Article | Academy of Management Proceedings | 2017

Affective, Cognitive and Behavioral Trajectories of Change Recipients in Global Organizations

by B. S. Reiche, T. B. Neeley and N. Overmeyer

Abstract

Research rarely addresses how change recipients respond to radical change across affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions over time. We examined a radical change in a recently acquired subsidiary of a U.S.-based global organization over a two-year period. With the aim to standardize communication across borders, the subsidiary changed its native working language from Spanish to English. External experts were embedded to support the acquisition by ensuring that all employees learn English. Using latent class growth modeling, our results suggest that change recipients followed distinct trajectories in their demonstrated ability, efficacy and affect. Further, we show that affective states—more so than demonstrated ability or efficacy—influence change recipients’ willingness to adopt the change. By contrast, change recipients’ turnover intentions are driven by their levels of demonstrated ability and efficacy rather than their affective states.

Keywords: Change; Spoken Communication; Globalized Firms and Management; Behavior; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;

Format: Electronic Find at Harvard

Citation:

Reiche, B. S., T. B. Neeley, and N. Overmeyer. "Affective, Cognitive and Behavioral Trajectories of Change Recipients in Global Organizations." Academy of Management Proceedings (2017). (Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting (2017), edited by Guclu Atinc. Online ISSN: 2151-6561.)

About the Author

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Tsedal Neeley
Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration
Organizational Behavior

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