Abstract
M.Cur.
Stories about change and transformation are not foreign to any South African. Since the 1994
election, we even refer to our country as the "new South Africa", indicating the dynamic nature of
ongoing transformation initiatives and processes in our daily existence. Amidst all these
opportunities that are created for individuals and companies to change, two crucial questions
emerge in the business world today: Are you ready to change individually? Are you willing to
change collectively?
It seems as if globalisation - "racing towards the world" - and technology - "racing towards the
future" (Andrews, 2000:7) - form an integral part of our current business landscape. The impact on
individuals that work in this environment is high levels of stress, uncertainty and anxiety (Mirvis in
Elledge & Phillips, 1994:20), thus causing mental discomfort. The collective abilities of men and
women are exhausted in the process of dealing with continuous challenges to change (Senge, et.al.
1999:3). The media reports almost daily, often in a problem-centred way, about a specific form of
organisational change, namely merger and acquisition (M&A) change. This research tells the story
of two management teams that were involved in an M&A change process in a specific South
African property and hotel owning company, as the need was identified by top management to deal
more constructively with the unique needs of M&A change processes in order to promote mental
health in this context. Certain managers in this company described feelings of mental discomfort
such as being unmotivated, angry and unproductive in relation to M&A changes in the company.
Team coaching, as an "artful, compassionate and incisive way" of creating an environment in which
teams can learn (Senge, et al. 1999:106), emerged as a relevant way to empower management teams
in dealing with the impact of an M&A change process, thus promoting mental health. The value of
a team-based approach lies in working collaboratively as a team, based on collaborative values such
as integrity, respect, recognition, consensus, ownership and accountability (Fitz-enz, 1997:120).
Appreciative inquiry was also identified as a way to create change in teams (Bushe, 1998:1). The objectives of this research are listed below
To explore and describe the lived experience (stories) of a management team that belongs to
one of two identified units of a specific South African company with regard to the impact of
an M&A change process. (Phase I.) To explore and describe recommendations that are made by a management team that
belongs to one of two identified units of a specific South African company, in order to
address challenges that are related to the impact of an M&A change process. (Phase I.)
• To co-construct and describe guidelines for the advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner as
framework for facilitating a team-coaching programme for empowerment of a specific
management team, with regard to the impact of an M&A change process, in order to
promote mental health. (Phase II.)
A qualitative (Babbie & Mouton, 2001: 271), exploratory (Mouton, 1996: 103), descriptive
(Merriam, 1991: 11/12) and contextual (Babbie & Mouton, 2001: 272) research design was
followed. The research method entailed multiple descriptive case studies (Yin, 1994: 13) during
which data was gathered by means of focus group interviews (Krueger, 1994: 14, 15, 19, 29), field
notes (Wilson, 1989: 434-436), naive sketches and drawings. Data was analysed using the
descriptive method of open coding by Tech (in Creswell, 1994:154). Two independent co-coders
analysed the data with me, and we held consensus discussions. A literature control was conducted
to recontextualise data (Morse & Field, 1996: 106). In phase I of the research, I concluded that different narratives construct the impact of an M&A
change process in the research context. Dominant problem-saturated stories were told of being in
the dark as a result of the psychological impact of the M&A change process. A process of
disempowerment that resulted in decreased organisational productivity characterised these problemsaturated
stories. Narratives that portray unique outcomes of new meaning that emerged in the
midst of turmoil, as well as M&A change as a story of paradox, unfolded. Team members'
recommendations centred on practices that reflect managerial competence, speaking a language of
influence, and factors that contribute to a constructive M&A change process. The model of Guba
(in Krefting, 1991:214-222) was utilised to establish and maintain trustworthiness throughout the
research process. Based on results of the research and the literature control, guidelines were co-constructed and
described, in phase II, for the advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner that works in this context.
These guidelines serve as a framework for facilitating a team-coaching programme for the
empowerment of a specific management team with regard to the impact of an M&A change
process, in order to promote mental health. Through facilitation of this programme, team members
are assisted to rewrite the problem-saturated stories of M&A change, and to stimulate the
generation of preferred stories. These guidelines thus move away from the problem-solving discourse to a socially constructed reality that focuses on the strengths and resources in a change
situation, rather than on the deficits and weaknesses (Gergen, 2001).
The search for meaning in this research was grounded in the Theory for Health Promotion in
Nursing (Rand Afrikaans University: Department of Nursing, 2000:1-16) and social
constructionism (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994:127), which developed in a post-modern philosophy.
This choice was underpinned by a deep believe in the holistic nature of human life, as well as the
value of preserving quality of life through mental health promotion at an individual and a collective
level. From a social constructionist viewpoint, I embrace the notion that we are socially shaped by
the cultural context that we are a part of, and the language that we use about others and ourselves. Conducting this research in the context of nursing in a functional approach qualifies it as applied
research that aims at improving the field of practice (Botes, 1991:19-23). Literature that states the
increasing number of M&A deals globally and nationally, as well as the high reported failure risk,
confirms the relevance of this research in the South African context. It was also a response to a
relevant national need, namely promoting mental health in the workplace as an integral part of
health (ANC, 1994:20).
Conclusions were drawn and recommendations made for the nursing practice, nursing education
and nursing research, as "we must be the change we wish to see in the world" (Lord, 2002:6).