Q.Given below are two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason (R) : Assertion (A) : Directing facilitates introduction of needed changes in the organization. Reason (R) : Directing increases resistance to changes in the organization. Choose the correct alternative from the alternatives given below : (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A). (B) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false. (C) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true. (D) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Directing facilitates change by guiding and motivating employees through transitions; it reduces rather than increases resistance, making the Assertion true and the Reason false.
Directing sits at the heart of management's operational work. Once plans are made, structures built, and people hired, someone must actually guide the daily work—that's directing. It involves instructing, leading, motivating, and communicating with employees so that organizational goals translate into action on the ground.
One of directing's most valuable roles emerges during periods of change. Organizations constantly face shifts—new technology, market demands, competitive pressures, regulatory requirements. Change unsettles people. Employees worry about job security, struggle with unfamiliar processes, or simply prefer the comfort of established routines. Left unmanaged, this anxiety hardens into resistance that can derail even well-conceived plans.
This is precisely where effective directing proves indispensable. A manager who directs well doesn't simply announce change and expect compliance. Instead, she communicates the reasons behind the change, explains how it benefits both the organization and employees, listens to concerns, and provides the training and support people need to adapt. Through motivation—whether inspiration, recognition, or addressing fears—she transforms apprehension into acceptance, even enthusiasm.
Think of directing as the human bridge between a decision made in a boardroom and its acceptance on the shop floor. Without that bridge, even the best strategic change remains a paper exercise.
The Assertion states that directing facilitates the introduction of needed changes. This aligns perfectly with management theory and practice. Directing provides the leadership, communication, and motivation that smooth the path for organizational change.
The Reason, however, claims that directing increases resistance to change. This contradicts both logic and the fundamental purpose of directing. Directing, when done properly, does the opposite—it reduces resistance. Poor directing, or its absence, might leave resistance unchecked, but the function itself is designed to overcome barriers to change, not create them.
The relationship between directing and change is supportive, not antagonistic. Effective directing is management's primary tool for managing the human side of organizational transitions.
The two statements therefore stand in opposition. The Assertion correctly identifies directing's role in facilitating change. The Reason incorrectly suggests directing increases resistance, when in fact it works to minimize it. The Reason cannot possibly explain the Assertion because it contradicts it.
In short, the correct alternative is (B): Assertion (A) is true—directing does facilitate needed changes—but Reason (R) is false, as directing reduces rather than increases resistance to change in organizations.
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