Barriers to Achieving Complex Change in Large Organizations: A Qualitative Case Study

Complex change may stimulate employees to express cynicism. This qualitative case study helps to better understand which barriers organizational restructuring processes face during the change process, and gives an outlook on possible interventions. Using systemic theory, this qualitative study analyses the restructuring process within a large organization in the manufacturing segment. The analysis is based upon 28 in-depth tape-recorded interviews. It was found that past failed change and uncertainty about the future led to expressions and experiences of Organizational Change Cynicism which can slow down and hinder change processes.