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2. The Importance of Methodological Considerations
in HR Research
Cascio (2011) identifies:
• Undermine Valid Inferences
• Limit Ability to Generalise the Population
• Lead to Unsound Recommendations
Important to Address:
• Research Paradigm
• Formulation of the research question
• Aims and objectives of the study
• Position within wider academic literature
• Impact of research strategies on bias and
response

3. Case Study: Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu
- examine reasons for the resistance to change
- identify potential interventions
Saudi Attitudes to Change versus Western
Attitudes to Change
– a difference due to cultural norms?
Public/Private Division?
Overview of the Research

4. Background to the Research
Background to Change Management Research
- Significant body of research in the area
- Focuses on the Western Context
- Requires more development for different cultures
Background to Saudi Arabia
- Large population (27 million)
- Culture, Economics and Religion Intertwined
- Oil and Energy constitute Economic foundation
- Transactional towards Western Values?

5. Background to the Research cont.
Background to The Royal Commission (case study)
- Responsible for Jubail and Yanbu
- Oversees a combined population of 140,000
- Undertook a change initiative in 2008 using
Ernst and Young
- Change Initiative focused on:
Stakeholder Management
Communication
Sponsorship Model
Leadership Development and Coaching
Cultural Alignment
Resistance Management
Training
Risk Management
Survey

6. The Research Question
Developed around knowledge that:
• Non-Western Change Management theories are under-developed
• Saudi Arabia demonstrates cultural values associated with poor
change management
•Interwoven social, cultural, economic, religious and political values make
for complex change environment
What are the significant differences between
resistance to change in public and private sector
organisations in Saudi Arabia?
What challenges do organisations in Saudi
Arabia encounter as a result of resistance to
change and what interventions are available
to combat them?
Are available best practices applicable to
Saudi Arabian culture?
Questions

7. Research Aims and Objectives
• Identify the sources of resistance to change as a result of the
change programme implemented at the Royal Commission
• Identify the forms in which this resistance took place
• Identify the strategies adopted by management to confronting
this resistance
• Assess the degree to which the resistance that was identified,
materially impacted the implementation of the change programme
• Identify any specifically Saudi character to the sources of
resistance, the forms it took and the strategies adopted to confront
it
• Identify the degree to which prevailing theory has an application
in the context of public sector organisations in Saudi Arabia
• Formulate conclusions and recommendations that can have a
general application in the context of these organisations

8. Contribution to Knowledge
• Highlighting the differences between Western
Perspectives of Change, and other cultures
• Explicitly identifing applicable Western theory, and
differences.
• Supplementing non-Western understanding of Change
• Developing theories that can used in Saudi Arabian
businesses to facilitate effective change
The study fits in with the existing body of theory, and
contributes to it by:

9. Research Paradigm
• Interpretavist rather than positivist or ontological
(Gadamar, 2004)
• Based on the experiences and nature of the individuals
engaging with the subject
• Requires understanding of the effect of research subject
attributes on subject matter, but also researcher
attributes
• Consistent with the production of practical
recommendations (Gadamar, 2004)
The research is cased upon ‘Phenomenology’:

10. Research Methodology
• Learn from previous mistakes
• Adopt successful elements of previous methodologies
• Develop theories for exploration
The literature review strategy must identify relevant
literature and discard the rest – a challenge in an area
such as change management
• Assemble Key Research Terms
• Assess Abstracts for Relevance
• Generate further Search Terms
• Cross-reference bibliographies
• Impose conditions (publication date/research type)
to prioritise work
Secondary Research

11. Overview of Secondary Research Findings
Public reasons for failure to change:
- Parochlialism and regulation as barriers (Rees and
Althakhri (2008)
- Lack of effective planning (Khassawneh 2005) (Alharbi,
2002)
Private reasons for failure to change:
- Low morale
- Fear
- Lack of commitment
(Hawamedeh and Heaty (2004).
Public/Private Sector Gap (Sahraoui et al, 2006)

12. Overview of Secondary Research Findings cont
Challenges and Intervention
Trader-Leigh (2002) (external challenges?):
- Deployment of a rapid growth strategy
- A need for new skill sets and experiences
- Market entry to a new country and a distraction
on the part of senior management to the challenges
of this new activity
- A focus on new markets and a diminution in focus in
the traditional market
- Business combinations through mergers, acquisitions,
joint ventures etc
- An organisational culture characterised by fear
Brown (1998) (internal challenges?)
- Selective Perception - Habit - Security
- Economics - Status - Esteem

13. Overview of Secondary Research Findings cont
Challenges and Intervention cont
Brown (1980) (Internal and External
Challenges?)
“change and conflict are inextricably linked and when both
are managed effectively, the results can be productive,
constructive and sustainable. When managed
inappropriately, the outcomes include increased
competition stress, anxiety, biter rivalries, jealousies and
confusion – add into this the use or misuse of power by the
change agent and there now exists the perfect catalyst for
dysfunctional workplace conflict.”
Identified Interventions:
Promotion of Education and Training
• Participation and ‘Ownership’
• Management Support and Leadership
• Organisation and Planning
• Communication

14. Development of Primary Research Methodology
Challenges and Intervention cont
Qualitative
Open-ended Interviews
Sampling to include all stakeholders:
Senior executives
Corporate Strategy Implementation Team
Change management team
External professional advisors
Senior management
Professional staff
Ethics Requirements Met – Notice, Disclosure, Respect, Unbiased
Recording, Feedback, Confidentiality

15. Development of Primary Research Methodology
Interview Questions cont
Semi-structured
- allowed respondents to guide direction of research
Email and phone follow up for clarification and expansion
- reduced bias, logically feasible
Response rate was acceptable but could have been higher
Validity and Credibility Ensured Through:
- Open-ended research questions and semi-structured
approach
- Reduction of Research Presence
- Triangulation
- Member expactation checking
- Discrepancy Checking
- External Audit