Confronting resistance to change: German higher education in times of rapid transformation

This study analyzes resistance to change within the German higher education system during a time of rapid digital and fundamental transformation. Applying a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four academic staff members who have a relationship with Johannes Gutenberg University. The findings indicate that resistance is partially driven by specific characteristics of change, such as its speed, obscurity and the perceived fear of the unknown. Furthermore, it is linked to dynamic types of change, including emergency transitions to distance education, legal reforms, excellence initiatives and demographic shifts. Eventually, these structural shifts trigger individual resistance to change, which stems from psychological effects, employment anxiety, altered habits, the generational digital gap, fear of losing socialization and a lack of control, all of which strengthen underlying beliefs in the negative aspects of change. When examined under the aegis of chaos theory, these findings suggest that even minor systemic shifts can bring about important organizational resistance if not conducted with adaptive leadership strategies. Rather than following linear transitions, leadership should focus on directing the nonlinear intricacies ingrained in modern academic culture.