Change resistance in bureaucratic organizations in Jordan: causes and implications for future trends of administrative reform and development

Abstract

The major objective of this study is to investigate the main causes of employees’ resistance to administrative change in bureaucratic organizations in Jordan. The impact of background variables on employees’ assessment of change resistance causes is also examined. It has been found that the lack of employees’ participation, inadequate incentives, distrust between employees and higher management, lack of clarity in the goals of change stand, in order, as the five highest causes of resistance to administrative change. Resistance causes pertaining only to employees’ participation, incentives and distrust of higher management reported significant relationships with two or more of respondents’ background variables. Based on the findings of this study short and long-term implications for future trends of administrative reform and development in Jordan are explicated.