Investigating ambivalence towards organisational change in a Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate athletic department

To date, few scholars have examined organisational change in the sport industry, with the majority focusing on forces driving change. Only a handful have investigated responses to change, primarily centering upon factors contributing to resistance. Historically, most work in measuring attitudes has placed them on a bipolar continuum ranging from negative to positive. Recently, though, researchers have presented data to support an indifference-ambivalence attitudinal dimension characterised by evaluative tension. There have been few studies, however, that have examined ambivalence towards organisational change. Therefore, this research was undertaken to investigate ambivalence towards organisational change in a Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate athletic department in the U.S. Through a case study, we demonstrate that ambivalence was a salient response to change, and that intrapersonal conflict, perceived lack of institutional support, managerial turnover, and previous negative experience with change served as antecedents. We then highlight the theoretical and practical significance of our study.

► Ambivalence was found to be a salient response to organisational change, in addition to resistance and acceptance. ► Antecedents to ambivalence included both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors. ► Perceived lack of institutional support was found to be a salient interpersonal antecedent to ambivalence. ► In addition to intrapersonal and interpersonal antecedents, managerial turnover and previous negative experience with change were found to be antecedents to ambivalence.