ABSTRACT
This chapter examines resistance to systems change by looking at job-related and personality-related factors as well as the role of management. Experienced managers have learned that staff and end-user support is also essential to a successful systems change. They accordingly anticipate three types of staff response: active resistance that prevents the change, passive resistance that causes the change to fail, and open support that leads to collaboration between management and staff in implementing the change. Active management leadership is crucial to the success of a system change. Effective change management requires not only management's support and understanding of its role in the change process but its understanding of the personality factors that influence change. Two personality characteristics—locus of control and attitude toward ambiguity—determine how much employee resistance is influenced by job-related factors. The chapter concludes with some strategies designed to ensure employee support.
