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To be successful, any change attempt will need to overcome resistance on the
part of employees. Otherwise, the result will be loss of time and energy as well as an
inability on the part of the organization to adapt to the changes in the environment
and make its operations more efficient. Resistance to change also has negative

consequences for the people in question. Research shows that when people react
negatively to organizational change, they experience negative emotions, use sick time
[7]
more often, and are more likely to voluntarily leave the company. These negative
effects can be present even when the proposed change clearly offers benefits and
advantages over the status quo.
The following is a dramatic example of how resistance to change may prevent
improving the status quo. Have you ever wondered why the keyboards we use are
shaped the way they are? The QWERTY keyboard, named after the first six letters in
the top row, was actually engineered to slow us down. When the typewriter was first
invented in the 19th century, the first prototypes of the keyboard would jam if the
keys right next to each other were hit at the same time. Therefore, it was important
for manufacturers to slow typists down. They achieved this by putting the most
commonly used letters to the left-hand side and scattering the most frequently used
letters all over the keyboard. Later, the issue of letters being stuck was resolved. In
fact, an alternative to the QWERTY developed in the 1930s by educational
psychologist August Dvorak provides a much more efficient design and allows
individuals to double traditional typing speeds. Yet the Dvorak keyboard never
gained wide acceptance. The reasons? Large numbers of people resisted the change.
Teachers and typists resisted because they would lose their specialized knowledge.
Manufacturers resisted due to costs inherent in making the switch and the initial
[8]
inefficiencies in the learning curve. In short, the best idea does not necessarily win,
and changing people requires understanding why they resist.
Figure 7.11

Dvorak keyboard is a more efficient alternative to keyboard design. However,
due to resistance from typists, teachers, manufacturers, and salespeople, a switch
never occurred.
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation

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