Dispositional Resistance to Change

To increase their competitiveness, organizations introduce constant modifications to their processes to adapt to environmental demands, which is why the psychological response of employees to these changes is such a critical management issue. Dispositional resistance to change refers to an individual’s personal inclination to resist changes: While some people openly accept and adapt to changes, others tend to avoid and oppose them. Those who have an inherent disposition to resist change are less likely to voluntarily initiate it in their lives, and are more likely to form negative attitudes toward specific changes they encounter.

Drawing from the large body of research on resistance to change at the individual level, a comprehensive model was developed to analyze and [Page 309]measure this predisposition in the context of organizations. ...