Employee Resistance as A Resource for Change

November 24, 2022

Employee Resistance as A Resource for Change

Order Number	636738393092
Type of Project	ESSAY
Writer Level	PHD VERIFIED
Format	APA
Academic Sources	10
Page Count	3-12 PAGES

Instructions/Descriptions

Employee Resistance as A Resource for Change

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Although change agents are understandably frustrated by passive or active resistance to change, they need to realize that resistance is a common and natural human response. As economist John Kenneth Galbraith once quipped: “Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. “13 Even when people support change, they typically assume that it is others—not themselves—who need to change. The problem, however, isn’t so much that resistance to change exists. The main problem is that change agents typically view resistance as an unreasonable, dysfunctional, and irrational response to a desirable initiative. They often form an “us versus them” perspective without considering that the causes of resistance may, in fact, be traced back to their own actions or inaction.14

The emerging view among change management experts is that resistance to change is a useful indicator rather than an impediment to change. Resistance aids change agents in

connections 15.1

Not Hoppy About Change

Hoppy, a carbonated, low-alcohol, malt-and-hops beverage, was popular around Tokyo after World War II as a cheap alternative to expensive beer, but it fell out of favor as beer became affordable. Mina Ishiwatari, granddaughter of Hoppy Beverage Co.’s founder, was determined to improve Hoppy’s image when she joined the company a decade ago. Unfortunately, the company’s 30 employees—mostly men in their fifties who were family relatives—didn’t want to disturb their cozy jobs.

“It was a turbulent decade of eliminating evils from the company and rebuilding a new organization from scratch,” recalls Ishiwatari, who began as a rank-and-file employee and is now the company’s executive vice president. “I tried to take a new marketing approach to change the image of Hoppy … but no one would listen to me.”

With limited support and budget, Ishiwatari developed a website that informed the public about the product, sold it online, and documented Ishiwatari’s views in an early weblog. As the contemporary marketing caught the attention of health-conscious young people, Ishiwatari pushed for further changes. Most managers who opposed Ishiwatari’s radical ideas eventually left the company.

But Ishiwatari experienced resistance even among those who remained. One day, the factory manager presented her with resignations from all of the factory workers. Ishiwatari resolved the dispute, acknowledging that she was pushing

Mina Ishiwatari (center) faced, and overcame, resistance to change in the company that her grandfather founded.

change through too quickly and without enough consideration for employee feelings.

In the seven years since Ishiwatari began introducing these changes, Hoppy’s annual sales have increased fourfold to about US$42 million, even though it is sold mainly around Tokyo. The company’s workforce has expanded to more than 50 people.15

aconnect

Are you tolerant of change? Go to www.mcgrawhillconnect.com or

the end of this chapter to assess your natural tendency to tolerate change, as well as to assist your learning about the sources of resistance to change.

three ways. First, it is a signal—a warning system—that the change agent has not sufficiently addressed the underlying conditions that support effective organizational change.16 In some situations, employees may be worried about the consequences of change, such as how the new conditions will take away their power and status. In other situations, employees show resistance because of concerns about the process of change itself, such as the effort required to break old habits and learn new skills.

Second, resistance is a form of constructive conflict that can potentially improve decision making, including identifying better ways to improve the organization’s success. However, constructive conflict is typically accompanied by dysfunctional relationship conflict. This appears to be the case when change agents see resistance to change as an impediment rather than a resource. They describe the people who oppose them as the problem, whereas their focus should be on understanding the reasons why these people resist. Thus, by viewing resistance as a form of constructive conflict, change agents may be able to improve the change strategy or change process.

Third, resistance should be viewed in the context of justice and motivation. Resistance is a form of voice, so it potentially improves procedural justice (see Chapter 5). By redirecting initial forms of resistance into constructive conversations, change agents can increase employee perceptions and feelings of fairness. Furthermore, resistance is motivational; it potentially engages people to think about the change strategy and process. Change agents can harness that motivational force to ultimately strengthen commitment to the change initiative.

Employee Resistance as A Resource for Change

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Average Score

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52-49 points

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