2026 Theses Doctoral

Negotiating Cultural Demands in Organizations: The Cultural Architecture of Immunity to Change

Kaewla, Chalisa

This dissertation examines how cultural preferences influence individuals’ Immunity to Change (ITC) within organizational contexts. While prior research has explored culture and change largely as separate constructs, limited attention has been given to how individuals’ meaning-making processes mediate the relationship between cultural expectations and resistance to change. This study addresses this gap by investigating how cultural preferences at the national, organizational, and individual identity levels shape the content and structure of individuals’ ITC.

The study employs an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 41 participants using the Values Survey Module (VSM) and the Multicultural Identity Integration Scale (MULTIIS) to identify patterns in cultural orientations. These data informed the purposive selection of nine participants for in-depth qualitative analysis across three public-sector organizations located in the United States, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia. Qualitative data included Immunity to Change maps and semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic and cross-case analysis to examine how cultural preferences interact with participants’ competing commitments and underlying assumptions.

Findings indicate that organizational culture is the most influential level shaping individuals’ ITC, as it translates broader cultural values into concrete expectations regarding competence, legitimacy, and acceptable risk. Patterns of alignment and misalignment between individual cultural preferences and organizational norms emerged as a central mechanism influencing resistance to change. When alignment occurred, cultural preferences were reinforced; when misalignment occurred, individuals engaged in self-restraint, adaptation, or withdrawal to manage perceived risks. Additionally, qualitative findings suggest that divergence between individuals’ cultural preferences and their broader cultural environments contributes to the specific content of ITC, even when not captured through quantitative measures.

This study contributes to theory by reframing Immunity to Change as a culturally embedded and relational phenomenon rather than an individual psychological deficit. It highlights the role of professional subcultures, power dynamics, and developmental meaning-making in shaping resistance to change. Practically, the findings suggest that organizations should consider cultural complexity and alignment when designing roles, feedback systems, and change initiatives. By making cultural dynamics visible, ITC can serve as a diagnostic tool to support more effective and developmentally informed organizational change.