RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
Objectives
1. To examine fundamental reasons why people and organizations resist
change.
2. To gain an appreciation that the adoption of innovation is
a complex process involving a variety of people and factors.
Outline
The nature of change
Resistance to Change
Factors affecting the adoption of change.
Worksheet on Resistance to Change
THE NATURE OF CHANGE
Adoption of Change
The adoption of new ideas and techniques does not occur naturally but results
from hard work, trial and error. It is important to recognize this
fact and to make an effort to develop information that is concise, readable
and to the point and to make sure the information reaches people who can
use it. A broad spectrum of skills is needed to lead to effective
management of innovation and change. There is no magic formula for
success--no such formulas exist.
Multiple channels of communication should be used to promote the adoption
of an innovation. Never expect one report, one presentation, one
telephone call or one conference to accomplish everything. Successful
programs need to be carefully conceived and carried out. Human contacts
are critical ingredients, and need to be used along with good written and
visual materials. These materials are useless without an understanding
of the needs, limitations and problems of the user.
Change agents can bring innovation for the user by examining their preconceived
notions about the way things should be done. Personnel have to be
receptive to change themselves, they have to be able to evaluate new ideas
objectively and see their users --not as they have been --but as they might
be.
Resistance to Change
The adoption of innovations involves altering human behavior, and the acceptance
of change. There is a natural resistance to change for several reasons.
People resist change:
-
When the reason for the change is unclear. Ambiguity--whether it
is about costs, equipment, jobs--can trigger negative reactions among users.
-
When the proposed users have not been consulted about the change, and it
is offered to them as an accomplished fact. People like to know what's
going on, especially if their jobs may be affected. Informed workers
tend to have higher levels of job satisfaction than uninformed workers.
-
When the change threatens to modify established patterns of working relationships
between people.
-
When communication about the change--timetables, personnel, monies, etc.--has
not been sufficient.
-
When the benefits and rewards for making the change are not seen as adequate
for the trouble involved.
-
When the change threatens jobs, power or status in an organization.
(An unwilling user can always make an idea fail, no matter how good
it is.)
Decision makers will be more responsive to change:
-
If the information presented coincides with their current values, beliefs,
and attitudes:
-
If they perceive that the change will benefit them more than it will cost
them:
-
If the innovation requires marginal rather than major changes in their
views or lives:
-
If they have a demonstrated need for the innovation: and
-
If the innovation is introduced gradually so that people can adjust to
the resulting change.
FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE ADOPTION OF INNOVATION
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INNOVATION
Relative Advantage:
Generally, innovations must be seen as producing a SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT
over current procedures and techniques in order to be adopted. The
benefits must be perceived as so great as to be well worth the inevitable
problems and costs associated with any change.
Simplicity:
The innovation, or at least the way it is presented, should be EASY TO
UNDERSTAND. Even when users agree that the proposed change would
be "good," they may not be enthusiastic if they think it's too complicated
to understand or implement.
Easy to Try:
The new method or item must be easy to introduce, as well as easy to abandon
if it doesn't seem to be working out. If an agency must make drastic
changes in operating procedures in order to try something out, it will
resist change, whatever its perceived merits. It helps if a technology
can be tried in stages before the final decision to adopt is made.
Easy to Measure:
Once the new procedure or item is in place, it must be easy to measure
the benefits, whether in money, time, efficiency or some other evaluation
measure meaningful to the adopter.
Inexpensive:
The up-front cost of a new technology is often an obstacle, especially
in rural areas and small agencies. If there is a large immediate
increase in costs, it will be difficult to get the technology adopted,
even if long-term savings are guaranteed.
Characteristics of the Organization
Risk Taking Climate:
Are the managers of the organization willing to take risks? Both
the size and age of an organization can affect this willingness.
Younger firms are usually more willing to take risks and, for risk taking,
small is better. The complicated structure of larger firms works
against risk taking. The exception to this are large organizations
whose success has been based on innovation.
Attitude towards Failure:
New ideas, procedures and technology involve risk and it is not be possible
to always succeed. Good decisions can have bad outcomes. How
an organization reacts to a failed attempt to implement a change is critical.
If people are punished, belittled, or put down for trying something new
that doesn't work, the will be seldom willing to do it again. If,
on the other hand, efforts are made to learn from the failure and to make
it work a more open process of change will occur.
Compatible Procedures/Technology:
The more a new idea is compatible with past procedures, techniques and
values of an organization, the more likely the organization is to adopt
it.
Extent of Regulation:
The extent to which outside organizations, particularly government, can
control the behavior of an organization affects innovation. Such
outside regulation can have either a positive or negative effect, depending
on the regulation and/or its enforcement.
Labor Reaction:
The likely reaction of employee groups will also affect whether or not
a new idea is tried. Any change likely to cause a loss of rights
or job security will need to have significant benefits for an organization
to be willing to risk trying it out.
CHANGE WORKSHEET
A way to understand resistance to change is to use the following worksheet.
This should be filled out separately by people in an organization, then
discussed. What are the consensus reasons why people in your organization
resist change???
The following factors affect how an individual or an organization reacts
to change. Pick the five you think are most important. When
you have chosen the top five, then rank these on a scale of 1 (most important)
to 5. Think of examples to back up your opinions.
Personal Factors:
______ Age
______ Sex
______ Education
______ Marital status
______ Experience
______ Time in the same job
______ Occupation
______ Other (Explain) ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Job Related Factors:
______ Number of Subordinates
______ Breadth of Activity
______ Degree of Autonomy
______ Amount of Job Security
______ Availability of Slack Time
______ Prestige of Position
______ Variety of Work
______ Other (Explain) ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Organizational Factors:
______ Size
______ Structure (Degree of Centralization)
______ Autonomy from Outside Political Pressure
______ Funding/Budget
______ Recognition
______ Reward System
______ Age of the Organization
______ Prestige
______ Other (Explain) ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________ (Most Important)
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
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of
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