Beyond resistance to change: Behavioral science on the firing line

A STUDY WAS DONE AT MANCHESTER MANUFACTURING IN ORDER TO UNCOVER FACTORS IN THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING CHANGE AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE PRINCIPLES. THE COMPANY WAS TRYING TO INSTITUTE PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENT 'PM' WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL'S INFLUENCE IN A DECISION DEPENDED MORE ON HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION RATHER THAN HIS POSITION. TO FACILITATE PM, THE MANAGERIAL GRID WAS USED TO HELP MANAGERS DEVELOP THE BEST MANAGEMENT STYLE, AND MANAGEMENT-BY-OBJECTIVES WAS ALSO ADOPTED. THE STUDY'S GENERAL FINDINGS SHOWED THAT WHILE PM PRODUCED MANY POSITIVE RESULTS, AS IMPROVED MORALE AND MOTIVATION, SUBORDINATES FELT THAT THERE WAS TOO LITTLE GUIDANCE FROM MANAGEMENT. ALSO, SOME OF THE TOP-MANAGEMENT RESISTED PM BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT IT UNDERPLAYED THE NEED FOR LEADERSHIP AND DIFFUSED RESPONSIBILITY. TABLES.