| dc.description.abstract | This study sought to establish how top educational management, based at the Ministry of Education Headquarters, was managing gender balancing process, and to use this as a lens to consider the gendered nature of the change process. Descriptive survey was used. Out of a study population of 184 educational managers, three gender officers and 15 human resource management officers, saturated sampling was used to select all the 184 educational managers and all the three gender officers for the study. Three top human resource management officers were purposively sampled. Questionnaire, interview schedule, document analysis guide and observation guide were used as instruments of data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean scores and Spearman rank order correlation coefficient, while qualitative data were presented in narrative form. The study found that top educational management had attained at least one third of both gender in management positions and was also ready for gender parity in representation. This readiness was shown in belief that: gender parity was needed; it was appropriate; there was capability for achieving it; there was support from top management and other opinion leaders for this change initiative; and belief by female managers that there were personal benefits in achieving gender parity. On the other hand, senior management was not 'walking the talk' of achieving gender parity, neither did male managers perceive gender parity as beneficial to them. Strong driving forces during gender balancing included presence of a large pool of qualified men and women, pressure from without the Ministry and presence of right mix of skills at the Ministry to drive the process, backed by policies, legislations, the Constitution of Kenya and international protocols and conventions. However, restraining forces against this change initiative were observed at organization, group and individual levels. The study also established that while no gender should be a change recipient during gender balancing, both gender should play active roles, in equal measures, as change enablers. However, female gender should be more active as change drivers while male gender should be more active as change implementers in the process of gender balancing. The study concluded that male and female opinions, concerning readiness for gender parity, driving and restraining forces and change management roles during gender balancing are in the intensity, rather than in the kind. Based on these findings, the study proposed that engendered change management model would provide a practical way in which the change process connects with gender analysis to ensure successful organizational change. | en_US |
