Many studies report a gap in the inter-relationships between different factors and the acceptance of, or resistance to, an ERP system. Specifically, there is lack of literature on the individual factors that drive or delay the adoption of advanced technologies such as the Enterprise Resource Planning system ERP. It motivated me to carry out a study that investigates the non-linear views of change, in order to provide a general picture of how external and internal factors influence employees to accept or reject an ERP system. My thesis explores individual choices and behaviours and the socio-cultural context in which the cases are set to identify the factors that influence individuals’ actions and to determine from an employee perspective whether reactions to using ERP systems are intentional or unintentional. The thesis follows an interpretive approach using two case studies in Saudi Arabia where multiple sources of evidence including interviews, document analysis and observation have been employed. Pattern matching, logic models and cross-case synthesis are used for thematically organising and analysing the case studies. The thesis discusses the relationship between factors including politics, economics, religious social culture, the culture of the company and technical issues and the behaviour of employees towards change. I will argue that those factors directly affect the behaviour ofemployees and indirectly affect the acceptance or rejection of the ERP system. The thesis extends the scope of institutional analysis by explaining how the behaviours of employees influence both the acceptance of, or resistance to, an ERP system. The thesis adds to the knowledge in the literature by showing the relationship between external and internal factors and the acceptance of, or resistance to, an ERP system in Saudi Arabia as less developed countries LDCs. Also the thesis shows how the effects of the socio-cultural landscape of the middle east cannot be ignored when exploring the factors that initiate and shape management accounting change. Practical implications: the thesis provides some examples on how external and internal factors influence the behaviour of employees in Saudi Arabia. The thesis suggests that companies can exploit the behaviour of employees to influence change and avoid resistance.

Introducing technological change to an organization’s normal processes can potentially bring about positive or negative results, depending mostly on the manner in which the change was facilitated and integrated into the organization. However, very little research has been done on information technology (IT) investment among hospitals, its effect on the personnel, as well as how it influences patient care and financial performance. Consequently, little is known about users’ resistance to new technologies and the precedents of technology rejection in healthcare. Therefore, this study seeks to fill the gap of understanding South African hospital staffs’ perceptions towards change, caused by introducing an information system into one of the hospital’s daily processes. Where resistance towards change is identified, the study aims to understand the reasons behind such resistance. Finally, it aims to find appropriate intervention strategies to deal with and minimize resistance. In doing so, the study seeks to contribute to the body of research regarding change resistance to information systems in public South African hospitals. By adopting a descriptive and exploratory interpretivist paradigm, in conjunction with an inductive approach, the study aims to get a better understanding of hospital staffs’ perceptions through shared meaning. The study adopted a case study research strategy, as it affords the researcher the opportunity to participate in the study, and as such contributes to the subjective interpretation of the findings. Data was collected using a mixed method approach, and was used to describe the difference between the current and proposed process. In addition, it was used to explore the reasons for change resistance to information system-supported change, and to explore methods of successfully introducing change to tertiary public hospitals in South Africa. Fourteen participants (7 medical interns and 7 ward clerks) who were directly involved in the process being studied, were interviewed. Two other participants (the head of the pharmacy and the patient flow manager), who were indirectly involved in the process, were interviewed, to verify the observed and mapped process. Interview data was analyzed qualitatively, firstly through coding techniques before using sentiment and thematic analysis. While the mapped process followed Business Process Modelling Notation conventions. In addition to a mapped proposed process, a change resistance conceptual model was developed from a conjunction of the findings and extensive review of literature. The conceptual model asserts that five main factors contribute to change resistance: unclearly defined duties; fear of job security and technology usage; years of service; resource availability and resource mismatch; as well as insufficient training resulting from the lack of a learning culture. These factors can be moderated by: the existing state of affairs referred to as status quo; management involvement; and communication. The conceptual model can be used to better understand the causes of change resistance, as well as how to minimize change resistance and successfully introduce change into a health organization. Change agents should aim to understand the status quo that exists in the organization and find ways of incorporating that into the change process. Furthermore, management should aim to involve and communicate with all affected stakeholders during a change process. This research has provided a better understanding of hospital staffs’ reactions to change, their reasons for resistance, and ways to minimize change resistance while successfully introducing change into a health organization.

Thesis (PhD. (Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / This thesis is a study on the effect of resistance to change on quality education in Limpopo Province. The study investigated basic challenges in the change process at schools. The empirical research was done by using semi-standardized interviews where predetermined questions were posed to each participant in a systematic and consistent manner but allowed the participants to go on discussing issues on the effect of resistance to change on quality education beyond the questions confines. (cf. Struwig & Stead, 2001:98). Observations and perusal of documents complemented the interviews to gather information. Data was analyzed through tables. The study has revealed the reasons why do people (educators) resist change, pin-pointing the source of the resistance which makes it possible to see what needs to be done to avoid resistance or convert it into commitment to change. The literature review has brought to the light that change is not only needed because of what has happened in South Africa in the past, but made it very clear that education is changing everywhere in the world. South Africa has not only an opportunity to heal the crippled system of education but to simultaneously catch up with the world. The relevance of theory to the effect of resistance to change on quality education has been highlighted. The study is based on the ambiguity theories which stress uncertainty and complexity in schools and other organizations characterized by problematic goals, unclear technology and fluid participation in decision making with reference to the new approaches of facilitation and learning The study also attempted to look at policy initiatives with reference to uniform systems for schools and governance to promote quality education. Also, an attempt was made to integrate educational laws, policies and regulations with regard to the provision of quality education. Finally, recommendations to deal with resistance to change were high-lighted. In education, the megatrends are already making themselves felt for those who attempt to resist the change, the future holds frustration, unhappiness and ultimately defeat. For those interested in the improvement of quality education and for those who are willing to recognize the changes coming, there will be opportunities, challenges and the thrill of having participated in one of the most existing periods in history. It is the researchers wish that each South African hope to be equal to the task, for failure will have disastrous consequences not only for our learners, but ultimately for the System of Education and the entire Society.

Previously consigned to the anonymity of �the product market� by researchers in traditional fields such as labour economics and industrial relations, the customer has recently attracted the attention of scholars from a diverse range of disciplines, including organisational behaviour, work psychology, labour process studies, gender studies, and critical management studies. In large part, this emerging interest in the customer is a result of the increasing dominance of service industries in developed economies and the recognition that service work entails a complex, three-way interaction between customers, management and workers. The literature identifies a range of competing and, at times, contradictory images of the customer. Rather than seeking to reconcile these competing representations, this thesis explores the multi-faceted nature of the customer presence and the implications for managers and workers in the retail banking industry in Australia. The thesis highlights how structural change and shifting discourses of the �customer� have influenced customer relations, employment relations, and worker identity in three areas of the retail banking industry: traditional retail banks, the credit union movement, and community banks. Drawing on detailed qualitative case study evidence, the thesis highlights the range of customers, both �real� and �constructed�, that can be found in the case study organisations. The thesis identifies the ways in which customers influence employment relations and how workers can be active in either accommodating or resisting the impact of these �customers� on workplace practice and worker identity. The central argument of the thesis is that, in addition to customers having a physical presence in and influence on organisational life, management and workers also construct �discursive customers� as a means of influencing the employment relationship and the meanings attached to service work. The study examines how these competing concepts of the customer and customer service influence both the customer-service provider relationship and service workers� relationships with one another and with management. Despite the increasing recognition that service work entails a three-way relationship between customers, management and workers, our understanding of how workers either welcome or resist the presence of this third actor in the employment relationship has, until recently remained very limited. This thesis makes a significant contribution to our understanding that for workers the customer is ever-present physically, emotionally and discursively.

Abstract The opening up of the government policy and the joining of private owned operators are the results of keen competition in the entire telecommunications industry. The saturated market, low customer loyalty, plus 3G operators¡¦ seizing on a market share, and recruiting talents from competitors have forced the industry to undergo restructuring. The only way to run the business perpetually is to change the existing organization so that it can survive the turmoil and generate profits. Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said ¡§To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. ¡§. Therefore, operators with smaller market share (Y) choose to be on the initiative and cooperate with the operators (X) with larger market share. In this circumstance, X and Y¡¦s cooperation also proves a phenomenon of ¡§The larger will always be larger.¡¨ To ensure both sides¡¦ competitive advantage, operators X choose to proceed with merger and acquisition as well as organizational change. The result proves that operator X¡¦s decision is in the right direction. To reach a win-win result for both operators and their employees, this academic research focuses on case study of operators X, and Y. Both operators have gone through organizational change for over half a year, and it is now the most appropriate time to examine the outcomes of the change. This research applied both survey and interview methods, and the findings are: 1. The workforce in the telecom industry tends to be younger. The age group, sex and marriage distribution among operators X, X1, X2, and Y are very similar which is contributive to the change. 2. Comparing development of individual employees, solution provided by the employers, and leadership as well as employee interaction, the biggest factor that influence on the change is solution provided by the employers. 3. There are significant differences on operating procedures and management systems after the change. The differences for departments T, N, S, D, G are especially more satisfaction than that for department A. The problem analysis addressed in this pure academic study will serve as a reference for operator X when it carries out another organizational change in the future.

Previously consigned to the anonymity of �the product market� by researchers in traditional fields such as labour economics and industrial relations, the customer has recently attracted the attention of scholars from a diverse range of disciplines, including organisational behaviour, work psychology, labour process studies, gender studies, and critical management studies. In large part, this emerging interest in the customer is a result of the increasing dominance of service industries in developed economies and the recognition that service work entails a complex, three-way interaction between customers, management and workers. The literature identifies a range of competing and, at times, contradictory images of the customer. Rather than seeking to reconcile these competing representations, this thesis explores the multi-faceted nature of the customer presence and the implications for managers and workers in the retail banking industry in Australia. The thesis highlights how structural change and shifting discourses of the �customer� have influenced customer relations, employment relations, and worker identity in three areas of the retail banking industry: traditional retail banks, the credit union movement, and community banks. Drawing on detailed qualitative case study evidence, the thesis highlights the range of customers, both �real� and �constructed�, that can be found in the case study organisations. The thesis identifies the ways in which customers influence employment relations and how workers can be active in either accommodating or resisting the impact of these �customers� on workplace practice and worker identity. The central argument of the thesis is that, in addition to customers having a physical presence in and influence on organisational life, management and workers also construct �discursive customers� as a means of influencing the employment relationship and the meanings attached to service work. The study examines how these competing concepts of the customer and customer service influence both the customer-service provider relationship and service workers� relationships with one another and with management. Despite the increasing recognition that service work entails a three-way relationship between customers, management and workers, our understanding of how workers either welcome or resist the presence of this third actor in the employment relationship has, until recently remained very limited. This thesis makes a significant contribution to our understanding that for workers the customer is ever-present physically, emotionally and discursively.

Change is a timeless phenomenon that takes place in organizations daily. Research shows that middle managers are often perceived as opponents of organizational change. On the other hand, research also shows that their role is very important for implementing change. This qualitative study examines the potential challenges that may arise during the implementation of change. The study also aims to highlight the individual’s experience of the middle manager’s role during a change created by the upper line. Our choice of research methodology includes semi-structured interviews. The study consists of interviews of five middle managers in the Primary care of Region Gotland. The theoretical framework has been used as a guideline in the process of creating interview questions. The theory of the research study is constructed using theories about change management, change resistance, job satisfaction and the role of the middle manager. Our empirical data has been analyzed with selected theories. Our research indicates that the middle managers often end up in a conflict of roles. The most noticeable challenge for middle managers is the need to prioritize their roles. This often occurs due to a lack of resources. / Förändring är ett tidlöst fenomen som dagligen sker i alla organisationer. Forskning visar å ena sidan att en mellanchef ofta ses som en motståndare till förändring. Å andra sidan ses en mellanchefs roll som avgörande för att implementera och realisera en förändring. Syftet med studien var att utifrån ett mellanchefsperspektiv beskriva de utmaningar som upplevs i samband med ett, från ledningen skapat, förändringsarbete. Studien avsåg även att diskutera de bakomliggande orsakerna till utmaningarna. Studiens datainsamling har genomförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer på det valda fallföretaget, primärvården inom Region Gotland. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med fem verksamhetschefer på samtliga av Region Gotlands vårdcentraler, både i egenregi men även de privata aktörerna. Studiens teori har baserats på forskning om en mellanchefs roll i ett förändringsarbete, förändringsprocessen, förändringsmotstånd samt motivations- och hygienfaktorer. Den teoretiska referensramen har även använts som grund för att ta fram frågorna till studiens intervjuguide. Resultatet av studien visar på att en mellanchefs roll är komplex och att en mellanchef möter på ett stort antal utmaningar i ett förändringsarbete. En mellanchefs främsta utmaning är att hen måste prioritera mellan olika roller som behöver intas i ett förändringsarbete. Bakgrunden till problematiken är tidsbrist, vilket överensstämmer med tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Studien visar även på att faktorer såsom stöd, delaktighet samt återkoppling bör vara uppfyllda för att uppnå ett lyckat förändringsarbete, vilket tillika kan antas vara några av förändringsarbetets utmaningar. Det är även en utmaning för en mellanchef att motiveras till att genomföra en förändring om inte hygienfaktorerna föreligger. Det främsta bidraget från studien är således en beskrivning av individer i en mellanchefsposition samt deras upplevelser av de utmaningar som uppstår genom ett, från ledningen, initierat förändringsarbete.

I denna studie undersöks en mediebyrå som befinner sig mitt i en branschförändring.  Mediebyråns förutsättningar har sedan 2014 förändrats i och med intåget av ett nytt, automatiserat sätt att köpa medieutrymme, vilket kallas för programmatiska medieköp. Detta nya köpförfarande riskerar att förändra, och har redan förändrat många av byråns anställdas roll och branschförändringen ligger i fokus för studien. Studien syftar således till att undersöka hur organisationen ställer sig till intåget av programmatiska köp, samt hur förändring förstås genom  kommunikation inom organisationen. Tidigare forskning kring förändring och förändringskommunikation har identifierat att ett förändringsmotstånd ofta uppkommer i samband med större förändringar. Denna studie fann dock att det inte förekom några tydliga tecken på förändringsmotstånd i samband med branschförändringen. Flera olika förklaringar till bristen på förändringsmotstånd upptäcktes under studiens gång. Företagets organisatoriska kontext är en huvudsaklig anledning till den positiva inställningen till förändring. Företaget befinner sig i en organisatorisk kontext som är utsatt för konstanta förändringar, något som gör att företagets medlemmar är mer öppna till förändring. Genom meningsskapande, kommunikativa processer försöker företagets anställda hela tiden skapa mening av förändringarna genom intern och externt influerad kommunikation, i form av utbildning och informationsspridande. Studien fann även att en bidragande orsak till bristen på förändringsmotstånd är att de anställda tillåts delta i förändringsprocessen på olika sätt, och detta leder till att de blir mer informerade och redo att ta till sig förändring. / Aim: The aim of this study is to research how organizational change is communicated and accepted in a media organisation. This is done by analyzing different strategies of change communication and sense making strategies in uncertain environments.  Contribution: The papers contribution to the field is mainly empirical. A lot of studies have been done on change resistance, but not as many has been done on reasons for lack thereof. This paper strives to bring clearness to how a company manages to prevent change resistance in a ever changing environment.  Results and conclusion: The study found that one of the biggest challenges in the studied organisation was a business wide emergence of a new way to buy advertising space. Although the change is likely going to effect a lot of employees in the organisation, a lack of resistance towards the change was found in the initial period of the observations conducted at the company. The aim was thereafter to find out how this could be. The findings was that several aspects could explain the phenomenon. The company’s organizational context was a main reason for the positive attitudes towards change. The company operates in a context that is largely affected by constant changes, and this makes the members of the organisation more open to change. Also, through sense making mechanisms, the company constantly strives to make sense of the changes by internal and externally influenced communication. A second reason to the lack of resistance is found to be the fact that the employees are allowed to participate in different ways in the change, leading them to become more informed and ready for the emerging change.

The main purpose of this thesis has been to study the change agent’s role in accelerating sustainability in the construction sector. A case study was conducted in a large construction company (~9000 employees) with an ambitious sustainability profile. The research started by obtaining an understanding of organizational change, the change agents’ role and how change agents can be organized. The research then proceeded by studying whether there are practices among change agents leading to sustainable transition and how. Data was collected in a single case study through semi- structured interviews with four change agents, their director and one receiver of the change efforts.  How do change agents in a construction company, organized in a dual operating system, overcome change resistance in the line organization to accelerate sustainability?  The answers to the research question where that the change agents are the key persons of driving the transformational change effort in the studied company. They operate differently depending on situation and task, with no formal job description, requiring a high grade of personal strive. They have no formal responsibilities and few recourses, resulting in an importance of ability to influence others to take necessary decisions to change towards sustainability. They focus on building and maintaining relations with key persons in the line organization and prefer to be involved early in the projects. They spend time to train and engage in sustainability questions. They use their colleagues and fellow experts in the parallel organization to share competence, expertise and experience.  This study shows that change agents’ working in a dual operating system has been implemented with success in Company X. A successful dual operating system should include a larger unit of agents that gives them support and help from each other in their strive for change in any area of choice. When implementing the dual operating system, it should be considered that if the role definition is wide, creativity is stimulated among the change agents, making them develop new methods for implementing sustainable change. Furthermore, these best practices identified could be used for future change agent role definitions.  Even though change resistance exists in different forms, proactive prevention of resistance as have been done in Company X, seems to facilitate the change effort. As a result, the interviewees did not particularly experience change resistance. For future research, the case study could be expanded to include more respondents to study each area deeper and be able to confirm the best practices and the main challenges. It would be of interest to identify a company in a different sector that has implemented change agents and a dual operating system and perform a similar case study to identify any sector-specific differences. Some interviewees at Company X described there was an ongoing process on the job descriptions of the change agents. After the implementation of the updated job descriptions, it could be of interest to study changes in volunteerism and creativity among the change agents. Another aspect for further studies would be company size. Smaller companies with less management recourses probably must operate different and those differences would be interesting to understand further. Lastly, future research could study outcome of change effort using change agents in a dual operating system compared to change agents in the original organization.

Companies have always had to adapt to external changes by innovation and reorganisation, in order to stay competitive and survive. For many industries, such as the automotive industry for example the need to quickly adapt to new conditions is expected to increase. In the automotive industry this is due to amongst other factors the globalised value chains and megatrends such as decarbonisation, autonomous vehicles and shared mobility. The megatrends could possibly be disruptive for the industry. Therefore, the ability to successfully implement necessary changes is a key ability. Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies that are unconsciously used to protect a person from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings. While protecting the individual from anxiety, they often result in a resistance to changes and is therefore problematic for organisations in need of implementing change. Emotional contagion is a subconscious process that can make people emotionally converge.  The authors propose that within a business context, emotional contagion enables stable organizational groups to converge with regard to which defense mechanisms that are employed. Within a case study of the automotive supplier Swedish Electro Magnets a quantitative analysis of defense styles was conducted based on the Defense Style Questionnaire on groups in the organisation. Three defense style categories were analysed Mature, Neurotic and Immature defense styles.  For Mature defense styles significant findings confirmed that stable groups do converge with regard to what mechanisms are employed. Neurotic defense styles were not found significant, however these results are rather uncertain with a power of 15 %. Immature defense styles could not be analysed because of inhomogeneity of variance between the groups on this variable.  The study shows that the two theories of Emotional contagion and Defence mechanism are interacting within the organisation of Swedish Electro Magnets with regard to Mature defense styles. The study also finds a large effect size, that suggests that the differences in the defense styles are visible to the naked eye of a careful observer. The large effect size makes the findings a promising field for further research to ultimately reduce the resistance to change in organisations. / Företag har alltid behövt anpassa sig till yttre omständigheter genom innovation och omorganisering för att bevara sin konkurrenskraft och överleva. För många branscher som exempelvis fordonsindustrin, förväntas behovet av att snabbt kunna anpassa sig till nya omständigheter öka. Bland annat på grund av globaliserade värdekedjor och megatrender såsom koldioxidneutralitet, självkörande fordon och delad mobilitet. Potentiellt kan megatrender verka disruptivt för industrin. Därför är förmågan att framgångsrikt implementera förändring en nyckelfaktor Defense mechanisms är undermedvetna psykologiska strategier använda för att skydda en person från ångest som uppkommer från oacceptabla tankar eller känslor. Medan individen skyddas från ångest, leder ofta också Defense mechanisms till motstånd till förändring och är därför problematiskt för företag som är i behov av att implementera förändring. Emotional contagion är en undermedveten process som kan få personer att känslomässigt konvergera.  Författarna föreslår att i företagssammanhang kan Emotional contagion få stabila grupper att konvergera med avseende på vilka Defense mechanisms som används av medlemmarna i gruppen. I en fallstudie på fordonsindustri underleverantören Swedish Electro Magnets har en kvantitativ studie genomförts baserat på självskattningsformuläret defense style Questionnaire på grupper i organisationen. Tre defense style kategorier undersöktes Mature, Neurotic och Immature.  För Mature defense styles fanns signifikanta resultat vilka konfirmerade att stabila grupper konvergerar för vilka Defense mechanisms som används. Neurotic defense styles gav inte signifikanta resultat. Dessa resultat är dock osäkra då analysens styrka endast var 15 %. Immature defense styles kunde inte analyseras på grund av inhomogenitet i variansen mellan grupperna för denna variabel.  Studien visar att de två teorierna Emotional contagion och Defense mechanisms interagerar i organisationen Swedish Electro Magnets med avseende på Mature defense styles. Studien fastslår också att det föreligger en stor effektstorlek, vilket tyder på att skillnader i defense styles är synlig för blotta ögat för en uppmärksam observatör. Den stora effektstorleken medför att fynden utgör ett lovande fält för fortsatt forskning vilket slutligen kan leda till att motstånd till förändring i organisationer kan reduceras.