Dynamics of organizational change and employee identity retention in R&D organizations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamics of employee identity retention and its impact on organizational change in a Research and Development organization. The role played by social embeddedness in enhancing employees’ retention of self-identities and shaping their attitudes in resisting an orientation shift of organizational values and norms from that of civil services to distorting new public management orientation was assessed. The findings showed that the employees’ resistance was influenced by their personal core values which were distrustful towards the organizations change process. Senior staff members were reluctant to forego their independence of working as individuals by adopting a teamwork culture. It is concluded that as a result of the employees holding tight to their self-identities and failing to relate to new organizational norms, the production that emerged from the commercialisation process was not in consonance to the organization’s transformation needs.