The Relationship between Power Resources and the Procedures of Overcoming Employers’ Resistance against Organizational Changes among Managers of the University of Isfahan and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Abstract

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between power resources and the procedures of overcoming employers' resistance against organizational changes among managers of the University of Isfahan as well as Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2012-2013 academic years. The research was descriptive-correlative and samples consisted of all the managers of the university of Isfahan as well as Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2012-2013 academic years using random sampling by which 108 managers were selected. The instruments used to collect data were two questionnaires designed by the researcher consisting of 30 questions related to power resources of managers extracted from French and Raven viewpoint and 28 questions covering procedures of overcoming employers' resistance against changes according to Likert scale and classification. Stabilization coefficient was obtained by means of Cronbach alpha (0.86) in the two questionnaires. The analysis of data was performed in descriptive (frequency, percent, mean, and deviation) as well as inferential (analysis of multi -variable variance, and regression coefficient) statistics through SPSS. The results of the study showed that there were no significant differences between the legal power of managers and the procedures used to overcome the resistance of employers against organizational changes. There was a negative and significant relationship between obligatory power and cooperation procedure. There was a positive and significant relationship between referential power and cooperation procedure.