Leadership Under Pressure: Managing Resistance in a Traditional Organization
Abstract/Description
The below case study highlights and examines the complication of changes in organization i.e. leadership transition and resistance which were faced by the senior management of International Textile Limited, a business built from the ground up and driven for modernization in the textile sector of Pakistan by the son of the original owner Azad Khan’s son Adnan Khan. ITL initiated the modernization process under the leadership of Adnan Khan. This initiative was taken to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness via technological advancement and being the pioneer in implementing SAP in textile sector. Ali Murtaza a top performing Finance expert and a key player in digital transformation, is promoted to the Finance Manager amid reorganization. While attempting to establish data driven system, Ali face significant opposition from Bilal, a senior team member devoted to conventional practices who views the technological advancement as burden and unnecessary for organization. Disagreement between Ali’s forward approach towards the technology and Bilal’s resistance to adjust to changes being made resulted in clashes and delays in reporting. The resistance and clashes adversely affected the team morale, productivity and cooperation between departments. Ali encountered leadership challenges, juggling between tasks to achieve outcomes while preserving team unity. This case features analysis of strategies for managing change, leadership and way forward to for resolving conflicts. It provides important perspective for the readers and professional on managing resistance, promoting organizational harmony and maintaining transformation initiatives amid significant cultural and individual resistance.
Keywords
Parental Leadership, Resistance in Change Management, Digital Transformation, Organizational Culture, Conflict Management
Track
Management
Session Number/Theme
Management - Session I
Session Chair
Dr. Amer Awan
Start Date/Time
13-6-2025 4:10 PM
End Date/Time
13-6-2025 5:30 PM
Location
FACULTY LOUNGE 1st Floor, AMAN CED Building
Recommended Citation
Bari, M. T., Inam, A., Aleem Ansari, N., & Ahmed, O. (2025). Leadership Under Pressure: Managing Resistance in a Traditional Organization. IBA SBS 4th International Conference 2025. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/sbsic/2025/program/68
COinS
Leadership Under Pressure: Managing Resistance in a Traditional Organization
FACULTY LOUNGE 1st Floor, AMAN CED Building
The below case study highlights and examines the complication of changes in organization i.e. leadership transition and resistance which were faced by the senior management of International Textile Limited, a business built from the ground up and driven for modernization in the textile sector of Pakistan by the son of the original owner Azad Khan’s son Adnan Khan. ITL initiated the modernization process under the leadership of Adnan Khan. This initiative was taken to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness via technological advancement and being the pioneer in implementing SAP in textile sector. Ali Murtaza a top performing Finance expert and a key player in digital transformation, is promoted to the Finance Manager amid reorganization. While attempting to establish data driven system, Ali face significant opposition from Bilal, a senior team member devoted to conventional practices who views the technological advancement as burden and unnecessary for organization. Disagreement between Ali’s forward approach towards the technology and Bilal’s resistance to adjust to changes being made resulted in clashes and delays in reporting. The resistance and clashes adversely affected the team morale, productivity and cooperation between departments. Ali encountered leadership challenges, juggling between tasks to achieve outcomes while preserving team unity. This case features analysis of strategies for managing change, leadership and way forward to for resolving conflicts. It provides important perspective for the readers and professional on managing resistance, promoting organizational harmony and maintaining transformation initiatives amid significant cultural and individual resistance.
