The successful management of organisational change in tourism SMEs: initial findings in UK visitor attractions

Abstract Organisational change management theory for small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) within the tourism industry is an under‐researched field. Changing political, economic, social and technological factors can leave unprepared SMEs exposed to external as well as internal pressures, which can lead to underperformance, or in worst case scenario, business failure. This paper, reporting on the findings of exploratory research of nine UK‐based visitor attractions, all qualifying as SMEs, suggests that the successful management of change is crucial for SMEs' survival and success. The findings argue that the current approach taken to organisational change management within the industry is bumpy incremental, bumpy continuous and planned. Hence, the paper provides a framework for managing organisational change based on eight critical success factors identified by the study: adaptability and flexibility, commitment and support, communication and co‐operation, continuous learning and improvement, formal strategies, motivation and reward, pragmatism, and the right people. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.