Resistance to Change in Organizations

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Questions and Answers

According to Kriegel and Brandt (1996), which strategy can encourage effective change?

Punish employees for not following rules

Reward only successful changes

Think like a beginner and question the status quo (correct)

Create a new rule book for employees

Which stage of change, according to Lewin, involves convincing stakeholders that change is necessary?

Refreezing stage

Unfreezing stage (correct)

Moving stage

Freezing stage

What is the first stage of employee acceptance of change, according to Carnall (2008)?

Discarding

Denial (correct)

Defense

Adaptation

What should an organization do to encourage change, according to Kriegel and Brandt (1996)?

Reward employees for attempting change Signup and view all the answers

What is the final stage of change, according to Lewin?

Refreezing stage Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of the moving stage, according to Lewin?

Taking steps to move the organization to the desired state Signup and view all the answers

What is the initial response of employees when they are faced with organizational change?

They deny that any changes will actually take place. Signup and view all the answers

At what stage do employees try to justify their positions and ways of doing things?

Defense Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of employees at the Discarding stage?

To discard the old ways and start to accept the change as the new reality. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of employees at the Adaptation stage?

They spend tremendous energy and can often become frustrated and angry. Signup and view all the answers

What is the final stage of the organizational change process?

Internalization Signup and view all the answers

What type of change is described as a 'real jolt to the system' that drastically changes the way things are done?

Revolutionary change Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of distributing the survey results throughout the organization?

To demonstrate the level of dissatisfaction and encourage buy-in for organizational changes Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for the new culture to last?

Developing new reward systems and selection methods Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of selecting future employees based on the new culture?

To promote internalization of the new culture Signup and view all the answers

What is organizational socialization?

The process of learning behaviors and attitudes to be successful in the organization Signup and view all the answers

What is one way organizations can influence the socialization process?

Establishing rituals Signup and view all the answers

What are symbols used for in the organizational socialization process?

To communicate messages to employees about the new culture Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Change Strategies

Think like a beginner: ask "why" things are done a certain way and don't assume anything makes sense
Don't be complacent with what's working well; create your own rules
Reward employees for trying new things instead of penalizing mistakes

Stages of Change

According to Lewin, there are three stages of organizational change:
- Unfreezing Stage: convince stakeholders that change is necessary
- Moving Stage: take steps to move the organization to the desired state
- Refreezing Stage: develop ways to keep the new changes in place

Employee Acceptance of Change

Employees typically go through five stages during major organizational changes:
- Denial: deny that changes will occur and create reasons why they won't work
- Defense: become defensive and justify their positions and ways of doing things
- Discarding: discard old ways and start to accept the change
- Adaptation: test the new system and learn how it functions
- Internalization: become immersed in the new culture and comfortable with the new system

Types of Change

Two types of change according to Warner Burke:
- Evolutionary change: continual process of upgrading or improving processes
- Revolutionary change: drastic change that drastically changes the way things are done

Maintaining the New Culture

Develop new reward systems and selection methods to reinforce the new culture
Select future employees based on how well they epitomize the new culture
Socialization process of new employees should reinforce the new culture
Use formal ways to influence the socialization process, such as establishing rituals and symbols

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Description

Learn about the stages of resistance employees may go through when faced with organizational changes, including denial and defense. Understand the psychological and emotional responses to change and how they impact the workplace.