BUSN20016 Research Project: Maintaining Performance During Change

This document presents a research project outline focused on how enterprises maintain performance during organizational change. It includes a problem statement highlighting the challenges leaders face in adopting new processes and strategies, along with mixed research aims and objectives to examine factors influencing performance, the role of employee engagement, and effective leadership strategies. The methodology outlines a descriptive research design using positivism philosophy, incorporating literature review, secondary data collection from industry sources and company reports, and primary data collection through employee and manager interviews. Data analysis methods include Excel-based correlation analysis to find relationships between performance and organizational change. The outline also includes a brief discussion on factors affecting female career interests in the rail industry in Australia, using a case study approach.

Running head: RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors’ Note

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Table of Contents
Problem Statement...........................................................................................................................2
Aims and objectives of research......................................................................................................2
Brief Methodology...........................................................................................................................3
Secondary Data and data analysis methods.....................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................4

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Problem Statement
Ideally, the performance of employees enhances as a result of implementation and
improvement of the change management by most of the enterprises. This is mainly because
change in management affects largely on the employees and thus if proper change is
implemented, it outcomes in enhanced employees performance (Jacobs, van Witteloostuijn &
Christe-Zeyse, 2013). This is because there are forces for as well as forces against change in each
change proposal. The past studies have mixed outcome on the research topic that aligns with
maintaining performance during change of organization (Huczynski, Buchanan & Huczynski,
2013).
Battilana and Casciaro (2012) found out that there is direct relationship on organizational
change factors and enterprise performance. Recent studies reflect that as employees are the main
resource of the organization, improvement in employee’s performance directly influences the
organizational performance. As per Cameron and Green (2015), there is positive relationship
between certain areas of organization change such as- (technology, enterprise structure,
individuals) and the employees performance. This means that employee’s performance improves
owing to organization change. Owing to dynamic changes in the business environment, the
leaders and managers of the organizations are facing several difficulties in adopting new
processes, business strategies within the organization. However, maintaining performance during
organization change has been one of the main problems that the leaders are facing in today’s
world (Doppelt, 2017). Now-a –days, most of the enterprises are facing several challenges in
maintaining performance during adopting any change in the business.

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Aims and objectives of research
The research study aims to explore about how the enterprise maintains performance
during any change in certain areas of business (Santos-Vijande, López-Sánchez & Trespalacios,
2012). The objectives of this research study are-
 To examine the factors that help the leaders of an enterprise to maintain performance
during organizational change
 To investigate whether employees engagement during organizational change helps to
maintain performance
 To explore the strategies that the leaders of an enterprise adopts for maintaining
performance during change in enterprise.
Brief Methodology
In order to accurately examine the variables influencing performance during enterprise
change, this study has used mixed methodology for conducting the research (Terrell, 2012). For
achieving the predetermined objectives of the study, descriptive research design will be used in
this research study. This research design will be used in this study as it will help to describe
characteristics of specific group or individuals (Hair et al., 2015). The positivism philosophy will
also be used in this study as it helps to interpret information with proper logic and reason.
 Literature review- To assess the problems faced by the enterprise to maintain
performance during implementing change in few areas, which includes- technology,
organization structure and so on (Wu, Straub & Liang, 2015). The sources that will be
used for reviewing the literature includes- academic journals, reports on the enterprise
change available in websites and interviews taken from employees.

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 Collection of data-The secondary data will be gathered from different organizations,
industry sources, journals and websites. The primary data will be collected through
interviews conducted for employees and managers of the enterprise.
 Interviews- For supporting the secondary data findings, the employees and stakeholders’
interview will be conducted in few enterprises. In combination with vital findings, the
data will help in discussion about the strategies adopted by the leaders of an organization
to maintain performance during organization change. (Hornstein, 2015)
Secondary Data and data analysis methods
This research study will use secondary data collection method as the data will be
available easily in online. Specifically, the data regarding change in organization structure,
integration of new technologies, adoption of business strategies are obtained from the company’s
websites and their annual report. After gathering all information, the data will be analyzed in the
Excel sheet and then correlation analysis will be conducted for finding relationship between
performance and organization change.

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References
Battilana, J., & Casciaro, T. (2012). Change agents, networks, and institutions: A contingency
theory of organizational change. Academy of Management Journal, 55(2), 381-398.
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2015). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to
the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page
Publishers,4(2),67-89.
Doppelt, B. (2017). Leading change toward sustainability: A change-management guide for
business, government and civil society. Routledge. 13(2), 23-45.
Hair Jr, J. F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A. H., Samouel, P., & Page, M. J. (2015). Essentials of
business research methods. Routledge.
Hornstein, H. A. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2),
291-298.
Huczynski, A., Buchanan, D. A., & Huczynski, A. A. (2013). Organizational behaviour (p. 82).
London: Pearson.
Jacobs, G., van Witteloostuijn, A., & Christe-Zeyse, J. (2013). A theoretical framework of
organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 26(5), 772-792.
Santos-Vijande, M. L., López-Sánchez, J. Á., & Trespalacios, J. A. (2012). How organizational
learning affects a firm's flexibility, competitive strategy, and performance. Journal of
Business Research, 65(8), 1079-1089.

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Terrell, S. R. (2012). Mixed-methods research methodologies. The qualitative report, 17(1), 254-
280.
Wu, S. P. J., Straub, D. W., & Liang, T. P. (2015). How information technology governance
mechanisms and strategic alignment influence organizational performance: Insights from
a matched survey of business and IT managers. Mis Quarterly, 39(2), 497-518.