ABSTRACT
Research suggests that small firms do not often make the transition to medium-sized firms and large firms in Africa. They often die or remain marginal. This chapter deals with organizational renewal. We try to find answers to the question: why are some organizations able to renew themselves and thrive while others do not? Organizational renewal is particularly important in the volatile, uncertain environment of African countries.
We present the case study of Equity Bank Kenya – an organization that has transformed itself periodically in its thirty-some year history. A major insight from this study is that Equity Bank built renewal into its culture. It combines incremental changes with radical transformations. We examine how Equity Bank achieves this and the enablers of ambidexterity, especially the role of leadership and organizational mission.
