However, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, systems thinking is not applied at all. In terms of organizational learning, the findings show that the learning culture is encouraged and facilitated in the case of the Lesotho Electricity Corporation. Conversely, the findings indicate that the healthcare sector restructuring program is limited by inadequate organizational learning efforts by the ministry's management.
Strategic Management of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Modeling System Restructuring Process 2: A system to improve.
Introduction
Practitioner's Identity Statement
Second, the experience gained while studying for an MA in Strategy and Organizational Dynamics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal broadened the scope of the researcher's knowledge. During her studies, the researcher was exposed to different methodologies, worldviews, perspectives, problems of complexity, strategic approaches and techniques that challenged her thinking. Thus, the researcher was interested in conducting this study in an attempt to identify the various factors that contribute to organizational change management focused on different business settings.
After completing this study program, the researcher will continue to work in her profession, where she will be able to use various strategic and creative techniques and problem-solving approaches gained from the experience and knowledge gained through this research.
Background to the Study
- The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
In particular, the Lesotho Utilities Sector Reform Project is a key element of Lesotho's economic restructuring programme. To increase the competitiveness of the supply sector and thereby improve the business development environment in the country. The primary focus of the PHC strategy was the decentralization of health service delivery right down to the community level.
Recognizing the continuing problems with the nation's health status forced the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to embark on a process of restructuring the health system in Lesotho.
Problem Statement
Indeed, the PHC strategy represented a major change in the way health services were delivered in Lesotho. These include the mapping and operationalization of health service areas; the introduction of a staff of nurses; as well as volunteer health workers (CHWs). In addition, there are not enough health workers and health facilities to meet the needs of the population.
At the same time, a significant part of health facilities in the country are in a frightening state of disrepair.
Rationale for the Study
Research Objectives
Benefits of the Study
Outline of the Study
Limitations of the Study
The next section develops a framework for strategic thinking by combining different theoretical perspectives and worldviews, derived primarily from strategic management and change management theories. The final section concludes by highlighting the importance of using strategic thinking in managing change efforts. Strategic thinking is one of the approaches of strategic management, which has established itself as the dominant approach of strategic management.
In the next section, a brief historical trajectory of the strategy field is discussed with the main aim of providing a background on how the concept of strategic management has developed.
Defining Strategic Thinking
The goal of strategic thinking is to discover and apply new and imaginative strategies. The concepts of strategic thinking and strategic planning are linked in a dialectical process (Heracéous, 1998; and O'Shannassy, 2003). The level of involvement in the strategic thinking approach broadly includes diverse members at all levels of the organization.
Interestingly, one of the hallmarks of strategic thinking is to encourage both a dialogue-based method of research and the advocacy method of research.
The Importance of Strategic Thinking in this Study
On the other hand, this could remove one of the main barriers to people's willingness to engage in the change process (Bumes, 2004). However, engaging them in discussions and debates about the need for change and the form of change and allowing them the freedom to discuss the issues involved openly and convincing them that change is necessary (Burnes, 2004). ). However, as mentioned above, each approach alone remains inadequate in an effective strategy formulation process.
However, most studies have not addressed the cognitive dimension of decision making in organizations, namely how strategic decision makers actually think.
The Framework of Strategic Thinking
- Vision Building as a Strategic Thinking Element
- The Importance of Vision-Building to this Study
Within the context of this study, vision building is considered one of the key elements of strategic thinking. This means that the behavior of the organization is attracted to a specific behavior pattern. Scenario planning is a strategic approach that is considered by the researcher as one of the key elements of strategic.
In this regard, scenario planning is one of the essential elements of strategic thinking in the context of this study.
Introduction
Research Design
This type of sample is entirely based on the researcher's judgment, in the sense that a sample is composed of elements that contain the most characteristic, representative or typical features of the population (Singleton, 1988 in de Vosetal., 2005). This could be based on new insights that are developed as research progresses (Struwig et al., 2001). Such an approach is a research process to understand a social or human problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, detailed representations of informants, and carried out in a natural environment (Creswell, 1998; Henninget al ., 2004). ).
Such descriptions are embedded in the lifeworlds of the actors being studied and produce internal perspectives of the actors and their practices. In this study, the choice of this approach was not arbitrary, but was determined by the nature of the problem under investigation, which is presented in Chapter 1, section 1.4. Since qualitative studies usually aim for depth rather than quantity of understanding (Henningetal., 2004), the nature of this problem under investigation required the researcher to conduct a qualitative investigation in order to gain a deep understanding of the two situations under investigation.
A qualitative research approach usually does not give the researcher a fixed step-by-step plan to follow, but rather it gives the flexibility to create the research strategy that best suits the research problem before and during the research process (de Vos et al. al., 2005) . The unstructured nature of qualitative techniques allows the researcher to collect in-depth data about respondents' attitudes, beliefs, feelings and perceptions, all of which can provide significant information about their thought patterns and their behavior (Henning et al., 2004). A phenomenological study is a study that attempts to understand people's perceptions, perspectives and understanding of a particular situation (de Vos et al., 2005). As such, Creswell (1998) in de Vos et al. a phenomenological study as one that describes the meaning of experiences of a phenomenon, topic or concept for different individuals.
To achieve this, the researcher should be able to enter the people's living world. The final results in this study are the general description of the phenomena as seen through the eyes of people who experienced them first hand, as recommended by de Vos et al.
Research Methodology
- Commercial Division
- Vision-Building
- Systems Thinking
- Organisational Learning
- System 2: A System to Improve the District Health Situation
The health sector is currently undergoing a restructuring program led by the Ministry of Health and Social Care. Individual interviews and conversations were conducted in the first phase of the survey. The structure of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is bureaucratic and hierarchical in nature.
What this implies is that the health sector's problem situation was diagnosed and analyzed. However, it appears from the results that the participation of the key external stakeholders. In summary, the results showed that the health sector's problematic situation is attributed to a number of interrelated factors.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to use effective strategic approaches to improve the overall delivery of services in the health sector. Staff members of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (medical, managerial, administrative, technical, etc.). To appoint a strategic management team to provide relevant advice for the restructuring program of the Ministry.
Improve infrastructure of the health facilities in the country to improve the conditions of health facilities. In systems parlance, the nature of the problem situation facing the Ministry is messy.
Introduction
Conclusions
- Vision-Building
In the case of the Lesotho Electricity Corporation, it is evident that through the facilitation and management of the IMTF team, the vision of the desired future corporation was developed. Conversely, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the findings showed that the Ministry does not have a clear organizational vision in general, nor an explicit vision for the restructuring process. In the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, it is evident from the findings that it has not implemented the systematic approach, which encourages the involvement and explicit participation of key external actors in efforts related to organizational changes.
Thus, a conclusion reached is that in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, systematic thinking is not applied. However, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, it is clear from the findings that the concept of a complex adaptive system does not apply. However, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, it is evident that to a large extent, the health sector restructuring program is held back by weak and inadequate organizational learning efforts undertaken by management.
In the case of the Lesotho Electricity Corporation, scenario planning is not applied as a strategic tool to explore alternative futures in uncertain environments. However, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the findings suggested that scenario planning is implemented, but on a very limited scale. However, in the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the conclusion is that in the management of organizational change, the Ministry has not implemented strategic thinking.
In the case of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, it is clear that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in its restructuring program is applying insufficient strategic management approaches that lack substance in many respects. The future research can focus on the importance of applying strategic thinking in the management of change of the health sector.
