Overcoming Barriers to Change (AQA A-Level Business): Revision Notes
Overcoming Barriers to Change
Understanding barriers to change
Organisations cannot simply leap over barriers to change—they must actively manage and address them. Even when businesses develop excellent plans and strategies, they will still encounter obstacles that need careful handling.
Resistance is the primary challenge businesses face when implementing change. To manage change successfully, organisations must develop strategies to overcome this resistance and other barriers they encounter.
Understanding the nature and sources of resistance is the first step in developing effective strategies to manage change. Different types of barriers require different approaches, and what works in one situation may not work in another.
Common barriers to change
Organisational structure
The way a business is structured can create significant obstacles to managing change effectively. In particular, tall structures (organisations with many layers of hierarchy) make it harder to communicate changes throughout the business. When there are multiple levels between senior management and front-line workers, the reasons for change and the details of implementation can become unclear or distorted as they pass down through the layers.
Example: Communication in Hierarchical Structures
A large UK retail chain with regional managers, area managers, store managers and team leaders may struggle to ensure that everyone understands why new customer service procedures are being introduced. Information must pass through four or more levels, creating opportunities for the message to become distorted or diluted at each stage.
Resources
Businesses must have the correct resources in place before implementing change. Introducing change without adequate resources can lead to failure and increased resistance.
For instance, a business should not invest in new machinery until they have someone trained who can operate it properly. This ensures the change can be implemented smoothly and demonstrates to employees that the business is taking a thoughtful approach.
Poor management
When managers cannot communicate change effectively or fail to build trust with workers, resistance increases. Poor management typically results from a lack of trust between the manager and the workforce.
Trust is essential because employees are more likely to accept changes when they believe their managers have their best interests at heart and are being honest about the implications of change.
Passive resistance
Passive resistance occurs when people continue with old methods despite being aware of new requirements and having been shown new processes. This type of resistance is particularly common among employees and suppliers who may be comfortable with existing ways of working.
People showing passive resistance don't actively oppose the change—they simply fail to adopt new practices, which can undermine the effectiveness of the change initiative.
Active resistance
Active resistance is more confrontational. People showing active resistance will argue against the proposed change and challenge the reasons behind it. This can come from:
- Workers who organise themselves to trade union action or refuse to complete tasks
- Customers who refuse to make further purchases from the company
Active resistance is often more visible than passive resistance but can sometimes be easier to address because the concerns are explicit.
The role of effective communication
To reduce resistance, businesses need to communicate effectively with all groups of workers throughout the organisation. When workers feel engaged in the change process and are kept up-to-date with developments, they are much less likely to resist.
Exam tip: Questions about overcoming barriers often reward answers that emphasise two-way communication—not just telling people about change, but listening to their concerns and responding to them. Effective communication is a dialogue, not a broadcast.
Good planning and strategies
Careful planning and well-thought-out strategies can help businesses avoid some barriers to change. For example, a business may need to provide staff with better training before implementing a change, ensuring people feel confident and capable rather than threatened.
Example: Supporting Staff Through Technological Change
When Tesco introduced new self-service tills, they provided extensive training to staff who would be supporting customers, reducing anxiety about job security and helping workers see new roles they could fulfil. Rather than viewing the technology as a threat to their jobs, staff were equipped to take on customer service and problem-solving roles.
Kotter and Schlesinger's four reasons for resistance
Managers need to identify which reason for resistance is most relevant to the specific change in their company. Understanding why people resist allows managers to choose the most appropriate strategy for overcoming that resistance.
1. Self-interest
People often prioritise their own situation over the success of the business as a whole. If employees cannot see how a change will directly benefit them, they will resist it—even if the change would make the business more successful overall.
The key issue is that people cannot always see that a more successful business may bring individual benefits in the longer term. Short-term concerns about personal impact often outweigh longer-term potential gains.
Example: During organisational change involving delayering, middle managers may resist because they fear loss of income or redundancy. They may not recognise that a more successful business might create new positions for them higher up the hierarchy in the future.
2. Misunderstanding
People resist change when they do not fully understand what it means for them personally. They typically assume they have more to lose than to gain until someone clearly explains the situation.
Poor communication from management can lead to incorrect information being passed down to workers, which breeds uncertainty and confusion and increases anxiety among employees.
To prevent misunderstandings, businesses need to establish a high level of trust between employees and managers. When trust exists, people are more likely to believe explanations and less likely to assume the worst.
3. Low tolerance of change
People become accustomed to completing tasks in familiar ways. They resist change if they fear they will not be able to develop the new skills required after the change. Employees may worry they will not perform as well in the new situation, threatening their job security.
There may also be loyalty to existing relationships and methods because these are known and established. Workers may feel comfortable in their current teams and reluctant to break up existing work groups.
4. Different assessments of the situation
Key stakeholders may have strong disagreements about the reasons for change, creating an inability to accept the need for change. Different groups may:
- Fail to see the advantages of the proposed change, focusing only on the disadvantages
- Agree that change is needed but believe they have a better idea of what should change or how it should be implemented
This type of resistance occurs even at senior levels, where different managers may have competing visions for the business's direction.
The most relevant reason for resistance will vary depending on the specific change and the stakeholders involved. Effective managers diagnose the primary source of resistance before choosing their approach to overcoming it.
Kotter and Schlesinger's six ways of overcoming resistance
Once managers have identified the reason for resistance, they can take action to address it. The following six approaches range from collaborative methods to more forceful tactics.
1. Education and communication
Managers need to raise awareness about the reasons for change and how it will be implemented. The education process typically involves discussions, presentations and reports that should:
- Clearly communicate the reasons behind the planned change
- Identify the benefits for both the business and individuals
This approach works well when resistance stems from misunderstanding. By providing clear, honest information, managers can address concerns before they escalate.
Example: Educating Staff About Process Changes
A UK manufacturing firm planning to introduce lean production techniques might hold workshop sessions explaining how the new methods will reduce waste, improve working conditions, and make the business more competitive—ultimately protecting jobs. By clearly linking the change to job security and better working conditions, managers can transform potential resistance into support.
2. Participation and involvement
Key stakeholders should be involved in the design and implementation of change. When people participate in decision-making, they feel more engaged and their ideas become part of the change process.
If people become part of the process, it becomes much more difficult for them to resist changes that they have helped to shape.
Exam tip: This method is particularly effective when people resist due to lack of control—involving them gives them ownership of the change. People are much more likely to support initiatives they have helped to create.
3. Facilitation and support
Listening to the concerns of the workforce through regular meetings helps workers adjust to change because they feel supported. Support groups can help workers overcome anxiety about changes.
Businesses should also provide training for workers who will need to gain new skills. This addresses the low tolerance of change by giving people confidence they can succeed in the new situation.
Facilitation and support demonstrate that the business cares about its employees and is willing to invest in helping them adapt.
4. Negotiation and agreement
Providing stakeholders with opportunities to negotiate and compromising over key sticking points can lead to full agreement on proposed changes.
Financial or non-financial incentives may need to be offered by the business to obtain full acceptance of the change. If full agreement cannot be reached, then voluntary redundancy or early retirement may be offered to employees who are resisting change.
Example: Negotiating Working Practice Changes
A business might negotiate with trade unions about new working practices, agreeing to protect pay levels during a transition period in exchange for acceptance of new shift patterns. This approach recognises that both parties have legitimate interests and seeks to find a mutually acceptable solution.
This approach acknowledges that different stakeholders have legitimate interests that need to be balanced.
5. Manipulation and co-option
An employee who is resisting change may be given a desirable role in the decision-making process to gain their cooperation. However, this is a risky strategy because:
- These roles often give the worker little real power
- Workers can feel tricked into agreeing to change
Alternatively, managers may manipulate information about the change—for example, by exaggerating the severity of a crisis. If workers discover the manager has manipulated information, they will lose trust in their managers. This can create more resistance in future, making subsequent changes even harder to implement.
Exam tip: In evaluation questions, discuss how this approach might achieve short-term compliance but damage long-term relationships and trust. The costs of damaged trust often outweigh any immediate benefits from reduced resistance.
6. Explicit and implicit coercion
As a last resort, to speed up the process, a person may be threatened with consequences to comply with planned changes or face penalties. These consequences could be:
- Clearly stated (explicit)—such as "accept these changes or face redundancy"
- Implied (implicit)—such as subtle hints about future promotion opportunities
Examples of coercion include threatening redundancies, removing promotion opportunities, or transfers to less desirable departments.
This is the most forceful approach and should only be used when other methods have failed or when change must happen very quickly. It typically generates significant resentment and can damage employee relations long-term. Consider it a last resort when time pressures or critical business needs override relationship concerns.
Key Points to Remember:
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Resistance is the most common barrier to change—it comes in both passive forms (continuing old practices) and active forms (arguing against change)
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Kotter and Schlesinger identified four main reasons people resist change:
- Self-interest (protecting their own position)
- Misunderstanding (not fully understanding the implications)
- Low tolerance (fear of not coping with new requirements)
- Different assessments (disagreeing about whether change is needed or what should change)
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The six ways to overcome resistance range from collaborative to forceful:
- Education and communication
- Participation and involvement
- Facilitation and support
- Negotiation and agreement
- Manipulation and co-option
- Explicit/implicit coercion
Choose the method that best matches the reason for resistance.
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Communication and trust are essential—keeping workers engaged and up-to-date throughout the change process significantly reduces resistance. Poor communication breeds misunderstanding and anxiety.
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Plan ahead for barriers—identify likely sources of resistance before implementing change, and ensure resources (including training) are in place. Involving stakeholders early and building in support mechanisms makes successful change much more likely.