Openness to organizational change:the contribution of content, context, and process

The present study examined the contribution to employees openness to change of the content, context, and process of organizational transformation. The threatening character of organizational change (content variable), trust in executive management, trust in the supervisor, history of change (context variables), and participation in the change effort (process variable) were predicted to have a positive effect on openness to change. Hypotheses were tested in two separate studies (N = 828 and N = 835) using experimental vignettes. A first study crossed four variables in a fully crossed 2 2 2 2 design. Results showed significant main effects and no interaction effects for content, context, and process. A second study, with a fully crossed 2 2 design crossed two context variables, history of change and trust in top management. Results showed significant main and significant interaction effects. It was only when history of change and trust in executive management were low that openness to change dramatically decreased.