University of Helsinki - Research news
Intuition steers attitudes towards change in an organisation
"How people react, even strongly, to change may vary from one situation and moment to the next."
Week 42/ 2006
People's reactions to organisational changes are mainly based on intuition. Their approach is steered by their own as well as their nearest colleagues' experiences and expectations regarding the organisation.
"How people react, even strongly, to change may vary from one situation and moment to the next. People do not sit down and analyse their opinions," says Pekka Mattila, M.Soc.Sc. Mattila¿s doctoral dissertation in the field of sociology was publicly examined at the University of Helsinki on 14 October 2006.
Mattila studied worker reactions to organisational changes in three major corporations. The corporations selected for the study were ones that had undergone long-lasting and dramatic change processes.
"The Mehilainen Group, a private health-care service chain, Finland Post, and the energy company Vattenfal represent service and white-collar organisations that have been excluded from previous research," says Mattila.
The target group of his study was the entire staff of the companies, including clerical staff, experts and management.
"My study examined attitudes and reactions to change from a wide perspective. Concentrating on change resistance only would have been a one-sided approach," Mattila explains.
According to him, staff may act both in a change-enabling and in a change-resisting manner. The most audible and visible resistance comes from those who are highly committed to their employer and who are considered "good employees".
"It is not always the case that management would automatically welcome an organisational change, although they are the group that most commonly supports change. In the case of junior management, resistance to change is just as common as among the clerical staff," says Mattila.
Mattila wanted to make his dissertation as accessible to the general public as possible. He also hopes that the model he has developed through his study would be generally applicable to other organisations in all sectors.
"My own background is very much in the business sector, so I am not seeking an academic career."
Will Mattila compile his research results into a change management guide?
"I will write a guide, but more than a management guide it will be a guide for working life," says Mattila.
Text: Mirja Mäenpää
Photo: Veikko Somerpuro
Translation: Valtasana Oy
