The Causes of Resistance to Change and Solutions to Overcome It: A Review of Literature

Introduction: Technological advances as well as science and information explosion necessitate the change in students’ educational needs and in the education system. Researchers consider resistance to change as one of the major causes of the failure of changes. Therefore, the purpose of this review study was to identify the causes of resistance to change and provide solutions to overcome it. Methods: In this review study, the papers, books and theses published from 2000 to 2014 were searched through databases of SID, Magiran, PubMed, Google Scholar and Eric using keywords such as change of behavior, resistance to behavior, models of behavioral change, change management, and barriers to change. The documents published in Persian and English were included. Results: Search results yielded 2538 articles, books and theses. Fifty two articles, seven books and two theses were selected based on the purpose of the study after reviewing the publications. Findings of the review were divided into two groups: causes of resistance to change and solutions to overcome those causes. Sixteen causes were found: selective attention and perception, accustomedness, security issues, economic reasons, low motivation, mental reasons, group-related reasons, personal reasons, inadequate time to focus on change, staff non-involvement in values governing change, no explicit need to change, political reasons, lack of support, cultural and managerial obstacles, provision and reversal, and distrust. Several solutions were also proposed to overcome these causes. Conclusion: There are various causes of resistance to change. The most important ones include economic reasons, security reasons, staff non-involvement in values governing change, and lack of support. Successful implementation of change requires that appropriate solutions should be applied to overcome these causes.