Purpose: This study aims to investigate resistance behaviour among academics in an Indonesian institution of higher education. The context was institutional policy change on international peer-review publication, and the objective was to associate resultant resistance behaviour with personality, trust in management, social influence and intrinsic reward. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a cross-sectional design and surveyed 150 junior, mid-career and senior academics at the University of Brawijaya, Indonesia. Resistance behaviour was measured using Oreg's resistance behaviour instrument. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings: Dispositional resistance to change was the strongest factor in resistance behaviour among academics following the adoption of a new policy concerning international peer-reviewed publication, while intrinsic reward was the factor that most consistently contributed to all aspects of resistance. Trust in management and social influence within the academic organisation were related to resistance behaviour among academics to publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Originality/value: This study proposes a multi-dimensional measure of attitude to investigate resistance behaviour in an academic organisation. This measure meets the challenges inherent in mapping invisible resistance behaviour in the context of an institution of higher education. The multivariate analyses that we used enabled us to compare and to test individual factors of resistance (i.e. dispositional resistance to change) and organisational factors of resistance (i.e. trust in management, social influence and intrinsic reward) simultaneously. This study is also the first investigation of academic resistance to policy change intended to improve research culture concerning peer-reviewed publications in Indonesia; the Indonesian case is interesting in the international literature on developing research culture as the country's educational system is still developing and is less likely to provide a positive research culture than institutions in countries with more established systems of higher education.