Succession Planning and Management in Governmental IT Organizations - Dissertation Example

This study examined the current practice of Succession Planning and Management in Governmental Information Technology organizations in Alberta, Canada, and also postulated a new process better suited to the uniqueness of the IT sector. It employed the use of three questionnaires to assess the provincial Government’s SPM structure, staff members' assessment of current leaders who are products of the present SPM process, and to test the applicability of the new process. Two hundred and forty participants participated in the Survey, participants included Human Resources Personnel, staff members from the different Ministries in the State, and managers. Analysis of data was done using simple percentages.

Survey results of the experiment indicate that even though Alberta Government has an SPM structure in place as it is uncommon with other State Governments; the structure has not really produced leaders with the desired management and leadership skills to develop the succession candidates; the study also suggests that the current Alberta process is not really suited to the complexities of the IT organizations. The study, therefore, developed a process of SPM based on Ley 2002’s and Whittmore 2006 approach to SPM which includes eight elements altogether and the process tested. Results show that the seven elements of the process were tested to adjudge its applicability or relevance to the IT sector in the Government and participants who had earlier recognized a need for the process agreed, favorably to its practicability to the said sector.