by utilizing Fernandez and Rainey's (2006) model as an analytical framework to assess the success or failure of the transition.
- Analysis of the transition from a centralized to a devolved land governance system.
- Evaluation of organisational restructuring within a public sector context.
- Application of the eight-factor change management model by Fernandez and Rainey.
- Assessment of procedural efficiency, transparency, and accountability in land administration.
- Investigation into the impact of digital land record management and legislative reforms.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. The Old Structure of the Ministry of Land and the Need for Change
Prior to 2010, Kenya was a unitary state administratively divided into 8 provinces which were further divided into 69 districts. These districts were subdivided into divisions, locations and sub locations resulting into 175 local authorities which included 67 county councils, 43 municipal councils, 62 town councils and 3 city councils (Harbeson, 1971; Devas and Grant, 2003). The Ministry of Land was based in the province of the city of Nairobi administering and managing land throughout Kenya under five different laws; Government Land Act (GLA), Registration of Titles Act (RTA), Registered Land Act (RLA), Indian Transfer of Property Act (ITPA) and the Land Titles Act (LTA). These laws governed the entire land in Kenya (Okoth-Ogendo, 1991; Leo, 1984).
The ministry in Nairobi maintained a single registry for transactions done and titles issued under these laws. The registry was the main department of the ministry where all land transactions were processed and approved. The ministry was headed, in order of hierarchy, by the Minister of Land, followed by the Commissioner of Land, then the Registrar and Clerks. The minister approved the rules and regulations for the proper administration and management of land, the Commissioner was responsible for formulating these rules and authorising the issuance of titles whereas the Registrar registered the titles (Wanjala, 1990). The ministry delegated the power to register titles to land outside Nairobi to the local authorities. The local authorities were subordinate to the Commissioner of Land. The Commissioner authorised an Assistant Registrar and a Clerk to head each registry in a local authority and forward the titles to his office for authorisation (Kanyinga, 2005; Leo, 1984).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study, defining organisational change and introducing the analytical framework used to evaluate the restructuring of the Kenyan Ministry of Land.
2. Discussion: Details the historical administrative structure of the Ministry of Land and contrasts it with the new devolved structure, while applying Fernandez and Rainey’s model to the change process.
3. Observations and Recommendations: Synthesizes the findings on how the eight factors were evidenced in the Kenyan case and recommends the integration of monitoring and evaluation into future change initiatives.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the successful outcome of the organisational transformation, noting improvements in service delivery, transparency, and public confidence in land administration.
Keywords
Organisational Change, Ministry of Land, Kenya, Fernandez and Rainey Model, Public Sector Reform, Devolved Government, Land Administration, Land Registration, Accountability, Transparency, Property Rights, Governance, National Land Commission, Service Delivery, Institutional Reform
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the organisational change and administrative restructuring of the Kenyan Ministry of Land following the country's transition to a devolved government system in 2010.
What are the central themes discussed?
The main themes include public sector reform, the implementation of land governance policies, the transition from centralized to decentralized authority, and the role of transparency and digital record-keeping in land management.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to examine the 2012 organisational changes within the Ministry of Land to determine whether they were successful by applying the eight-factor analytical model developed by Fernandez and Rainey (2006).
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author uses a qualitative case study approach, utilizing a specific eight-factor analytical framework to categorize and assess the events and institutional changes that took place during the ministry's restructuring.
What is the focus of the main body?
The main body describes the previous land administration structure, details the legislative and organisational shifts post-2010, and systematically applies each of the eight Fernandez and Rainey factors to the Kenyan experience.
How is this paper characterized by its keywords?
The paper is defined by terms such as organizational change, public sector reform, land governance, and accountability, highlighting its interdisciplinary nature between law, public administration, and management science.
How did the Land Reform Transformation Unit (LRTU) contribute to the process?
The LRTU was instrumental in building internal support for the change by addressing employee concerns, facilitating participation in the transition process, and providing capacity-building workshops.
What specific role did the National Land Commission play in the new structure?
The Commission replaced the office of the Commissioner of Land to monitor the registration of rights and interests in land, thereby preventing multiple title allocations and ensuring higher levels of integrity.
Why does the author caution against reliance on external donor support?
The author notes that donor support can be conditional and sometimes misaligned with the intended strategic plan, potentially creating delays or introducing outside agendas that threaten the integrity of the change process.
- Citar trabajo
- Laila Abdul Latif (Autor), 2015, Organisational Change. A Case Study of Kenya's Ministry of Land, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/305927
