What matters for organisational change? Evidence from DEPZ, Bangladesh

Abstract

Orientation: The role of leadership and human resources (HRM) at the managerial level in the economic zones to implement organisational change have been well described in developing countries although they are often not well documented.

Research purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between leadership, organisational behaviour and HRM in Dhaka export processing zone (DEPZ) enterprises.

Motivation for the study: This study has given a direction for implementing organisational change in DEPZ organisations, where leadership, organisational behaviour and HRM have significant effects on organisational change.

Research design, approach and method: The author completed a survey using a structured questionnaire on 53 enterprises in the DEPZ. The sample size was 216. The author tested the research hypotheses by using statistical tools like step-wise multiple regression analysis. The author also used Pearson correlations, a t-test, an ANOVA and a radar diagram in this study.

Main findings: The results provide evidence that leadership behaviour, organisational behaviour factors and HRM practices have direct relationships with organisational change. In short, it requires high level of leadership ability, employee motivation and commitment, recruitment, performance appraisal and reward to bring about effective organisational change.

Practical/managerial implications: The results show that organisational learning, transformational and transactional leadership, compensation and unionisation practices reinforce organisational change at DEPZ enterprises.

Contribution/value-add: The results of this study show that organisational change requires integration with leadership ability, organisational behaviour and HRM practices, which are useful for developing companies, industries and the national economy.