Leverage, Resistance and the Success of Implementation Approaches

Paul C. Nutt

Journal of Management Studies, 1998, vol. 35, issue 2, 213-240

Abstract: The research reported in this paper explored the success of implementation approaches used by managers with differing amounts of leverage facing resistance from key stakeholders. The explanatory variables were implementation approach and resistance, measured by the extent of stakeholder support, scale and disruptiveness of the decision, as well as the implementing manager’s leverage. ‘Intervention’ was found to be the most successful approach, no matter what situation faced a manager seeking to implement a decision. Intervention proved to be a viable substitute for participation that has a favourable adoption rate and a dramatic increase in timeliness. Persuasion and edicts were often used and generally unsuccessful. More implementation success seems possible if other approaches are used. The findings indicate that the most successful approach, intervention, was not subject to situational influences. This questions the value of contingency frameworks that call for an implementation approach to be selected according to the demands of the situation.

Date: 1998
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:35:y:1998:i:2:p:213-240

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