Abstract:
The success of organisational change processes can be significantly enhanced
by effectively addressing resistance to change among a range of stakeholders as
well as the impact of their resistance. There is, however, limited research on the
relationship between stakeholders’ level of power and their propensity to resist
change in a certain manner. This study therefore explored the interrelationships
between stakeholders’ perceived level of power and their type of resistance, via
face-to-face, in-depth interviews with fifteen professional change agents from
three sample groups comprising change consultants, internal human resource
managers and internal senior managers, all of whom had led change
interventions. The findings revealed surprising trends in that certain stakeholder
groups showed resistance more actively and overtly than others in direct
proportion to their levels of power. These results culminated in a conceptual
framework on stakeholders, power and resistance. This article highlights
important implications for managers and change practitioners.
