BASIC ORGANIZATION OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM
RESISTANCE OF USERS TO DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SYSTEM
Causes of resistance / reasons
1. Fear of the unknown: if the users are uncertain about the new system.
2. Fear of job security and status: Some users may fear that their skills may no longer be
required by the new system and therefore they might be replaced by demotion or
retrenchment. They may also fear that they may loss status since their experience may be
taken as worthless in the new system.
3. The threat of ambition: A user who has been performing very well in the old system may
feel that the new system might not recognized his good performance and therefore any
promotion may never be achieved.
4. Fear of social change in the office: The new system may result in new organization
structure, which may imply relocation or re-deployment of some personnel, this will result in
social change of work group on the work place.
5. Fear of ones weaknesses being exposed: The existing system may have had many loop
holes, which were being exploited by the user. These loopholes may be eliminated by the
new system or even expose user’s weaknesses.
, 6. The fear of de-personalization: The users may be afraid that the computers will take over
even areas where human touch to work they do is required, reducing them to operators e.g.
an expert system replacing an expert in decision making.
7. Past experience of data processing systems: Some managers may have had some
discouraging experience in the use of computer based data processing system e.g.
the loss of data during system failure.
8. Skepticism about the ability of any computer system to understand their job.
9. Reluctance to trust the machine with information that might get lost.
10. Fear that the new system or rather the host of computer-related disorders it may bring,
such as headaches, repetitive strain injury, lower back pain, eyestrain, radiation effects, will
severely damage their quality of life.
11. Anxiety about making a mistake that will break the system.
12. Anger at becoming deskilled and a slave to the machine.
Antagonistic behaviour that may indicate resistance
1. Unwillingness to express details of the current system.
2. Reluctance to be taught the new system.
3. Reluctance to help in producing the new system.
4. Insistence in use of the previous system once the new system has been implemented.
People insisting on using the old system after the new system is fully developed.
5. Users spreading negative rumors about the new system.
6. Leave data conversion until it’s almost two late.
7. Employees may go on strike / go slows.
Employees don’t cooperate in providing information to help in developing the new system.
HOW TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE
1. Making users aware and fully informed about plans to install new system. (communication)
2. Explaining that the change is for better by telling them how it’s going to benefit them and the
organization.
3. Encouraging them to participate in the system development by allowing them to give
(involvements) suggestions of what they would like to be incorporated in the new system.
4. Planning to train the users to acquire the new skills.
5. Attempt should be made to retain as much as possible of the current organisation structure
to avoid much social change.
6. The system should not be introduced in a hurry in order to give the system users time to
familiarize themselves with the new system and minimize the risk of failure.
7. Use of help desk or information centre, who assist users in dealing with computer problem,
providing general technical assistance, general support, training and education. This will
comprise of experts of the system to whom other staff can go to ask for help or advice.
8. Consensus – arrive at decisions or formulate policies by way of consensus/mutual agreement
or discussion.
9. Trust: make deliberate efforts to build trust between all members involved.
10.Assurance: constantly give assurance regarding popular fear among members.
11.Power coercive strategy
Applied when there is limited time to effect change and where it is also perceived that the
subject to change is adamantly rebellious if not reluctant to abide by/appreciate the
positive change being effected.
RESISTANCE OF USERS TO DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SYSTEM
Causes of resistance / reasons
1. Fear of the unknown: if the users are uncertain about the new system.
2. Fear of job security and status: Some users may fear that their skills may no longer be
required by the new system and therefore they might be replaced by demotion or
retrenchment. They may also fear that they may loss status since their experience may be
taken as worthless in the new system.
3. The threat of ambition: A user who has been performing very well in the old system may
feel that the new system might not recognized his good performance and therefore any
promotion may never be achieved.
4. Fear of social change in the office: The new system may result in new organization
structure, which may imply relocation or re-deployment of some personnel, this will result in
social change of work group on the work place.
5. Fear of ones weaknesses being exposed: The existing system may have had many loop
holes, which were being exploited by the user. These loopholes may be eliminated by the
new system or even expose user’s weaknesses.
, 6. The fear of de-personalization: The users may be afraid that the computers will take over
even areas where human touch to work they do is required, reducing them to operators e.g.
an expert system replacing an expert in decision making.
7. Past experience of data processing systems: Some managers may have had some
discouraging experience in the use of computer based data processing system e.g.
the loss of data during system failure.
8. Skepticism about the ability of any computer system to understand their job.
9. Reluctance to trust the machine with information that might get lost.
10. Fear that the new system or rather the host of computer-related disorders it may bring,
such as headaches, repetitive strain injury, lower back pain, eyestrain, radiation effects, will
severely damage their quality of life.
11. Anxiety about making a mistake that will break the system.
12. Anger at becoming deskilled and a slave to the machine.
Antagonistic behaviour that may indicate resistance
1. Unwillingness to express details of the current system.
2. Reluctance to be taught the new system.
3. Reluctance to help in producing the new system.
4. Insistence in use of the previous system once the new system has been implemented.
People insisting on using the old system after the new system is fully developed.
5. Users spreading negative rumors about the new system.
6. Leave data conversion until it’s almost two late.
7. Employees may go on strike / go slows.
Employees don’t cooperate in providing information to help in developing the new system.
HOW TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE
1. Making users aware and fully informed about plans to install new system. (communication)
2. Explaining that the change is for better by telling them how it’s going to benefit them and the
organization.
3. Encouraging them to participate in the system development by allowing them to give
(involvements) suggestions of what they would like to be incorporated in the new system.
4. Planning to train the users to acquire the new skills.
5. Attempt should be made to retain as much as possible of the current organisation structure
to avoid much social change.
6. The system should not be introduced in a hurry in order to give the system users time to
familiarize themselves with the new system and minimize the risk of failure.
7. Use of help desk or information centre, who assist users in dealing with computer problem,
providing general technical assistance, general support, training and education. This will
comprise of experts of the system to whom other staff can go to ask for help or advice.
8. Consensus – arrive at decisions or formulate policies by way of consensus/mutual agreement
or discussion.
9. Trust: make deliberate efforts to build trust between all members involved.
10.Assurance: constantly give assurance regarding popular fear among members.
11.Power coercive strategy
Applied when there is limited time to effect change and where it is also perceived that the
subject to change is adamantly rebellious if not reluctant to abide by/appreciate the
positive change being effected.
