KJ Case Study: Organizational Transformation

Company: Confidential (50-year legacy organization)

Executor: Jagadheeswaran Krishnan

Engagement Type: Enterprise-wide Organizational Transformation
Role: Lead Transformation
Duration: 18–24 months (phased)

This engagement involved leading an organizational transformation for a 50-year-old legacy company with a deeply entrenched culture and strong resistance to change. Over 40% of employees had more than 25 years of tenure, resulting in outdated practices, weak accountability, and limited openness to professional management systems.

A diagnostic assessment revealed major gaps in managerial competence, data-driven decision-making, and customer orientation. Processes were largely manual and historical—for example, debtor records dating back over 15 years were maintained without review, reflecting a compliance mindset rather than a performance-driven culture. The organization also relied heavily on high-cost expatriate managers, many of whom had assimilated into the legacy culture and failed to drive change.

A phased transformation strategy was implemented. Employees unwilling to adapt were allowed to exit at contract completion, while qualified and motivated national talent was recruited. Technical roles were filled with industry-experienced professionals, while sales functions were staffed from hospitality and allied sectors to strengthen customer focus. Most expatriate roles were phased out, reducing costs and improving ownership.

Capability building was a key pillar. Rigorous training was conducted in sales skills, personality development, Kaizen, and basic management concepts. A higher-education support scheme was introduced, contributing up to K10,000 per annum toward employee tuition fees, bonded with post-study service—significantly improving motivation and retention.

Operational excellence initiatives included applying Pareto analysis to receivables management. As a result, debtors were reduced from USD 1.2 million to USD 150,000 within six months, while immaterial and unrecoverable balances were written off.

Overall, the interventions revitalized the organization, improved cash flow and sales performance, strengthened national leadership, and enabled entry into new solutions and markets, creating a sustainable platform for long-term competitiveness.