Schweiger et al. (2018) A System Dynamics Model of Resistance to Organizational Change: the role of participatory strategies

Question 1

A System Dynamics Model of Resistance

Answer 1

1. Rationality: increasing the need for change in employees awareness
2. Stress Trap: feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the anticipated change and the involved uncertainty fosters psychological stress or mental overload
3. Success Calms: resisting employees come up with ideas that make the change initiative even better
4. Slow Trap: too many employees are involved in the process, making the change ineffective and too long
5. Enlightenment: the use of participatory strategies to involve employees in the change process and making them more aware of why the change is needed
6. Compromise: employees fear having to change their habits, so they should make compromises in what needs to change to achieve the strategy
7. Active Contribution: empowering the employees in decision making
8. Social Credit Loop: reducing participatory strategies whenever sufficient trust towards the change agents has been created

Question 2

Employee resistance is not necessarily bad or good, it just depends on the timing, time needed and time available. When deciding how and when to use participation, we advise decision-makers to attend to their situational context by

Answer 2

1) continuously trying to perceive changes in variables such as trust in change agents, awareness of the need for change, perceived stress and personal disadvantages
2) anticipating which decisions may lead to feedback effects such as accelerating or stabilizing behavior