The relationship between control and resistance in organisations - Essay Example

Examples of change can be alteration in strategic, operational, cultural or technological fronts. Since this change is often a continuous process therefore, there are times when these modifications are not well received by the employees which lead to resistance. Over the time, the concept of resistance has been re-conceptualised due to which the management control systems have become increasingly elaborate as well. Overt form of resistance is hardly observed in organisational settings now (Karreman, 2009, pp.

1115–1144). In order to analyse and explain the concept of control and resistance in organisations, two real life examples will be discussed in the paper. The control and resistance situation faced in Oti-Yeboah Complex Limited and PETROM will be discussed in paper to highlight different aspects of the concept. In the light of these examples, the relationship between resistance and controls will be explained; also, their links with theoretical framework will be discussed Halley (2000, p.1) quotes a generic definition of resistance in his article as ‘acting or making efforts in opposition or withstanding the action or effect of’.

However, resistance is defined more comprehensively in organisational terms by Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis (2011, p.262) as ‘Resistance to change consist of those organizational activities and attitudes that aim to thwart, undermine and impede change initiatives. It is a widely observed phenomenon in organizations. The resistance can be overt, in the form of wildcat strikes, campaigns or other forms of collective action, or it can be covert, through attempts at undermining change programmes through widespread adoption of cynicism, irony and ambivalence’.

The various types of resistance are discussed as follow (Linstead et al., 2009, pp. 347–8): Distanced Self Consciousness: In this type of resistance, employees generally practice