The problem and the solution. Organizational changes, especially mergers,are very emotive events.Still,in change models, the role of emotion is rarely discussed. Most of the change literature focuses on rational and cognitive aspects and views emotions merely as human frailty or cause for interference with implementing change.This literature portrays a very limited and superficial understanding of emotions. By drawing on psychological literature on emotion theories,more helpful notions can be developed, such as viewing emotions as an essential part of the working experience. These theoretical developments are exemplified and taken a step further by the results of an explorative study, investigating the emotional experiences of a merger.A framework is developed,which allows researchers to map out the emotional experience more comprehensively.
References
1.
Briner, R. B.
(1999). The neglect and importance ofemotions at work. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(3), 323-346.
2.
Brockner, J.
, & Wiesenfeld, B. (1993). Living on the edge: The effects of job layoffs on those who remain. In J. K. Murnighan (Ed.), Social psychology in organizations. Advances in theory and research (pp. 119-140). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
3.
Callahan, J. L.
, & McCollum, E. E. (2002). Conceptualizations ofemotional behavior in organizational contexts. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4, 4-21.
4.
Cartwright, S.
, & Cooper, C. L. (1994). The human effects of mergers and acquisitions. In C. L. Cooper & D. M. Rousseau (Eds.), Trends in organizational behavior (Vol. 1, pp. 47-61). Chichester, UK: Wiley.
5.
Côté, S.
(1999). Affect and performance in organizational settings. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 8(2), 65-68.
6.
Cox, J.
(1997). Manufacturing the past: Loss and absence in organizational change. Organization Studies, 18(4), 623-654.
7.
De Rivera, J.
(1992). Emotional climate: Social structure and emotional dynamics. In K. T. Strongman (Ed.), International Review of Studies on Emotion (pp. 197-217). Chicester, UK: Wiley.
8.
Fincham, R.
, & Rhodes, P. (1999). Organizational behaviour. (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
9.
Fineman, S.
(1993). Emotion and organizing. In C. Hardy (Ed.), Handbook of organization studies (pp. 1-64). London: Sage.
10.
Fisher, C.
(2000). Mood and emotions while working: Missing pieces ofjob satisfaction?Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21, 185-202.
11.
Frijda, N. H.
(1986). The emotions. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
12.
Gergen, K. J.
(1992). Organization theory in the postmodern era. In M. Reed & M. Hughes (Eds.), Rethinking organization: New directions in organization theory and analysis (pp. 207-226). London: Sage.
13.
Glaser, B. G.
, & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: DeGruyter.
14.
Greenberg, L. S.
, & Rhodes, R. H. (1991). Emotion in the change process. In R. C. Curtis & G. Stricker (Eds.), How people change. Inside and outside therapy (pp. 39-58). New York: Plenum.
15.
Harré, R.
(1986). The social construction of emotions. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
16.
Hogan, E. A.
, & Overmayer-Day, L. (1994). The psychology ofmergers and acquisitions. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Robertson (Eds.), International review of industrial and organizational psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 247-281). Chichester, UK: Wiley.
17.
Huy, Q. N.
(1999). Emotional capability, emotional intelligence, and radical change. Academy of Management Review, 24(2), 325-345.
18.
Kanter, R. M.
, Stein, B., & Jick, T. (Eds.). (1992). The challenge of organizational change. New York: Free Press.
19.
Kiefer, T.
(in press). Analysing emotions for a better understanding of organizational change: Fear, joy and anger during a merger. In N. Ashkanasy, C. Härtel, & W. Zerbe (Eds.), Managing emotions in the workplace. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.
20.
Kiefer, T., & Eicken, S. (1999). Emotions at Work—Bedeutung von Emotionen bei der UBS-Fusion [The role ofemotions in a merger]. (Unpublished Report No. 1). St. Gallen, Switzerland: University of St. Gallen, Institute for Organizational Psychology.
21.
Kiefer, T., Müller, W., & Eicken, S. (2001). Befindlichkeit in der Chemischen Industrie [Well-being in the chemical industry]. WWZ-Report Nr 59. University of Basel, Switzerland: WWZ.
22.
Kotter, J. P.
, & Schlesinger, L. A. (1992). Choosing strategies for change. In J. J. Gabarro (Ed.), Managing people and organizations (pp. 395-409). Boston: Harvard Business School.
23.
Lazarus, R. S.
(1991). Emotion and Adaptation. Oxford, MA: Oxford University Press.
24.
Leana, C. R.
, & Feldman, D. C. (1989). When mergers force layoffs: Some lessons about managing the human resource problems. Human Resource Planning, 2, 123-140.
25.
Marks, M.
, & Mirvis, P. (1992). Rebuilding after the merger: Dealing with survivor sickness. Organizational Dynamics, 2, 18-32.
26.
Mirvis, P. H.
(1985). Negotiations after the sale: The roots and ramifications of conflict in an acquisition. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 6, 65-84.
27.
Müller-Stewens, G.
(1991). Personalwirtschaftliche und Organisationstheoretische Problemfelder bei Mergers & Acquisitions [Problematic issues concerning personnel and organization theory in mergers and acquisitions]. In K.-F. Ackermann & H. Scholz (Eds.), Neue Entwicklungen—Neues Denken—Neue Strategien (New developments—New thinking—New strategies), (pp. 157-171). Stuttgart, Germany: Poeschel.
28.
Nippa, M.
(1996). Empirische Untersuchung ausgewählter Erfolgsmerkmale organisatorischer Veränderungsprozesse (Empirical study on selected criteria for success in organizational change processes) (Freiberg working papers 12, III). Freiberg, Germany: Bergakademie.
29.
Orgland, M. Y. (1995). Strategic change: Initiating, managing and sustaining fundamental change in complex organisations. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Universität St. Gallen (HSG), St. Gallen, Switzerland.
30.
Ortony, A.
, Clore, G. L., & Collins, A. (1988). The cognitive structure of emotions. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
31.
Parkinson, B.
(1995). Ideas and realities of emotion. London: Routledge.
32.
Piderit, S. K.
(2000). Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view ofattitudes toward an organizational change. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 783-794.
33.
Rafaeli, A.
, & Sutton, R. I. (1989). The expression of emotion in organizational life. Research in Organizational Behavior, 11, 1-42.
34.
Reiss, M.
(1995). Implementierung [Implementation]. In H. Corsten & M. Reiss (Eds.), Handbuch Unternehmensführung [Handbook on management] (pp. 291-302). Wiesbaden, Germany: Gabler.
35.
Rüegg-Stürm, J.
(2001). Organisation und organisationaler Wandel—Eine theoretische Erkundung aus konstruktivistischer Sicht [Organization and organizational change— Theoretical developments from a constructivist perspective]. Wiesbaden, Germany: Westdeutscher Verlag.
36.
Scherer, K. R.
(1984). Emotion as a multicomponent process. A model and some cross-cultural data. In P. Shaver (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (pp. 37-63). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
37.
Schmidt-Atzert, L.
(1996). Lehrbuch der Emotionspsychologie [Textbook on the psychology of emotion]. Stuttgart, Germany: Kohlhammer.
38.
Weiss, H. M.
, & Cropanzano, R. (1996). Affective events theory: A theoretical discussion ofthe structure, causes and consequences ofaffective experiences at work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 18, 1-74.
