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Employee Cynicism and Resistance to Organizational Change

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Abstract

We offer a reconceptualization of employee cynicism and present the results of two studies to test the hypotheses that (a) cynicism about an organizational change is distinguishable from skepticism about the change, more general forms of cynicism (disposition and management), and trust in management, (b) change-specific cynicism and skepticism relate differently to personal and situational “antecedent” variables, and (c) change-specific cynicism accounts for variance in employees’ intention to resist change not explained by skepticism, trust, and more general forms of cynicism. Study 1 was conducted with employees (N=65) from several organizations undergoing various changes, and Study 2 with employees (N=701) from a single organization undergoing restructuring and culture change. Results were generally consistent with prediction. Implications for future research and for the management of change are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada

    David J. Stanley & John P. Meyer

  2. Mercer Delta Consulting Ltd., Canada

    Laryssa Topolnytsky

Authors
  1. David J. Stanley
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  2. John P. Meyer
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  3. Laryssa Topolnytsky
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Correspondence to David J. Stanley.

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Stanley, D.J., Meyer, J.P. & Topolnytsky, L. Employee Cynicism and Resistance to Organizational Change. J Bus Psychol 19, 429–459 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-005-4518-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-005-4518-2

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