Resistance to change: implementing smart working in Italian public administrations

This research investigates the opportunities and challenges of smart working in Italian public administrations. Drawing on the UTAUT model (Venkatesh et al., 2003), we analyze both technological barriers and the regulatory framework shaping decision-making. We conduct two case studies in Italian public administrations under different ministries, where the adoption of smart working varies. One represents a typical case in which remote work is feasible, while the other constitutes a deviant case in which it is not. From a theoretical perspective, our findings extend the UTAUT model by contextualizing it within the Italian reality and offer valuable insights for the field of Human Resource Management. Results show that the non-adoption of smart working cannot be explained solely by technological limitations but is also strongly influenced by cultural barriers—such as distrust between managers and employees and a perceived loss of managerial control. While employees generally express a strong willingness to adopt smart working to improve work-life balance and productivity, these cultural obstacles generate resistance within organizations and increase turnover intentions. On a practical level, this research provides policy-makers with evidence-based guidance to design labor law frameworks that account for the specific contingencies of public administrations, highlighting both efficiencies and inefficiencies in the implementation of smart working.