A total change management model for successful growth of housing associations

Purpose - In the trend of mergers and growth of housing associations in the UK for providing more efficient and diversified services, the purpose of this paper is to develop an effective management model for planning and implementation of drastic, transformational changes to their organisational structures and operations, through two international organisational contexts in the social housing sector. Design/methodology/approach - Multiple‐case study methodology was used to examine the change policies and approaches in five major housing organisations experiencing rapid growth, including four housing associations in the UK and the Hong Kong Housing Authority, in order to verify the theoretical total change management framework, which are developed from organisational change management and project management theories. Findings - Organisational change management measures alone cannot fully explain all the successful cases. They should be applied along with project management approaches to plan and implement governance changes to ensure successful growth of housing associations. A total change management approach should be adopted, with changes focused on organisational competencies, a clear relationship of the main board and its regional members, a wider resident involvement and a variety of partnerships, as well as implementation measures focused on allocation of sufficient resources for project management steering, monitoring of organisational performance, and bottom‐up staff involvement. Research limitations/implications - The total change management framework is developed based on five major cases. It forms the baseline on which further research can build to develop effective change management measures in many other social housing organisation settings. Practical implications - A total change management approach should be adopted to plan and steer changes to governance structures and operations in large housing associations. Originality/value - This study contributes to change management for successful growth of housing organisations through development of a unique total change management model to facilitate mergers and growth.