An Evaluation of Change Management Implementation at Zimbabwe Technical Assistance, Training and Education Centre for Health (2018–2022)

Abstract

This study evaluates change management at Zim-TTECH, a Private Voluntary Organization in Zimbabwe, during organizational reforms from 2018 to 2022. Anchored in Lewin’s three-stage model, the research found key change initiatives, assessed perceived success, examined implementation determinants, and formulated recommendations. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods single-case design was employed. Phase 1 surveyed staff; 136 usable responses were obtained from 180 invitations. Phase 2 included interviews with senior leaders and managers (n = 14) plus eight focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative data were coded thematically. Findings show a high prevalence and concurrency of initiatives, notably migration to DHIS2, decentralized provincial hubs, reorganization of clinical and monitoring and evaluation reporting lines, governance localization, and an ISO 15189 laboratory accreditation drive. Outcomes were rated moderate to high, with the strongest gains in data quality, faster feedback loops, improved coordination, and donor confidence. Constraints included uneven internet and power reliability, inflation-related procurement delays, limited funding flexibility for surge capacity, and vendor and maintenance of bottlenecks. Enablers included visible leadership sponsorship, distributed decision-making, team cohesion, stakeholder social capital, and a strengthening learning culture supported by after-action reflection. The study contributes context-specific evidence on managing concurrent change in resource-constrained NGOs in Zimbabwe. Recommendations emphasized structured frontline co-design, staged training with job aids and coaching, targeted infrastructure hardening at critical nodes, and institutionalized after-action reviews linked to policy and onboarding.