University of Twente Student Theses

De golf van verandering: onderzoek in hoeverre schommelingen in attitude van werknemers te verklaren zijn vanuit identiteitsbedreiging of -versterking gedurende een veranderingsgolf

Kramer, S.P.E. (2013) De golf van verandering: onderzoek in hoeverre schommelingen in attitude van werknemers te verklaren zijn vanuit identiteitsbedreiging of -versterking gedurende een veranderingsgolf.

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Abstract:	Background Continuous changes take place in organizations; the main purposes of these changes are improving the effectiveness and efficiency in an institution. These changes could lead to uncertainty among employees, since they have to abandon certain activities which have potentially belonged to their tasks for years. A certain way of working is part of the employees' identity, so when something changes in their particular way of working it may be perceived as threatening. An experienced identity threat may serve as a predictor for the intention and behavior of employees: they largely determine the success of the changes. Purpose When people go through change they attend several phases. The question of how they cope with changes can be answered on the basis of a curve. In this study personal curves of employees are elaborated during a change-wave of 10 weeks. The purpose of this study is to examine to what extent changes in attitude can be explained through identity threats or reinforcements. Method A change in identity must correspond to the four principles, self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, and self-efficacy, to become of no threat to the identity of the employee. The degree of consensus during a period of change determines the attitude of employees. On the basis of interviews and non-participant observations the valuation of identity and attitude of 16 employees are charted before, during and after a wave of change. This data is converted into the employees’ personal curves. Conclusion The study shows that an increase in identity is associated with a rising attitude curve. A threat to the worker’s identity affects the attitude negatively. An identity threat is most common among employees with high expectations and a positive identity evaluation prior to the wave. This threat creates a nadir in the attitude curve, since the expectations are not met. The experience of workers being less or more competent than expected define the development of identity. Employees who do not feel threatened or strengthened in their identity remain the same in their attitude towards the changes without showing an attitude curve.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	05 communication studies
Programme:	Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/63794
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