Resistance to change (RtC) is seen as an important risk in change management processes, and this present research investigates the antecedents of RtC through a dual processing lens. In particular, there is the goal to identify the moderating effect of the two cognitive styles—namely faith in intuition (experiential) and the need for cognition (rational)—on the relationship between the antecedents and RtC. RtC was expected to increase more quickly with an increase of fear of loss when individuals would rely more on the experiential system. On the contrary, RtC was expected to increase more slowly with an increase of affect-based trust in management when individuals rely more on this system. Individuals who rely more on the rational thinking style were expected to show a more slowly increase of RtC, with an increase of their difficulty in dealing with change. On the contrary, RtC was expected to decrease quicker with an increase cognitive-based trust in management, and an increase of the quality of information regarding a change. In addition, the study analyzed the main constructs on the subconstruct level, namely the constructs RtC, individuals’ difficulty of dealing with change, the fear of loss and trust in management. Through a survey with 157 employees of an organization undergoing a change process, the study assesses respondents on RtC, the selected antecedents, and their preferred thinking style. The findings support the previously reported relationships between the antecedents and RtC. Additionally, the data of the research shows support for one of the five hypotheses. Only the cognitive style faith in intuition moderates the relationship between the antecedents’ main constructs and RtC. The relationships between RtC with both trust in management and with fear of loss are moderated by this cognitive style. The study found more detailed moderating effects on the subconstruct level. The theoretical implication of this research consists of several aspects. First, the study confirmed the correlations between RtC and its antecedents from the previous research. Additionally, the study found a significant correlation between the cognitive style needed for cognition and RtC. Secondly, the findings of this research supported the hypothesis that faith in intuition positively moderates the relationship between fear of loss and RtC. Thirdly, a positive moderating effect of faith in intuition was found on the relationship between trust in management and RtC, and this finding is contrary to the expected outcome. Finally, no moderating effect of the need for cognition was found on the relationship between RtC and the main constructs of its antecedents. The practical implications of this research are that managers should be aware of the cognitive styles of their employees. Employees who are highly reliant on an experiential system will show their RtC more quickly when there is an increase of fear of loss. Additionally, an increase in trust in management of these individuals show a slower decrease of RtC. Furthermore, individuals who show a higher need for cognition will likely show a lower RtC in general.

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M. H. van Dijke, M. J. J. Wubben
hdl.handle.net/2105/50556
Leiderschap, Management & Bestuur
RSM: Parttime Master Bedrijfskunde

Lauris Rosier. (2019, June 30). How individual differences in cognitive styles shape resistance to change. Leiderschap, Management & Bestuur. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/50556