1. Resistance to change in organisations
Dr NGORORA-MADZIMURE
PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
CUEB 104

2. Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lecture students should be able to:
Define resistance to change in management
Identify the determinants of resistance to change in organizations
Explain how resistance to change is managed in organisations

4.   Resistance to change
An individual’s tendency to resist and avoid making changes
To devalue change
Generally to find change aversive across diverse contexts and types of change
Is an impediment to organizational expansion and growth due to its negative repercussions
Resistance to change is one of the reasons why change fails
First line managers play an important role in the change process
Hold effective key on the eventual success or failure of the major change

6. Resistance to change Is a normal and natural reaction Is inevitable
Managers allow for some resistance
Resistance can be:
Overt (I express my resistance) OR
Covert ( it looks like I am changing but I am not)

7. Sources of resistance to change:
Organizational Sources:
Over determination
Narrow focus of change
Group inertia
Threatened expertise
Threatened power relations
Resource allocation changes
Individual Sources:
Habit
Insecurity
Economic factors
Fear of the unknown
Lack of awareness
Social factors

8. Resistance to change can be:
Intellectual/ideological resistance (results from intellectual differences in genuine beliefs, feelings or philosophies)
Emotional resistance
Behavioral resistance
Political resistance
Blind resistance

9. Indicators of employee resistance to change:
Increased absenteeism
Increased employee impatience
Frustration
Sabotage

10. Reasons for resistance to change:
Self interest
Denial
Fear of the unknown
Different perceptions

11. Classical psychological reactions to change:
Denial
Anger
Confusion
Depression
Crisis
Acceptance
New confidence

12. Overcoming resistance to change:
Pay attention to employee’s emotions
Consultation with employees
Giving confidence and authorization can reduce resistance to change
Self-efficacy-capability judgments on performance levels
Job satisfaction
Promoting worker autonomy
Employees (actual implementers) must have positive attitudes to changes and should support it

13. Resistance to change can be:
Active resistance
Active resistance
Being critical
Fault finding
Ridiculing
Appealing to fear
Using facts selectively
Blaming/accusing
Sabotaging
Intimidating/threatening
Manipulating
Distorting facts
Blocking
Undermining
Starting rumors
Arguing
Revising objections

14. Resistance to change can be:
Passive resistance
Passive Resistance
Agreeing verbally but not following through failing to implement change
Procrastinating/ dragging feet
Feigning ignorance
Withholding information, suggestions, help or support
Standing by and allowing the change to fail

15. Those who resist either:
Say it aloud and express their opinion about the changes
Some just complain among the colleagues
Some are just quiet and keep it to their heart

16. Overcoming Resistance to change:
Tactics for dealing with resistance to change:
Education and communication
Participation
Facilitation and support
Negotiation
Manipulation and cooptation
Coercion

17. Education and communication
How to use: Communicate the desired changes When to use: Employees lack information about the changes implications
Advantages:
Once persuaded people often help implement the change
Clear up misunderstandings
Disadvantages:
Time consuming if lots of people are involved
when credibility lack will not work

18. Participation and Involvement
How to use:
Involve potential resistor in designing and implementing the change
Secondly participation will be easier when individuals recognizes one’s personal benefit to be gained from the change
When to use:
Change initiators lack sufficient information to design the change
When resistors have the expertise to make a contribution
Advantages
People feel more committed to making the change happen
Increase involvement and acceptance
Ensure commitment in implementation of changes.
Disadvantages:
Time consuming and employees may design inappropriate change
Has potential for a poor solution

19. Facilitation support How to use:
Provide skills training and emotional support
When to use:
People are resisting because they fear they cant make the needed adjustments
When resistors are fearful and anxiety ridden
Advantages:
No other approach works as well with adjustment problems
can facilitate needed adjustments
Disadvantages:
Can be time consuming
Can still fail
Expensive
No guarantee of success

20. Negotiation How to use: Offer incentives for making change
When to Use:
People will lose out in the change and have considerable power to resist
When resistance come from a powerful group
Advantages:
It’s a relatively easy way to defuse major resistance
can buy commitment
Disadvantages:
Can be expensive and open managers to the possibility of blackmail

21. Coercion How to use: Threaten loss of jobs or promotion opportunities
Threaten with transfer for those who can’t or won’t change
When to Use:
Speed is essential and change initiatives possess considerable power
Advantages: It works quickly and can overcome any kind of resistance Disadvantages: Can speak intense resentment towards change initiatives

22. Manipulation and cooption
How to use: Used only when change is quickly needed and there are no other alternatives When to use: When a powerful group’s endorsement is needed
Advantages: Inexpensive, easy way to gain support Disadvantages: Maybe illegal and undermine change agent credibility

23. In conclusion
Swarnalatha (2014) points out that “Nothing is permanent in this world except changes”.
Changes are necessary to compete in the world market because jobs have become increasingly assorted, multifarious, multifaceted and more technological
People resist change because they are adopted and addicted to old things
Organizations must overcome resistance to change to achieve success and attain fruitful changing process

24. Any questions or comments???