Change Management Study of Horticulture 2015 — Conditions and Success Factors

Abstract

The increasing organizational size, as a result of the industry's structural change, is leading to crises in German horticultural companies. Therefore, the present study examines the causes of fundamental change processes in horticultural companies, indicates the overriding trends and identifies the success factors of change initiatives. For this purpose, over 150 decision-makers with over 10 years’ experience in their respective organization were surveyed from May to December 2014. The megatrends are environmental issues, changed consumer behavior, resource shortages and the labor market. Currently, the reasons for change lie in a changing market strategy/sales approach, business succession and submission and external changes in the legal conditions. Among the most difficult problems occurring in the implementation of change processes are low willingness to take responsibility, interest and goal conflicts of the involved organization's members and a sacrifice of long-term actions for short-term profit improvements. The most important success factors of change processes include realistic, clear visions/goals and their communication, team spirit and motivation and a coordinated chronological procedure. Six factors of the psychological level of the change success are presented. The results of the study can help to recommend a design for change processes in companies within horticultural manufacturing.

Keywords:

• business transformation
• human resources management
• project management
• organizational change
• economical sustainability

JEL CLASSIFICATIONS::

• L16
• L21
• L22
• L25
• L66
• M12
• O13

Notes on contributor

Stephan G. H. Meyerding is a lecturer at Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover with a business administration background. His research interests lay primarily on social sustainability issues and consumer behavior. His industry focus is German horticulture.

Notes

1 Considerations of the causes of developmental processes in horticulture can be found in Berndt (1984: 54 ff.), Böckelmann (1992: 106 ff.) and Bock (1994: 49–57). Storck and Bokelmann (1995: 303 ff.) establish a relationship between plant growth and business development.

2 Denotes that respondents assign greater importance either to the former or to the latter. By randomizing the order of the answers, these effects can be excluded. See, for example, Murphy et al. (2006).

3 Population: fruticulture: 31.9%; floriculture: 25.5%; vegetable farms: 17.6%; tree nurseries: 9.8%; and other: 15.1%. See Gurrath (2006).