Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Leading change for success: embracing resistance

Leading change for success: embracing resistance PurposeOrganizational change is one of the most researched issues in management and leadership. Change is generally viewed as necessary, with positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Resistance is consequently seen as a surprising outcome. However, much of the management literature focuses on change as organizational dynamics-driven, especially by those at the top, in the interests of those at the top, often with scant attention to the role of employees. The purpose of this paper is to take a different perspective, grounded in the systems theory.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper. The authors critically examine theoretical explanations of resistance to change in organizations and offer an alternative perspective.FindingsSystems theorists have addressed change, and its necessity in organizational survival, using an open systems model. The open systems theory posits that organizations are social systems that have purposes of their own and is made of parts (employees) that are purposeful and operate within a purposeful larger system – the environment (stakeholders). Change that ignores a key part – employees – will be resisted.Originality/valueUsing the systems theory, the authors propose several suggestions for organizational leaders and managers to implement sustainable change. These include, among others, recommendations on circular organizational designs, the need for more democratic organizations, purposeful leadership styles and how to include employees in proactive organizational change processes. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Business Review Emerald Publishing

Leading change for success: embracing resistance

Nadim, Abbas; Singh, Parbudyal
European Business Review , Volume 31 (4): 12 – Jun 10, 2019
Download PDF
12 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/leading-change-for-success-embracing-resistance-JolDJUyLuB

References (25)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0955-534X
DOI
10.1108/EBR-06-2018-0119
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

PurposeOrganizational change is one of the most researched issues in management and leadership. Change is generally viewed as necessary, with positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Resistance is consequently seen as a surprising outcome. However, much of the management literature focuses on change as organizational dynamics-driven, especially by those at the top, in the interests of those at the top, often with scant attention to the role of employees. The purpose of this paper is to take a different perspective, grounded in the systems theory.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper. The authors critically examine theoretical explanations of resistance to change in organizations and offer an alternative perspective.FindingsSystems theorists have addressed change, and its necessity in organizational survival, using an open systems model. The open systems theory posits that organizations are social systems that have purposes of their own and is made of parts (employees) that are purposeful and operate within a purposeful larger system – the environment (stakeholders). Change that ignores a key part – employees – will be resisted.Originality/valueUsing the systems theory, the authors propose several suggestions for organizational leaders and managers to implement sustainable change. These include, among others, recommendations on circular organizational designs, the need for more democratic organizations, purposeful leadership styles and how to include employees in proactive organizational change processes.

Journal

European Business Review – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jun 10, 2019

There are no references for this article.