Abstract
Current research shows the role of emotions during change but lacks interpretive approach to study the way emotional meanings are assigned as situation emerge and unfold during  transformational change. This study aims to explore the way various organizational actors give meaning to their emotions in relation to emergent situations generating various actions and  reactions in one of the medical teaching institute in Peshawar. Unlike extant research, this study investigates emotions during radical and transformational change by (re)conceptualizing public  sector reforms as a dynamic, processual, multidimensional, complex, and longitudinal change process. It also demonstrates the way interpretations and subsequent emotional experiences are shaped by previous failed change. This paper uses a qualitative research method with a social constructionist approach and defines emotions in a specific situated relational context. Data has been  collected through twenty-two in depth semi structured narrative interviews from various organizational actors. A thematic narrative analysis has been performed on the entire corpus to see common patterns of emotions in specific context in individual narratives. Findings show that strong and mixed emotions – frustration, anger, fear, hopelessness, mistrust, and hope were produced when the  employees felt threatened about their vested interests and experienced sadness, bewilderment, disappointment, feeling inferior when they felt excluded and marginalized during the change  process. Theoretically, this study contributes to the current literature by exploring dynamic emotions during radical transformational change process and demonstrates the lens of emotions as a  ‘resource’ to understand the microprocesses involved during the change process since it highlights main issues at stake. Moreover, it (re)conceptualizes public reforms as a change process, which helps to understand the human aspect in the change process. This study has utility for change managers to understand sensitive issues and subsequent emotions for designing appropriate  strategies for effective change management.
Keywords: Transformational change, emotions, narratives, public sector, medical teaching institutes