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. 2022 Apr 13:1-24.
doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03070-6. Online ahead of print.

Reactions towards organizational change: a systematic literature review

Khai Wah Khaw  1 , Alhamzah Alnoor  1   2 , Hadi Al-Abrrow  3 , Victor Tiberius  4 , Yuvaraj Ganesan  5 , Nadia A Atshan  2
Affiliations

Reactions towards organizational change: a systematic literature review

Khai Wah Khaw et al. Curr Psychol. .

Abstract

Regardless of the prevalence and value of change initiatives in contemporary organizations, these often face resistance by employees. This resistance is the outcome of change recipients' cognitive and behavioral reactions towards change. To better understand the causes and effects of reactions to change, a holistic view of prior research is needed. Accordingly, we provide a systematic literature review on this topic. We categorize extant research into four major and several subcategories: micro and macro reactions. We analyze the essential characteristics of the emerging field of change reactions along research issues and challenges, benefits of (even negative) reactions, managerial implications, and propose future research opportunities.

Keywords: Reactions to organizational change; Research framework; Research issues; Systematic literature review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestAll the authors of this paper declare existence of no mutual conflict of interests.

Figures

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Fig. 1
Systematic review protocol
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Determinants of reactions to change
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Taxonomy of reactions to change
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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