More on Resistance (sources)

Resistance can be broken down into 2 main areas, ie formulation and implementation stages; each of these stages can be broken into many sub-stages

1. Sources of resistance at the formulation stage

The text outlines 3 main categories of resistance to organizational change that emerge at the formulation stage:

1.1 Perception-Related Resistance (caused by misunderstanding or denial of the need for change, often due to:

-   Myopia (short-sightedness)

-   Denial of unwelcome information

-   Perpetuation of outdated ideas

-   Implicit assumptions that go unchallenged

-   Communication barriers

-   Organizational silence, where people don't share vital input.)

1.2 Low Motivation for Change (change is resisted due to personal or organizational costs, including: 

-   Direct costs (financial or effort-related)

-   Cannibalization (new initiatives hurt existing products)

-   Cross-subsidy comforts (success in one area reduces urgency elsewhere)

-   Past failures (leading to pessimism)

-   Conflicting interests between employees and management.)

1.3 Lack of Creative Strategic Response (change strategy suffers due to:

-   Fast, complex environments hindering analysis

-   Resignation or reactive mindset (accepting obstacles)

-   Weak strategic vision or lack of commitment from top leadership.

In summary, resistance at this early stage of change is driven by poor perception, low motivation, and limited creativity or leadership commitment.

(main source: Joseph Bengat, et al, 2015)

2. Sources of resistance at the implementation stage (there are 2 main sources of resistance during the implementation stage of organizational change:

2.1 Political and Cultural Resistance (resistance arises when change clashes with organizational values or internal dynamics:

- Mismatch between change values and organizational culture can trigger opposition

- Departmental politics, especially from those negatively impacted

- Incommensurable beliefs, or deep disagreements on the problem and solutions.

- Deep-rooted values and emotional loyalties, often overlooked in planning.

2.2 Operational and Leadership Challenges (barriers linked to inaction or incapacity to implement change, including:

- Leadership inaction, due to fear of uncertainty or disrupting the status quo

- Embedded routines that are hard to break

- Collective action problems, such as hesitation on who takes the lead or dealing with free-riders.

- Capabilities gap, where the organization lacks the skills or resources to implement change effectively.

Summary:
 Resistance during implementation stems from political/cultural misalignment and operational leadership issues, including fear, routine, coordination difficulties, and lack of skills.

(main source: Joseph Bengat, et al, 2015)