Challenges for Succession Planning of Senior Managers in the South African State-Owned Entities

Abstract

This study examines the Challenges of Succession Planning of senior managers in South Africa's State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The purpose of the research is to evaluate the existing practices of succession planning (or the lack thereof) to ensure continuity within these entities. The motivation behind the study arose from the frequent turnover and departures of senior management in SOEs, which highlighted shortcomings in the succession planning practices for top senior managers. Frequent departures of senior executives are a problem because they lead to senior executive gaps and organisational instability within State Owned Enterprises. The study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of SOEs senior manager succession planning. Research questions are included. The study adopts a qualitative case study approach, employing semi-structured interview questionnaires to gather in-depth insights from senior management within SOEs. The analytical framework will analysed responses by identifying recurring challenges in succession planning. This methodological choice facilitated a comprehensive exploration of the challenges associated with succession planning. Purposive sampling was utilised to select relevant SOEs and senior management participants, ensuring the inclusion of individuals with extensive knowledge and experience pertinent to the research focus. Ethical approval was obtained, and participants' confidentiality and anonymity were protected. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the challenges that impede the succession planning of senior managers in South African SOEs. It seeks to evaluate existing challenges. The findings of this study offered valuable insight into improving succession planning mechanisms within South African SOEs and ensuring organisational stability. A purposive sample of 15 participants was selected to ensure data richness and thematic depth, while also mitigating the risk of saturation, where additional interviews were unlikely to yield new insights.