OMSTÄLLNINGSBEREDSKAP - En kartläggning av omställningsberedskap i kommunala förvaltningar i Västra Götalandsregionen

Abstract

The study focuses on mapping how well prepared the counties in the west region of Sweden is in case of restructuring. The study explores what kind of activities and routines that contributes to prepare the organization for restructuring. The study also aims to investigate the effect of precedent restructuring, and if the counties who experienced restructuring are more prepared than others. The research within the field of restructuring characterizes of an evaluating nature and the focus has been after the restructuring occurred. There have also been a lot of studies of the negative consequences on individual and organizational level. Since downsizing is a frequently used method by management despite its consequences is it important to investigate how organizations can learn and thereby be more prepared for restructuring. We use a systemic downsizing perspective and organizational learning perspective and link single-loop and double-loop learning in order to investigate how organizations learn from previous experience of restructuring. We also use a strategic human resource perspective and connect this to how the organization can be prepared by managing their staff. We used a web survey that was distributed to 47 counties in the region we studied. Before the survey was dispersed it was tested on two counties and followed up with phone interviews. The survey was then edited and spread to all the other counties. A model was developed to be able to analyse the counties readiness to restructuring. Result: The main findings of our study are as follows; the majority of the Swedish counties do have a low level of preparedness for restructuring. This is remarkable because of all the respondents 72% have experienced restructuring before, but this did not predict a higher level of preparedness in our study. This is also notably because 62% of the counties say that they need to restructure within a five years period.