Transforming employee resistance into organizational learning at a higher education institution in Palestine
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
ISSN: 1746-5648
Article publication date: 14 March 2022
Issue publication date: 30 August 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reconceptualizes resistance as a stimulant of organizational learning from a change agent's perspective. Adopting a social constructivism lens, the paper argues that employee resistance has the capacity to trigger individual, group and organizational learning. It explores the “how” question—how can employee resistance be transformed into organizational learning?
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilizes the qualitative research method of auto-ethnography. Sensemaking auto-ethnographic narrative accounts of two change agents, internal and external is used to synchronize resistance and learning as well as reflect on the positive impact of organizational change.
Findings
Rather than, suppressing resistance as a dysfunctional aspect of the change process, becoming aware and making sense of this “misconstrued barrier” to learning and change can transform it into an appropriate feedback mechanism to initiate organizational learning.
Practical implications
This paper emphasizes the role of change agents in the change process and how their understanding of the culture, change recipients, organizational climate and work environment could increase the success of transforming resistance into learning. Collaboration through social interaction, communication, participation and awareness creation are utilized as effective mechanisms to develop a learning environment.
Originality/value
This research was carried out within an academic setting in a challenging context where not much is known about change initiatives and resistance at a university level.
Keywords
Citation
Akella, D. and Khoury, G. (2022), "Transforming employee resistance into organizational learning at a higher education institution in Palestine", Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 299-317. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-06-2021-2170
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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