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Abstract
Organisational change is a complex process with potentially profound impacts on the employees who are recipients of the change. Understanding the factors that predict an employee’s propensity to commit to a change and produce positive change outcomes is, therefore, of great importance to researchers and change practitioners. Across three empirical studies, this research program introduced and examined an efficient and integrated model of employee attributes, perceptions, beliefs, commitment and outcomes during significant organisational change.
The first study investigated whether short-form scales could be developed for established measures of variables contained within the proposed model. Data was collected from employees within an Australian organisation (N=110). Systematic analyses across 11 scales demonstrated a 42% item reduction (32 items across eight scales), whilst preserving scale reliability and validity.
Study 2 sought to integrate the research conducted to date on employee attributes, perceptions and beliefs to understand how they influence affective commitment to change (ACC). Using the reduced-item measures from Study 1, the cross-sectional study on employees from a second Australian organisation (N=703) explored the development of a comprehensive model examining the relationships and variables governing an individual's ACC. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses supported a mediated model, whereby an employee’s general disposition to resist change, together with their perception of the change process (change information, change participation) and change context (trust in management, transformational leadership) influenced their beliefs towards change, and subsequently their ACC.
Finally, Study 3 sought to extend the model developed in Study 2 by additionally measuring three employee outcomes during change (job satisfaction, change- supportive behavioural intention, turnover intention). Longitudinal investigations were conducted with employees from a third organisation across the Asia Pacific region (N=750). SEM analyses revealed a mediated model of change, with each outcome variable differentially influenced by change perception, belief and commitment variables over time. Overall, the research reported in this thesis provides support for an efficient measurement of employee perceptions, beliefs and commitment during change that can be used to understand, manage and predict employee outcomes during change over time. Opportunities to further understand and explore these findings are discussed, as are directions for managing change in the future.