Organizational Behavior (Stephen Robbins)

tion is confronted with change, this structural inertia

acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability.

• Limited focus of change. Organizations are made up of
  a number of interdependent subsystems. One cannot
  be changed without affecting the others. So limited
  changes in subsystems tend to be nullified by the
  larger system.


• Group inertia. Even if individuals want to change their
  behaviour, group norms may act as a constraint.


• Threat to expertise. Changes in organizational patterns
  may threaten the expertise of specialized groups.


• Threat to established power relationships. Any redistrib-
  ution of decision-making authority can threaten
  long-established power relationships within the
  organization.


• Threat to established resource allocations. Groups in the
  organization that control sizable resources often see
  change as a threat. They tend to be content with the
  way things are.

Overcoming Resistance to Change

Michael Adams, president of Environics Research Group in
Toronto, has noted that Canadians have become more resistant
to change in recent years.^58 Between 1983 and the mid-1990s,
Canadians reported that they “felt confident in their ability to
cope with change.” This trend has reversed in recent years. Half
of Canadians aged 15 to 33 now “feel left behind and over-
whelmed by the pace of life and the prevalence of technol-
ogy.” Those who feel left behind tend to be those who are not college- or
university-educated, highly skilled, or adaptive.
It probably cannot be emphasized enough that in order to break down resistance
to change, it is essential to communicate a sense of urgency in the need for change.
Doing so provides a framework for people to understand why the change is occurring.

Chapter 10 Organizational Culture and Change 353

Though most people and organizations resist change, at

Advantech AMT, located in Montreal, Quebec, change is the

norm. François Binette, chief finance officer, says that “Managing

change forms an intrinsic part of our corporate DNA and it is this

environment that has allowed us to consistently develop unique

and innovative products.”

Organizational

Resistance

Threat to established

resource allocations

Structural

inertia

Threat to established

power relationships

Limited focus

of change

Threat to

expertise

Group

inertia

EXHIBIT 10-11 Sources of Organizational Resistance to Change