Employee Resistance and the Effects on Change Outcomes in County Government

by

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER: LITERATURE REVIEW1

Change1

Approaches to Organizational Change3

Continuous Transformation Approach to Change3

Resistance to Change4

Routine Seeking7

Emotional Reactance to Imposed Change9

Oreg's Resistance to Change Model12

Past Research on Resistance to Organizational Change14

CHAPTER: METHODOLOGY17

Introduction17

Research philosophy17

Positivism17

Interpretive18

Realism18

Research Approach19

Inductive & deductive approaches19

Research Design20

Methods of data collection21

Primary research22

Secondary research22

Research Instruments23

Sampling method and Sample Size23

Data analysis techniques24

Limitations of Research Design24

Statement of Confidentiality25

Reliability/Dependability26

Validity27

REFERENCES29

CHAPTER: LITERATURE REVIEW

Change

Literature regarding the subject of change and change processes include many different aspects, functions, and reasons for change depending on the study or focus of the research. The complexity of the subject, the many facets it encompasses, and the nature of the change causes the categories and simplicity of defining change a near impossible Endeavour. Macri and Bertolotti (2002) postulated that the degrees of change could be categorized as either first-order or second-order changes. First-order changes are those changes that represent an organizational development initiative. Second-order change is transformational; an upheaval in the system that is irreversible. “When change is too radical and the system is vastly different from its domain, the change threatens its environment and can generate strong resistance” (Macri and Bertolotti 2002 65). The classification of change can be described loosely into four broad categories based on the following:

response,

adaption,

extent, and

function or affect (Macri and Bertolotti 2002).

Changes based on response can be caused by internal or external forces. “Often, organizations become focused on what or how of change and forget to consider the why. Understanding why a change is taking place is an important beginning part of the change analysis and conversation” (Macri and Bertolotti 2002 66). In addition, Macri and Bertolotti (2002) explained that when change is planned it may be due to external environment factors, but the internal environment often is the driving force behind it.

Identifying the forces driving the change, knowing the why in the change initiative is critical in developing a strategy: the true outcome cannot be determined if the purpose is undefined (Macri and Bertolotti 2002). Macri and Bertolotti (2002) described change that is a response to external factors as adaptive change; the organization must adapt as technology grows, economy changes, and/or other factors that influence the outcomes of their business. Technological and structural changes are based on different functions. Technology change initiatives relate to change within the flow of data, change in processes and interactions of departments. This type of a change is a two-step process; the first step is the adoption of the new technology and the second is the adjustment and implementation of process changes of the employees (Fugate and Prussia 2008).

Structural change relates to change in work processes, organizational restructuring, centralization and decentralization, or departmentalization (Feldman 2004). These elements of structural change allow leaders and employees to be flexible and create empowerment throughout the infrastructure of the organization when planning change for continuous improvement endeavors (Chonko and Jones 2006). When an organization plans change in response to expansions, technological advances, or process changes, the change becomes an infrastructural change ...