A case study on developing self-managing teams in an Omani company

The subject of this study was to understand how the development of self-managing teams (SMT) impacted the group process and national employees in a company located in Sultanate of Oman (Middle East). The study also aimed to detail the management interventions that facilitated change from existing hierarchical organisation to SMT structure. Change intended to develop team autonomy in adaptively managing the strategic and operational aspects of the divisions to address workplace problem of scaling up operations and achieving competitiveness, sustainability. Achievement of this objective frees top management from involving in divisional strategic, non-routine and resource management issues, thereby enabling diversification into other market segments. Research questions were framed to focus the study based on these organisational aims. This case study used scholarly practitioner approach by an insider to find answers to the research questions. Findings of the study about the research questions provide a rich description of the change process, thereby alleviating the lack of qualitative studies to develop self-managing teams in the workplace from an insider perspective. The discussions and suggestions to actionable knowledge provide practitioners insights to design change process for enhancing self-management capability and critical stages to be managed to avoid pitfalls due to emergence. Study findings and discussion addresses the paucity of studies for cost-effective strategies to achieve localisation objectives in the context of social forces emanating from the “Arab Spring” - either in Oman or GCC region by developing national employees aligned to workplace values. The constructivist and interpretive nature of the knowledge generated enhances its pragmatic potential. The study findings can assist researchers and practitioners when understanding or developing self-managing teams that compliment organisation strategy to scale business growth, improve responsiveness to clients and increase the commitment of local workforce to enhance localisation.