Human Resource Succession Planning Case Study

ST JOHN’S UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

CHALLENGES FACING HUMAN RESOURCES SUCCESSION PLANNING IN TANZANIAN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS:

“A CASE OF MWANZA CITY COUNCIL”

JOHN PAUL CHANGAE

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the masters of business administration in human resources management at St John’s University of Tanzania

Supervisor: Dr Philemon Sengati PhD

2014

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

No part of this dissertation may be produced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the author or University.

© 2014 St. John’s University of Tanzania and John Paul Changae CERTIFICATION

The

1.2 Background to the Research Problem

Henri Fayol introduced the concept of human resource succession planning, he believed that if succession planning needs were not given consideration, organizations would not be prepared to make necessary transitions (Rothwell, 1994). Succession planning allows an organization to prepare for the absence, departure, death, retirement, or termination of an individual. It provides for continuity of culture and the evolution of necessary skills for an organization (Blaskey, 2002). Steele (2006) contends that succession planning has been used as a formalized method for dealing with changes in leadership for over fifty years. Succession Planning is a mechanism that was used to foresee smooth transition at the top level positions in an organization. Succession Planning has evolved into a process that many organizations view as important for key positions across functions and different levels in an organisation. Regardless they are several operational definitions, the core meaning has remained the same throughout the decades as the process of succession planning has

6. Significance of the Study

The study is expected to make contributions to the expanding literature on issues related to the human resources succession planning in Tanzanian public organizations. Results from the study will have significance to academia, extension of knowledge as well as to policy makers. The dissertation will also be used as an important reference material to other academicians who will use the research document for further reference. In addition, the study is expected to provide knowledge on the challenges facing human resource succession planning in Tanzanian public organisations. The research findings are also expected to raise some human resource succession planning weaknesses which should be addressed by Mwanza City Council and other Tanzanian public organizations alike.

1.7. Organization of the Study

This dissertation is composed of five chapters. Chapter one presents Background Information; Statement of the Problem; Objective of the Study; Research questions and Significance of the Study. Chapter Two provides Literature Review, while Chapter Three gives Research Methodology. Chapter Four is about Results and Discussion. Chapter Five gives Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE