TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENT ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES …………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
DECLARATION ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
1.1. Background of the issue …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
1.2. Research Objectives ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
1.3. Research Hypothesis ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
1.5. Research Recipients ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
1.6. Suitability of the Researcher …………………………………………………………………………………….. 11
1.7. Interest in the subject……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
1.8. Organisation of the Research……………………………………………………………………………………. 12
1.9. Structure of the study……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………………………………………………………… 14
2.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14
2.2. Change Management. Schools of thought …………………………………………………………………. 14
2.3. Planned and Emergent approach to change ………………………………………………………………. 15
2.4. Reasons for change …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16
2.5. Critical success factors for a successful change …………………………………………………………. 19
2.5.1. Shared services ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
2.6. Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
2.6.1. Transformational leadership …………………………………………………………………………………… 24
2.7. Transition ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27
2.8. Literature review conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………… 28
CHAPTER 3: REASERCH METHODS AND METHODOLOGY………………………………………….. 30
3.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 30
3.2. Research Philosophy ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31
3.2.1. Positivism ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31
3.2.2. Interpretivism……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32
3.2.3. Research Philosophy Choice ………………………………………………………………………………… 32
3.3. Research Approaches ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
3.3.1. Deductive Approach …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 33
3.3.2. Inductive Approach ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 33
3.3.3. Research Approach Choice ………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
3.4. Research Strategy …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34
3.5. Research Choice …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 35
3.6. Time Horizons …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35
3.7. Research population and sample………………………………………………………………………………. 35
3.8. Research data collection methods …………………………………………………………………………….. 36
3.8.1. Secondary data ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
3.8.2. Primary Data ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
3.9. Interview preparation ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
3.10. Questionnaire design process …………………………………………………………………………………. 39
3.11. Ethical Issues ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 42
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS ……………………………………………………………………………… 43
4.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 43
4.2. Results of the Interviews ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 43
4.2.1. Perception of the integration process …………………………………………………………………….. 44
4.2.2. Change ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 44
4.2.3. Expectations………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 45
4.2.4. Leadership ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 46
4.2.5. Transition…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 46
4.2.6. Solutions and recommendation for the future …………………………………………………………. 47
4.3. Results of the Questionnaire …………………………………………………………………………………….. 49
4.3.1. Number of responders ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 49
4.3.2. Characteristic of responders …………………………………………………………………………………. 50
4.3.3. Change ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 54
4.3.4. Reasons for change……………………………………………………………………………………………… 55
4.3.5. Critical success factors …………………………………………………………………………………………. 58
4.3.6. Expectations………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 62
4.3.7. Leadership ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 65
4.3.8. Transition…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 67
4.3.9. Overall success of the organisational change in the Carphone Warehouse ………………. 73
CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION………………………………………….. 76
5.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 76
5.2. Research Objectives Achieved …………………………………………………………………………………. 76
5.2.1. Reasons for change……………………………………………………………………………………………… 76
5.2.2. Critical success factors for a successful change ……………………………………………………… 77
5.2.3. Staff and management expectations ……………………………………………………………………… 77
5.2.4. Leadership during the integration process ……………………………………………………………… 78
5.2.5. Challenges during the transition ……………………………………………………………………………. 78
5.2.6. Success of the organisational change ……………………………………………………………………. 79
5.3. Research Hypothesis ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 80
5.4. Recommended areas of further study ……………………………………………………………………….. 80
CHAPTER 6: RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………………………… 81
6.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 81
6.2. Project Management ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 81
6.3. Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 82
6.4. Employee engagement and communication ………………………………………………………………. 83
6.5. Sustainability …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 84
CHAPTER 7: REFLECTIVE LEARNING ………………………………………………………………………….. 85
7.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 85
7.2. Learning Styles ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 85
7.3. Reflections on Learning ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 87
7.3.1. Research skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 88
7.3.2. Finance ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 89
7.3.3. Time Management ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 89
7.4. Future application of learning ……………………………………………………………………………………. 90
APPENDICES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 100
Appendix 1: Carphone Warehouse Dublin region ……………………………………………………………. 100
Appendix 2: Company background ………………………………………………………………………………… 101
Appendix 3: Interview questions …………………………………………………………………………………….. 102
Appendix 4: Detailed notes from the interviews ………………………………………………………………. 103
Appendix 5 : Questionnaire …………………………………………………………………………………………… 120
Appendix 6: Consent Form for participation in Interview Research……………………………………. 127
Appendix 7: Email sent over to the research population …………………………………………………… 130
Appendix 8: Cross tabbed responses to the questionnaire ………………………………………………. 131
Appendix 9: Research Project Plan ……………………………………………………………………………….. 158
Appendix 10: Research Project Cost ……………………………………………………………………………… 158