Change Management and Organizational Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria: The Case of Edo State

This study explores the relationship between change management practices and organisationalperformance of some selected food and beverages firms in Edo State, Nigeria. The aim is to determinethe relationship between change management in terms of change implementation and organisationalperformance. In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and shifting marketdynamics, effective change management has become essential for organizations to maintain competitiveadvantage and achieve operational excellence. The study adopted a survey research design andgathered quantitative data through structured surveys distributed to managers and employees of selectedmanufacturing firms which are Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company, and Seven Upbottling company in Edo State, Nigeria. The population of the study was 1,172 employees of the threeselected firms. A Sample size of 298 was determined using the Taro Yamane’s Statistical formula. Theinstrument for data collection, the questionnaire, was subjected to content validity and reliability tests.Cronbach’s Alpha test produced a reliability figure of 0.8 indicating that the instrument was consistent.The Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis was deployed to test the hypothesis of the study. Theresult shows that there is a significant positive relationship between change implementation andorganizational performance of the three selected manufacturing firms in Edo State with the correlationcoefficient of 0.610 and P-value of 0.009<0.005. The study concludes that there is a statisticallysignificant relationship between change management and organizational performance of the threeselected manufacturing Firms in Edo state and recommends that management of the studied firmsshould ensure that employees have the necessary resources, skills, and training to adapt to changes. Thestudy underscores the necessity for manufacturing firms in Edo State and the country in general tocultivate robust change management frameworks to navigate the complexities of the contemporarybusiness environment. Overall, this research contributes to the existing body of knowledge on changemanagement by highlighting its critical role in enhancing organizational performance, while providingpractical recommendations for practitioners in the manufacturing sector.