Impacts of climate for change, process of change and openness towards change on employees’ readiness to transform conventional banking into Islamic banking system in Libya

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the determinants of employees’ readiness to adapt to the change from the conventional banking system to the Islamic banking system in Libya. The determinants identified by this research include supervisors’ support, trust in leadership, participatory management, employees’ involvement in the change, the attitude of top management towards the change, openness towards the change and nature of change.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a quantitative approach by using a self-administered questionnaire survey where a total of 482 sets of questionnaires were distributed manually of which 316 completed questionnaires were found to be usable. The structural equation modelling techniques were used to test and validate the proposed model.

Findings

Statistically, the study found that supervisor support, employees’ involvement in the change process and openness towards change showed significant relationships on employees’ readiness to perform their jobs in Libyan banks where the conventional financial system had been changed to the Islamic banking system. However, on the contrary, trust in leadership, participatory management and the attitude of top management towards the change process were found to have no significant relationship towards employees’ readiness. In addition, a significant moderation effect of the nature of change has been found on the relationship between openness to change and employees’ readiness for change.

Practical implications

Determinants of employees’ readiness for the transformation process identified in the present study can be used in assessing the employees’ readiness before implementing any change. In fact, openness and willingness towards change were found to be significant factors in employees’ readiness in the transformation process. Therefore, banks can use this information as one of the important criteria in recruiting employees. Open-minded and receptive attitudes towards change could be the quality of employees that banks should look for.

Originality/value

Overall, this study can be considered as novel because its findings will prompt other researchers to conduct and expand similar research in this field. Specifically, the findings of this research could facilitate the Central Bank of Libya in identifying their readiness gaps and organisational obstacles that stalled the move of conventional banks in Libya to migrate into the Islamic banking system.