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![](3D"http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/983/images/comments.gif") Easing Fear of =
New=20
Technology After investing $60 million and nearly a = year of=20 effort, Bank of America abandoned a computerized system that was = once=20 touted as the most advanced in the banking industry. The US Senate ordered a computer system = projected=20 to cost $12 million. The final cost had ballooned to some $50 = million when=20 the system was completed four years later partially because = lawmakers=20 failed to anticipate the cost of training and = maintenance. The California Department of Motor = Vehicles=20 (DMV) recently abandoned a project to convert the state=92s 28 = year-old DMV=20 database after investing six years and $44 million into the = project=20 (Turban, McLean and Wetherbe, 1998, Information Technology for=20 Management, New York: John Wiley & Sons). In each of these cases, resistance to = change within=20 the organization was a significant management challenge. Employee=20 resistance can come from different sources and take a variety of = forms.=20 The ability to recognize and overcome resistance to change can be = a=20 critical competitive advantage in a fast-changing business=20 environment. Workplace Stability Employees often have a great emotional = stake in the=20 workplace just as they do at home. Over time, people learn to = balance job=20 demands with the rest of their lives in a state of equilibrium, or = homeostasis. When an abrupt or significant change occurs in = the=20 workplace, the imbalance created in an employee=92s life can hurt = job=20 performance and disrupt their perception of the organization=92s = culture and=20 norms. Like every other social group, work = groups develop=20 norms, or generally understood rules of conduct, that make = interaction=20 predictable enough that the group can work together toward common = goals.=20 While some norms are formal and others informal, each can be = justified by=20 an appeal to some shared value. Therefore, to challenge a norm is = to=20 challenge the value. Formal norms: Formal norms in business = are codified=20 in company regulations or the law. They are communicated through = formal=20 training sessions, written documents, and shared informally by = example.=20 Strongly-held formal norms are based on deeply-held values and = will prompt=20 a strong emotional response if violated. For example, = embezzlement, or=20 even taking money from the petty cash fund for personal use, or = coming to=20 work only when convenient would be violations of important formal = norms.=20 Other formal norms, such as explicit dress codes, may not carry = the same=20 emotional content, but the reason for their existence is = understood and=20 enforcement is accepted. Informal Norms: Informal norms are = learned=20 primarily by observation and imitation, but sometimes they are = expressed=20 verbally as well. In fact, people are often unaware that they are = learning=20 organizational norms. The norms are communicated, verbally or = otherwise,=20 as "the way we do things here." They are enforced by such means as = gossip,=20 teasing and social acceptance. Informal norms also range from = minor to=20 very important. Examples of informal norms at work range from an = having an=20 established way to answer the phone, to expectations about whether = one=20 should cover for a co-worker in an emergency or be willing to work = overtime when there is a deadline, to compliance with the = organization=92s=20 informal pecking order. Technical Norms: These norms relate to = very=20 specific tasks, are verbalized, reasoned, and transmitted = explicitly. Few=20 emotions are associated with them =96 or with their violation. = Examples of=20 technical norms would be what to do when the copier goes down, or = how and=20 when to order supplies. Norms and Technological = Change It is important to be aware of all three = categories=20 of norms when promoting and implementing technological change in = the=20 workplace. Technical norms are fairly easy to change, as long as = they are=20 just technical. These norms are transmitted and accepted at = a=20 logical and rational level. The change agent needs to be aware, = however,=20 that technical norms may also be related to informal norms such as = the=20 informal pecking order. Problems often occur when those who = promote and=20 implement technological change ignore the existence of formal and = informal=20 norms and approach the changes they are implementing as though = they are=20 dealing only with changes in technical norms. If they overlook the = deeply-rooted cultural patterns held by the employees who are = slated to=20 become the eventual users of the new technology, they will = encounter=20 opposition. Significant technological change will alter existing = work=20 patterns and social relationships, and these changes frequently = will be=20 resisted by people who fear some kind of loss. Since norms, whether formal or informal, = reflect=20 some underlying values, they are difficult to change unless it can = be=20 shown that the new behavior is also consistent with an important = value, or=20 that the old value itself needs to be changed. Formal norms at = least can=20 be directly addressed because they are explicit. However, = strongly-held=20 informal norms may be among the hardest to change because it may = be=20 difficult even to explicitly identify them, let alone verbalize = the value=20 they represent. Many managers fail to recognize such = cultural=20 problems when they arise or to deal with them effectively. This = may result=20 in roadblocks and failure to implement the new = technology. Employee Propensity for = Change Employees differ on how receptive to = change they=20 are. A long line of research on the diffusion of innovation has = shown that=20 the rate at which change is accepted approximates a bell-shaped = curve or=20 normal distribution. If graphed as a cumulative percentage it = becomes the=20 well-known S-curve. At one end of the curve is a very small = percentage=20 of innovators, maybe two to three percent of the workforce, = who are=20 very venturesome and enjoy risk and constantly look for new ways = to do=20 things or new things to do. This group may include ardent = proponents for=20 change whose organizational influence exceeds their numbers. = Next are the early adopters who = are willing=20 to promote changes when they are suggested, though not as eagerly = as=20 innovators. This is the group that usually includes the=20 organization=92s opinion leaders. Research suggests that about 13% = of the=20 group may be early adopters. The next group, the early = majority,=20 may comprise a third of the workforce. These employees tend to = deliberate=20 on new approaches to work and adopt them only after respected = individuals=20 have done so. The downslope of the curve begins with = the next=20 third of the group, the late majority. These employees tend = to be=20 skeptical and resist change until pressured by circumstances or=20 co-workers. At the far end of the distribution, in numbers roughly = equal=20 to the combination of innovators and early adopters (16%), are the = laggards who cling tightly to past traditions concerning = how work=20 should be accomplished. (Rogers, Everett M., 1983, Diffusion of=20 Innovations, 3rd ed., New York: The Free Press, pp. = 243-251.=20 Although he was not the first to identify the pattern, Rogers was = the=20 first to use the terms innovators, early adopters, early = majority, late=20 majority and laggards in the first edition of his book = in 1962.=20 They have become the standard terminology in this field of=20 research.) Each of these groups responds differently = when it=20 comes to expressing awareness, interest, and willingness to adopt = proposed=20 changes. Many attempts to implement change fail because the = technology=20 promoter assumes that all employees are innovators or early = adopters, and=20 ignores the needs of those most resistant to change. How Does a Proposed Change Impact = Cultural=20 Norms? The cultural norms observed in a = workplace provide=20 a sense of security essential for employee satisfaction and = productivity.=20 This sense of security is inevitably disrupted by a major change=20 initiative and must be re-established through adequate training in = new=20 responsibilities, through fairness to employees displaced by the = change,=20 and by building a shared sense that the change will be beneficial = to both=20 the employees and the organization. Remember that employees do not = always=20 share the promoter=92s view of the value of the proposed = technological=20 innovation. Considerations for = Success The literature is filled with failed = change=20 initiatives in which cultural issues were ignored. Managers = responsible=20 for technological innovation should consider the following six = rules of=20 thumb:
Successful = Implementation Successful adaptation of new technology = can result=20 in greater productivity and employee job satisfaction. It is = becoming=20 increasingly important for managers to understand the importance = of=20 existing cultural norms in the workplace, and how these norms can = help or=20 hinder the successful implementation of technological = change. Runs in the fabric of cultural norms are = not easily=20 mended. However, once work culture is better understood, managers = will be=20 able to implement technological changes with less resistance and a = far=20 greater chance of success. Checklist for = Technological=20 Change Following are some questions that may = help you=20 focus on areas that may still need to be addressed if you are = planning=20 some technological change. 1. Are there any formal and/or informal = norms that=20 the planned technological change will impact? Absolutely_____ Probably some _____ = Haven=92t thought=20 about it____ 2. How much does your planned = technological change=20 build on the existing values and procedures used in your=20 organization? A great deal_____ Some_______ Very little = ______ 3. Can you identify the positions or = individuals=20 that are likely to benefit and those who are likely to lose = something in=20 this change? Yes__________ Most of them_______ Not=20 sure_______ 4. Have you planned any type of = compensation for=20 those who are likely to lose something with the technological=20 change? Yes__________ No_________ 5. Have you developed a strategy for = explaining=20 this change to your employees =96 how it will work, why it is = being done,=20 and how training and support will be provided? Yes__________ Only partially________=20 No________ 6. Can you name the leaders who will be = critical if=20 the technological change is to be accepted, and do you have plans = for=20 involving them in the change process? Yes__________ No_________ Have not = thought about it=20 _____ 7. Have you included budget and plans for = employee=20 training and support? Yes__________ Some_______ Not=20 really________
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