This teaching note was designed to facilitate the education of organisational change in the context of digital transformation (DT). The learning objectives are as follows: students should be able to identify a complex business environment, and the leadership approach suited to this environment; and students will be able to understand, evaluate and apply organisational change in emerging markets and apply the right approach to a digital transformation initiative.
Illovo Sugar Malawi (ISM) was a subsidiary business of Illovo Sugar Africa (ISA) operating in the sugar industry. ISM operated in a complex business environment within which they produced and soldsugar to local and international markets (Illovo Sugar Africa, 2024). In 2020, Sharon Bodole, the customer service manager at ISM, led a supply chain transformation initiative called the winning outbound logistics organisation (WOLO) where she created a customer centric, efficient and high performing department. In 2023, she was facing a new challenge, the DT of this supply chain. Bodole needed to implement a multitude of digital systems beginning with a transport management system (TMS) in this emerging market (EM) amid novice and resistant stakeholders. The case ends with her questioning if she could apply the same change management techniques that she did with WOLO or if DT warranted a different approach.
This study will be useful for middle, senior and executive leaders in both developed and emerging markets who are implementing technological change in complex business environments. It will be beneficial to post graduate and master level students who are pursuing further education in business sciences as well as executives attending tailored programs and short courses. Potential core courses at a master’s level would include leadership, innovation and design, as well as strategic implementation where change management specific to digital transformation needs to be navigated. Similarly, short courses such as business technology enablement and contextual leadership could profit from this teaching instrument.
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
CSS 6: Human Resource Management.
