Burcak Timucin, Adaptation Group Manager at SOCAR Turkey and a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Change Management Professionals Turkey shared the insights from her role in SOCAR Turkey’s Digital Transformation Journey at a Digital Energy talk (April 2024)
SOCAR Turkey, the largest integrated industrial holding of Turkey, operates primarily in the petrochemical and refinery business. As the largest foreign investor in Turkey, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (Sokar) has made substantial investments, totalling around $19.5 billion. This has significantly contributed to Turkey's economy, creating over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Starting in information technology, Burçak noticed a recurring issue where despite advancements in technology and software, customer satisfaction was not always achieved.
This realization led Burçak to the field of organizational change management, a discipline that addresses the reasons behind users' reluctance to adopt the offered solutions.
Digital transformation is defined as the comprehensive integration of digital technologies into all aspects of an organization. This integration fundamentally alters how the organization operates and delivers value to stakeholders.
However, this process can be disruptive, triggering changes in work methods and business conduct. This is where change management plays a critical role, guiding how to prepare, equip, and support individuals to successfully adopt change and drive organizational success and outcomes.
When managing change, diagnosing the root cause of resistance is crucial, which often stems from fear. People may fear they lack the necessary skills for the new world or may simply not feel ready for the change.
Hence, change management should revolve around preparing, equipping, and supporting people in this transition. It should address clear business objectives, employee readiness, cultural transformation, risk mitigation, and sustainable change.
Finally, Burçak debunks the myth that 70% of all transformation initiatives fail, arguing that this statement lacks empirical data for support. Each change and transformation has unique characteristics, making it nearly impossible to compare them across the board. The key is to navigate these major changes and disruptions in a manner that suits your organization's specific needs and characteristics.
Socar Turkey adopted a sustainable energy transition strategy
An interview with Sultan Garayev, Corporate Strategy and Development Group Director at the Downstream Central Asia and Caspian conference in Tashkent - Oct 2022.
