roy smollan, discourse research group presentation 22 july 2010 constructing and deconstructing...
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Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Constructing and Deconstructing Resistance to Organisational Change
Roy SmollanRoy Smollan
Management, Faculty of Business & Management, Faculty of Business & LawLaw
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
What is resistance to organisational What is resistance to organisational change? change?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Who resists change and why?Who resists change and why?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Is resistance positive or negative? Is resistance positive or negative? And for whom?And for whom?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
When did you resist change?
Why?Why? How?How? What were the outcomes?What were the outcomes?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Literature on resistance to change:
Academic discourses Critical management
studies, political science, industrial sociology, communication, philosophy, Marxism, feminism
domination, hegemony, domination, hegemony, marginalization, power, marginalization, power, control, exploitation, control, exploitation, subjugation and subjugation and oppressionoppression
Organisational Organisational change, organisational change, organisational behaviour, behaviour, organisational organisational psychology psychology
Both include literature on discourse, communication, framing, sensemaking, rhetoric.Multiple definitions, little consensus.
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Practitioner literature:Common assumptions about
resistance““a brickwall…a dangerous a brickwall…a dangerous
roadblock to roadblock to transformation.” transformation.”
Burge (2008) in an engineering magazine
““one of the nastiest, most one of the nastiest, most debilitating workplace debilitating workplace cancers…there isn’t a cancers…there isn’t a more potent, more potent, paradoxical or equal-paradoxical or equal-opportunity killer of opportunity killer of progress and good progress and good intentions.” intentions.”
Foote (2001) in a computer magazine
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Resistance is by employees opposing change management wants.”
Resistance can be employees opposing change that management wants Resistance can be employees opposing change that management wants (O’Connell Davidson, 1994).(O’Connell Davidson, 1994).
Employees at all levels resist change their peers want (Real & Putnam, Employees at all levels resist change their peers want (Real & Putnam, 2005). 2005).
Union members resist changes union officials support and vice versa Union members resist changes union officials support and vice versa (Ezzamel et al., 2001).(Ezzamel et al., 2001).
Professional staff resist change (Lapointe & Rivard, 2005; Real & Putnam, Professional staff resist change (Lapointe & Rivard, 2005; Real & Putnam, 2005; Ashcraft, 2005). 2005; Ashcraft, 2005).
Managers can resist what more senior managers want (LaNuez & Jermier, Managers can resist what more senior managers want (LaNuez & Jermier, 1994; Brown & Abolafia, 1995).1994; Brown & Abolafia, 1995).
Managers can resist change their subordinates want (Spreitzer & Quinn, Managers can resist change their subordinates want (Spreitzer & Quinn, 1996).1996).
Managers can resist what their peers want (Young, 2000; Brown & Managers can resist what their peers want (Young, 2000; Brown & Abolafia, 1995).Abolafia, 1995).
Departments can resist what other departments want (Fosfuri & Departments can resist what other departments want (Fosfuri & Rønde, Rønde, 2009; Palmer et al., 2009)2009; Palmer et al., 2009)..
The organization can resist change necessitated by internal and external The organization can resist change necessitated by internal and external factors (Kennedy & Fiss, 2009; Spreitzer & Quinn, 1996; Tsoukas & Chia, factors (Kennedy & Fiss, 2009; Spreitzer & Quinn, 1996; Tsoukas & Chia, 2002).2002).
Resistance can be demonstrated by external stakeholders (Chreim, 2007).Resistance can be demonstrated by external stakeholders (Chreim, 2007).
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Resistance is by employees opposing change management wants.”
Resistance can be Resistance can be employeesemployees opposing change that opposing change that management management wants.wants.
EmployeesEmployees at all levels can resist change their at all levels can resist change their peerspeers want. want. Union membersUnion members can resist changes can resist changes union officialsunion officials support support
and vice versa.and vice versa. Professional staffProfessional staff can resist change can resist change management management wants. wants. ManagersManagers can resist change can resist change more senior managersmore senior managers want. want. ManagersManagers can resist change their can resist change their subordinatessubordinates want. want. ManagersManagers can resist change their can resist change their peerspeers want. want. DepartmentsDepartments can resist change can resist change other departmentsother departments want. want. The organizationThe organization can resist change necessitated by can resist change necessitated by
internal and external factors internal and external factors Resistance can be demonstrated by Resistance can be demonstrated by external stakeholdersexternal stakeholders..
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Resistance is inevitable.”
““All change creates All change creates winners and losers in winners and losers in an organization and an organization and the caveman part of the caveman part of our brains is still our brains is still wired to defend wired to defend against loss…So against loss…So people almost always people almost always resist change.” resist change.”
Colvin, 2006, Fortune magazine
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Resistance is behaviour.”
Resistance can be a combination of:
CognitiveCognitive Affective + Affective + Behavioural Behavioural
elementselements
Piderit, 2000Szabla, 2007
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Behavioural resistance = refusal.”
Questioning voicing uncertaintyvoicing uncertainty challengingchallenging negotiating negotiating
Dissenting complaining disagreeing arguing protesting
Disregarding denyingdenying experiencing experiencing
disquietdisquiet disengagingdisengaging
Defending maintaining maintaining
status quostatus quo ignoring ignoring
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
“Resistance is overt and conscious.””
e.g.e.g. sabotaging/destroyingsabotaging/destroying taking legal actiontaking legal action striking and other forms of industrial striking and other forms of industrial
actionaction submitting grievancessubmitting grievances whistle-blowingwhistle-blowing showing disloyaltyshowing disloyalty refusingrefusing
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Resistance can also be: less conscious and more
covert rejectingrejecting being reluctant, being reluctant,
unwillingunwilling neglecting, neglecting,
ignoring, avoidingignoring, avoiding
pretending, lying, pretending, lying, deceivingdeceiving
delaying, changing delaying, changing too slowly too slowly
changing partiallychanging partially underminingundermining over-complyingover-complying playing politics playing politics
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Typologies and models:Prasad & Prasad (2000) –“stretching the iron cage”
Open confrontationOpen confrontation Subtle subversionSubtle subversion Employee withdrawal and Employee withdrawal and
disengagementdisengagement Ambiguous accommodations to Ambiguous accommodations to
authorityauthority
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Matrix of support and resistanceMatrix of support and resistance Bovey & Hede, 2001a, 2001bBovey & Hede, 2001a, 2001b
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Obliging
Calm, relief, committed, loyal, following orders
“Faithful followers”
Hopeful
Hope, excitement, optimism, solving problems, taking
initiative
“Active advocates”
Fearful
Worry, fear, anxiety, helplessness, with-
drawing, procrastinating
“Walking wounded”
Cynical
Anger, disgust, outrage, badmouthing, retaliating
“Carping critics”
Archetypes of survivor responses to downsizing
Mishra & Spreitzer, 1998
Destructive
Passive Active
Constructive
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Continuum of resistanceContinuum of resistanceCoetsee, 1999Coetsee, 1999
Apathy/indifference Apathy/indifference Passive resistancePassive resistance Active resistanceActive resistance Aggressive resistanceAggressive resistance
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
How do we develop these constructions of resistance?
Educational coursesEducational courses Training courses, seminars, Training courses, seminars,
conferencesconferences Popular literaturePopular literature Organisational discoursesOrganisational discourses
the official version(s)the official version(s) departmental + departmental +
interdepartmental talkinterdepartmental talk
– – formal and informalformal and informal Other informal conversationsOther informal conversations
It also depends on what management considers resistance is – and whether it is seen as negative or positive.
“a web of jostling narratives’’ (Buchanan & Dawson, 2007
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
How did you develop your construction of resistance?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Empirical study Part of a larger study on emotions and organisational
change 11 women, 13 men11 women, 13 men 16 European, 2 Maori, 3 Pasifika, 3 Asian16 European, 2 Maori, 3 Pasifika, 3 Asian Various industries, organisations, Various industries, organisations,
departments, hierarchical levelsdepartments, hierarchical levels Change leaders, change managers, change Change leaders, change managers, change
recipients – change role little to do with recipients – change role little to do with
hierarchyhierarchy Different types of change – redundancy, job Different types of change – redundancy, job
redesign, mergers, office moves, new HR redesign, mergers, office moves, new HR systemssystems
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Some of the questions……
What actions were expected of you as a What actions were expected of you as a result of the change process?result of the change process?
What actions did you actually take as a What actions did you actually take as a result of the change process? result of the change process?
Why did you take these actions?Why did you take these actions? Did you resist the change and if yes, why Did you resist the change and if yes, why
and how?and how?
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Findings:Resistance was for many reasons
Negative outcomes for self and others Negative outcomes for self and others (material and socio-emotional)(material and socio-emotional)
Loss of identity (individual, group, Loss of identity (individual, group, organisation)organisation)
Perceived unfairnessPerceived unfairness Poor change processesPoor change processes Poor leadershipPoor leadership Lack of managerial emotional Lack of managerial emotional
intelligenceintelligence
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Resistance took many forms:: Apathy, passive, active, Apathy, passive, active,
aggressive + ambivalent aggressive + ambivalent Overt and covertOvert and covert Conscious and less Conscious and less
consciousconscious Cognitive, affective and Cognitive, affective and
behaviouralbehavioural
And was shown by people at different levels.
‘‘disengaged’, ‘if you spoke disengaged’, ‘if you spoke out you became a out you became a target’target’
‘‘It was a hostile It was a hostile environment.’environment.’
Refused to leave.Refused to leave.
Theft and arson.Theft and arson.
Wanting to be paid in Wanting to be paid in cash.cash.
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
When asked if they had resisted change...
Many Many managersmanagers said no. said no. But had in fact verbally opposed the But had in fact verbally opposed the
change in management meetings.change in management meetings. Did not verbalise opposition outside Did not verbalise opposition outside
of these meetings because it was of these meetings because it was “not professional”.“not professional”.
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
““Being reasonably vocal about well Being reasonably vocal about well that’s not going to work. What was that’s not going to work. What was intended here? How can we happily intended here? How can we happily still do what we were expected to do still do what we were expected to do under the circumstances? So it was under the circumstances? So it was sort of a questioning, challenging sort of a questioning, challenging sort of strategy, I guess” (F).sort of strategy, I guess” (F).
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
““I resisted the way that it was done I resisted the way that it was done and that was when I had a long and that was when I had a long discussion with the chairman, and I discussion with the chairman, and I spoke my mind professionally on spoke my mind professionally on several occasions...it’s not resisting several occasions...it’s not resisting it. I suppose it’s just challenging it” it. I suppose it’s just challenging it” (L).(L).
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
““I fully put my case early on…I tend to be a I fully put my case early on…I tend to be a vigorous debater…I resisted it from a vigorous debater…I resisted it from a debating point of view and that sort of thing debating point of view and that sort of thing but once it was decided, no….In a business but once it was decided, no….In a business you can’t have rogue senior managers. you can’t have rogue senior managers. They should leave…You need to support the They should leave…You need to support the business, that’s what you are paid for business, that’s what you are paid for I I didn’t talk about my personal feelings about didn’t talk about my personal feelings about it because that wouldn’t have been it because that wouldn’t have been appropriate, because that would have appropriate, because that would have undermined the process” undermined the process” (M).(M).
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Limitation
Although participants spoke about resistance Although participants spoke about resistance I did not ask I did not ask howhow they arrived at their they arrived at their constructions of resistance.constructions of resistance.
Roy Smollan, Discourse Research Group Presentation 22 July 2010
Conclusions Resistance takes many forms.Resistance takes many forms. It is not inevitable but can be It is not inevitable but can be
expected.expected. It is not always by the “damn It is not always by the “damn
workers!”workers!” It can be productive for the It can be productive for the
organisation.organisation. There are many interpretations of There are many interpretations of
what resistance is and how good what resistance is and how good or bad it is – and for whom.or bad it is – and for whom.
There are many discourses that There are many discourses that help construct these help construct these interpretations.interpretations.
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