Interesting – a word we often use to signal an uncertain mix of

danger and opportunity. If we wish to enjoy more of the

opportunity and less of the risk we need to understand that
change is better. Those who know why changes come waste
less effort in protecting themselves or in fighting the
inevitable. Those who realize where changes are heading are
better able to use those changes to their own advantage.
Traditional View

Alternative View
 View Basic Idea Main Cause Evaluation Political Solution
Perspective

Inevitable Employees Illegitimate Management Informing &

Traditional and natural insecurity behavior employees exerting
reaction to and need for directed are opposing pressure to
change stability against mgt parties comply to
changes

Reaction Change Understand- Mgt & Making

that varies approach able employees change a
Alternative per change that behavior are parties collabora-
and can be excludes expressing that can work tive effort
prevented employees concern for together in of all stake
from change the orgn. & realizing holders
commit- change
ment
 Change

Active Passive Conformity Commitment

Resistance Resistance (Just do the (Take
(Try aggressively to (Resistance not on minimum ownership of
undermine change) the surface) that is the change
required to process and
avoid make changes
sanctions) happen)
 Real and perceived threat to their self-interests.
 Misunderstanding due to lack of information or inaccurate
information.
 Lack of trust in senior levels.
 Different assessments of the same set of data.
 More investment in the status quo.
 Technical Resistance (Rational factors)
 Political Resistance (Disruption of existing power structures
and interest groups)
 Cultural Resistance (Individual and organizational mindsets)
 Includes more rational reasons.
 Habits and inertia - Individuals are used to old ways of doing
things and are not comfortable with new approaches.
 Lack of Understanding - People may not understand implications
of change and perceive that it might cost them much more than
what they will gain.
 Difficulty in learning new skills – To cope with change,
individuals are required to develop new skills and behaviour.
They may be unable to make the necessary transition
emotionally.

 Sunk Costs - People have invested time, attention and energy in

learning certain ways of doing things. People are not sure
whether these skills will be valued in future.
 Response to the disruption of the existing power structure and
coalitions.
 Parochial Self-interest - Happens when individuals think they will
lose something of value as a result of change.

• Focus is on self-interests than on organizational

interests.
 Can take several forms:

• Fighting publicly.
• Going underground and undermining change efforts.

 Different assessments among individuals and those initiating the

change.

• Individuals affected see more costs than benefits.

 Results from individuals having different mindsets and
perspectives.
 Selective Perception - reality perceived differently.

 Fear of letting go - old ways are predictable.

 3 4
neddi H

Sabotage Submerge

1 2
Struggle
R f o ytili bi si V

Submit
nep O

Active Passive

Degree of Resistance
 3 4
hgi H

Negotiation Co-operation
el poeP

1 2
Domination Influence
nal a B r e woP

woL

Low High

Goal Agreement
1. Education and Communication
2. Participation and Involvement
3. Facilitation and Support
4. Negotiations and Agreement
5. Cooptation
6. Explicit and Implicit Coercion
 Communicate & educate people beforehand.
 Involves one-to-one discussions, presentations to
groups , or memos and reports.
 Requires good relationship between initiators and resistors.
 Credibility / Trust of the change initiator must be
established for education and communication strategy to
work.
 Participation leads to commitment.
 Involve potential resistors in the design and
implementation of change.
 But if participation is not managed properly, it can lead to
poor solutions, and also consume enormous time.
 This strategy is not appropriate when change has to be
made quickly.
 Includes providing training in new skills, and emotional
support.
 But it is time consuming.
 Offer negotiated incentives to potential resistors.
 Danger is that it might create an impression that all
aspects of the change programme are open to
negotiation.
 Pay careful attention to use of information; Conscious
structuring of events.
 One common form is offering resistors a desirable role in the
change programme.
 If people who are being co-opted feel that they are being
manipulated, they may respond very negatively.
 Forcing people to accept change by threatening them
explicitly or implicitly.

 Very risky process.

APPROACH COMMONLY USED ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
IN SITUATIONS
Education & Where there is a Once persuaded, Can be very time
Communication lack of information people will often consuming if lots
or inaccurate help with the of people are
information & implementation of involved
analysis the change

Participation & Where the People who Can be very time

involvement initiators do not participate will be consuming if
have all the committed to participators
information they implementing design an
need to design the change, and any inappropriate
change, and where relevant change
others have information they
considerable have will be
power to resist integrated into the
change plan.
 APPROACH COMMONLY USED ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
IN SITUATIONS

Facilitation & Where people areNo other approachCan be time

Support resisting becauseworks withconsuming
of adjustmentadjustment expensive & still
problems. problems as well. fail.

Negotiation & Where some oneSometimes it is aCan be too

Agreement or some group willrelatively easy wayexpensive in many
clearly loose out into avoid majorcases if it alters
a change, andresistance. others to
where that group negotiate for
has considerable compliance.
power to resist.
 APPROACH COMMONLY USED ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
IN SITUATIONS

Manipulation & Co- Where otherIt can be relativelyCan lead to future

optation tactics will notquick &problems of
work, or are tooinexpensive people feel
expensive. solution tomanipulated.
resistance
problems.

Explicit & Implicit Where speed isIt is speedy andCan be risky if it

Coercion essential, and thecan overcome anyleaves people mad
change initiatorskind of resistance at the initiators.
posses
considerable
power