Resistance to Organisational Change in the Saudi Tourism Industry: Contributing Factors - Research Paper Example

Resistance to Organisational Change in the Saudi Tourism Industry: Contributing Factors Introduction This proposal is meant to provide information about how the research on factors that contribute to resistance to organisational change in the Saudi Arabian tourism industry will be carried out. The research will not only evaluate the contributing factors but also examine different ways in which organisational theory can help overcome the resistance. In order to achieve its objectives, the proposal is divided into several different sections as follows. In the first section, background information about the issue of resistance to organisational change in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia is presented. This is followed by a brief review of literature that is related to the topic. In the next section, information about the questions that will be used in the research, justification of the topic for the research and its significance is presented. This is followed by a detailed description of the methods that shall be used in the proposed research. Finally, information about evaluation and overall viability of the proposed research is presented. Background The proposed research will be based on the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia on one hand, and the theoretical concepts of organisational change and resistance on the other. The relationship between the two will form the basis for understanding the factors that contribute to resistance to organisational change in the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the essence of the research is applying the theoretical developments on the subject of organisational change and resistance to the context of organisations operating in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. This will be used to identify the contributing factors as well as develop recommendations on how the resistance can be managed. Essentially, organisational change refers to a large continuum of processes that are implemented within an organisation over the course of time (Alshamasi, 2012). As such, the changes may either be small scale in nature, normal evolutionary changes to improve particular situations or large scale, strategic and revolutionary changes that significantly alter the entire framework of the organisation. Regardless of its nature, it is observed that change is an important factor for the planning of the management functions of organisations (Barcan, 2007). Also, the importance of change within organisations can be seen from the perspective of the way human beings behave when confronted with change. Since change within organisations usually entails disruptions in well established practices, norms and networks, individuals tend to respond to its prospects in different ways (Chew, Cheng & Lazarevic, 2006). It is therefore a responsibility of the management of organisations to ensure that resistance to the change is carefully managed. Application of this to the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia is based on the importance of the industry to the economy. According to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques (2012), the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia is driven by a number of factors which include the following: the strength of the economy, diversity of the population, social stability and scenic features such as coasts and beaches. Therefore, for organisations operating in the industry to be successful, they have to adapt to changes that affect the key success factors of the industry. Initial Review of the Literature and Key References Generally, resistance to change occurs at different stages which correspond to the overall process of organisational change. Theoretically, many studies have identified several important stages that define the overall process of organisational change. First is the formulation stage in which different aspects of the change process are comprehensively defined (Grieves, 2010, p. 78). This is followed by the implementation stage in which specific elements of the change plan are implemented into the framework of the organisation. Bovey and Hede (2001) view resistance to change as a normal human response that occurs in all human beings faced with the conditions of uncertainty that are common with the process of implementing changes within organisations. Resistance to change occurs as a result of irrational ideas developed by individuals’ cognitive and affective processes (Bovey & Hede 2001). This is similar to the observation made by Alshamasi (2012) that resistance to organisational change is entirely a process of managing the human factors within organisations. Del Val and Fuentes (2003) identified several forces such as wrongful perceptions of employees about the process and lack of creative response to the change as what drives resistance to organisational change. Erwin and Garman (2010) also identified two important dimensions of individual resistance to organisational change: behavioural and cognitive. The behavioural aspect of individual resistance to change within organisations is exhibited by behaviours that either contribute to the process of change or seek to limit its effectiveness. It is observed that anti- change behaviours are unique in that they seek to slow down the process of change in a covert rather than overt way (Erwin & Garman, 2010). On the other hand, affective or cognitive dimensions of resistance to change are witnessed in the form of the emotions that individuals experience from the change as well as the feelings that they develop towards it. What this means is that resistance to organisational change is based on a complex interaction of individual differences, their perceptions and emotions developed towards the change. Further, Michel, By and Burnes (2013) identified several factors that act as barriers to organisational change. Michel et al. (2013) note for instance that leadership and organisational issues, which are experienced in the form of incompetence, poor planning and execution, are seen as some of the key issues that can act as barriers to organisational change. Apart from the factors that contribute to resistance to change within organisations, studies have also focused on different aspects of these concepts. For instance, Self (2007), observes that there is a close interaction between the concepts of resistance to change and readiness to change. Although both arise from the fundamental position of the way employees evaluate and respond to prospective changes within an organisation, the concept of readiness for change differs from that of resistance to change in several ways. For example, according to Smith (2005), readiness for change involves three key steps as follows: creation of a sense of urgency for change; communication of the change message to ensure participation and finally, creation of support mechanisms to ensure that the change process succeeds. Some studies have sought to evaluate how the concepts are applicable to the tourism industry in general. For instance, Ozdemir (2008) observes the need for organisations in the tourism industry to implement cultural changes through total quality management constantly. This is seen as a way of ensuring that the organisations remain competitive in the industry. Further, Ghamdi (2010) observes that the concept of change for organisations operating within the tourism industry is one based on the need to apply innovation and creativity to solve problems generated by tourist activities. One area that has also received considerable academic attention is the relationship between organisational theory and resistance to change. Studies have sought to establish different ways in which different organisational theories can be used to lessen the effects of resistance to change within organisations. In general, organisational theories attempt to study the designs, structures and relationships between organisations and their external environments (Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006, p. 3). One potential way in which organisational theory can contribute to lessening resistance to change can be understood in terms of the two key dimensions of change. According to Macri, Tagliaventi and Bertolotti (2002), change can be seen in terms of the effect of the interaction between the organisation and the environment and as an alteration of the patterns of organisational behaviour. Therefore, application of different aspects of organisational theory in relation to the way an organisation interacts with its environment as well as the patterns of behaviour can be an effective means of lessening resistance to organisational change. Further, the most important aspect of lessening resistance to change begins with an effective understanding of human behaviour (Yilmaz and Kilicoglu, 2013, p. 18). Since organisational behaviour is one of the key aspects of organisational theory, it can be effectively used to lessen resistance to change within organisations as exhibited by employees and managers. Therefore, when applied to the context of the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia, it can be seen that different perspectives of organisational theory can be used to influence the relationship of the organisations to the external environment as well as the behaviour of employees. By changing the level of specialisation, hierarchy of authority, degree of centralisation and span of control, organisational theory can be used to lessen the extent of resistance to change within organisations in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it can be seen that although many studies have been conducted on the subject of resistance to change as well as the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia, little has been done to specifically identify how this occurs in the Saudi context. This is the gap that the proposed research will fill. Research Questions The following is the research question that shall be used in conducting the proposed research: What are the factors that contribute to resistance to organisational change in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia? The following are the specific objectives that shall be used in the proposed research. 1. To examine the overall state of organisational change and resistance to it within organisations operating in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. 2. To outline different ways in which the factors identified contribute to resistance to organisational change in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. 3. To propose how specific organisational theories can be used to overcome the factors identified. Contribution (and Expected Outcomes) The choice of the topic of resistance to change within organisations in the Saudi tourism industry was informed by several factors. To begin with, the importance of the industry to the entire Saudi economy cannot be overemphasised. Further, the industry faces a number of challenges which affect the business environment in which organisations operate. As such, organisations are obliged to implement strategic change plans to enable them not only adapt to industry changes but also achieve specific strategic objectives. As such, it is important for all stakeholders in the industry to understand the factors which contribute to resistance to change as well as the recommendations on how this can be managed. This will be starting point in helping organisations in the industry develop and successfully implement important changes. Detailed Proposed Methodology Essentially, the proposed study will be carried out as an interview with individuals who are insiders in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia and, as a result of their positions, have an intimate knowledge of how the industry operates with regard to organisational change. For the purposes of data collection, a sample of 20 employees working with diverse organisations in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia shall be selected by purposive sampling. This will be used to ensure that all the participants selected are best suited to provide key insights regarding the objectives of the proposed study. In selecting the sample, care shall be taken to ensure that the following aspects are addressed: the need to mix employees working in different positions within the organisations; the need to balance the gender of the respondents and lastly, the need to represent the opinion of all stakeholders within the industry apart from only employees of organisations. Primary data shall be collected through the method of interviews with each one of the participants. The interviews shall be based on an outline of questions which shall form the general guideline for conducting interviews with individual participants. The data collected shall then be analysed using qualitative methods to reveal key insights from the interviews. This will include methods such as textual analysis and other appropriate ones. Timetable of Key Activities (Between July and December 2014) The following is a simple representation of the timetable of key events that shall be used to conduct the proposed study. Key activity to be undertaken as part of the proposed research Time frame Start Finish Preliminary activities Beginning of July Mid of July Literature review Mid July End of August Collection of primary data Beginning of Sept Mid October Analysis and interpretation of data Mid October Mid November Final report writing and presentation Mid November Early December Resources The proposed study will have considerable implications in terms of the finances involved in carrying out the key activities. For instance, the process of collecting primary data will entail holding interviews with persons who are insiders in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. This will involve financial costs in terms of travelling to the venues of the interviews, collecting the material and later using it in the course of the research. Evaluation and Conclusion First, it can be seen that the proposed research remains viable in terms of the resources that shall be used to collect both primary and secondary data and carrying out other key activities of the research. Secondly, the importance of the research will be seen in the form of stakeholders in the Saudi tourism industry using the findings of the research to successfully develop and implement important changes for their organisations. Thirdly, the research will be carried out in the form of interviews with a cross-section of industry executives. The qualitative information shall then be analysed to identify different factors that contribute to resistance to change within organisations in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. References Alshamasi, A. A. (2012). Effective of leader-member exchange (LMX) in the Saudi workplace context during times of organizational change: An investigation of LMX roles and their potential to enhance employee outcomes. PhD thesis, Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 July 2014, from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Feprints.port.ac.uk%2F11845%2F1%2FAreej_Alshamasi-PDF.pdf&ei=PdK4U5ieGubF0QXZxICYBg&usg=AFQjCNEgrofjMompA61gJuBGBLD5YJCpmw&sig2=6i5g_NTAMt1HmRKQbZj12A&bvm=bv.70138588,d.bGE Barcan, L. (2007). New concepts in the change management within public organisations. 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