Individuals' attitudes about organizational change: relationship between BPM and resistance to change
Business Process Management Journal
ISSN: 1463-7154
Article publication date: 5 January 2023
Issue publication date: 15 March 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to investigate individuals' attitudes about organizational change, considering implementation of business process management (BPM) and resistance to change.
Design/methodology/approach
The study examines the attitudes of subjects that experienced organizational change in the context of BPM in Brazil. In order to measure resistance to organizational change, 22 interviews were conducted using a script adapted from Pereira et al. (2019). The study considered two main agents: BPM implementers and end-users. Data were analyzed qualitatively via content analysis.
Findings
The results provided interesting insights. In relation to the individuals' attitudes, satisfaction, fear, stress and anxiety were the most frequently reported. However, opinions contradict the negative feelings expressed, given that organizational benefits, facility and pleasure at work and personal benefits were the most frequently reported. In regard to behavior, individuals approved change and in general accepted it. Finally, in terms of confidence in management, the subjects reported leadership and trusting their bosses as positive points.
Research limitations/implications
Study limitations include the difficulty in finding end-users on LinkedIn, the fact that convenience sampling was used and the possible false memory of respondents.
Originality/value
The approach used in this study provided a relevant contribution to the area under study, primarily via the new findings, that is, elements of resistance to change that emerged from the data.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: This research was funded by Federal Rural University of the Semi-arid, grant number 23091.015315/2021-96.
Citation
Fernandes dos Santos, N.I. and Aires, R.F.d.F. (2023), "Individuals' attitudes about organizational change: relationship between BPM and resistance to change", Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 413-429. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-08-2022-0385
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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