Managing Resistance To Strategic Chance At National Housing Corporation

Abstract

Organizations nowadays are under intense pressure to fundamentally change how they operate and do business if they are to ensure their survival and competitiveness. As organizations go through the motions, resistance to change is usually evoked. Moreover since resistance to change is the most frequently cited implementation problem encountered by management when introducing change, understanding how to manage it is useful. This phenomenon of resistance is a complex issue facing management in organizations today. Motivated by this concern, this research basically sought to inquire whether there are strategies, which organizations going through change, can use to manage resistance. National housing Corporation, which is the subject of this study m undertook changes to its strategic direction, organizational culture,internal process and performance management system that elicited resistance. A case study was thus conducted to determine how resistance was managed/ The researcher carried out an in-depth personal interview with the top and middle management at National Housing Corporation. Also interviewed were three consultants contracted by National Housing Corporation to coordinate various change initiatives According to the study findings National Housing Corporation was able to successfully manage resistance by using strategies like adjusting culture, support by the top management, communication, participation, scheduling change and training. The study also revealed three recommendations which the organization should take cognizance of when faced with resistance to change. The first one is that it is crucial for managers to change agents to be competent in managing the change process. secondly, organizations going through change clearly recognize and identify the underlying causes of resistance as and when it emerges. Finally the positive aspect of resistance should not be ignored. This research contributes to the existing literature and can serve as a guideline for managers on how to introduce organizational change in a way that decreases the potential for resistance.