Organization Development

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Organization Development

• Chapter 12

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Questions to Consider - 1

• Is it sufficient to focus HRD efforts on
  individuals, or should we also consider
  interventions at the group and organizational
  level?
• How can we assist individuals, groups, and
  organizations in successfully dealing with change?

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Questions to Consider - 2

• Is it really possible to transform an entire
  organization?
• What might a high performance work system look
  like?

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Organization Development (OD)

• Definition
• A process used to enhance both the
  effectiveness of an organization and the
  well-being of its members through planned
  interventions.

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Organization Development Theories

• Two main categories of OD theories
• Change process theory
• how does change take place?
• Implementation theory
• how can change strategies be put into
  practice?

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Organization Development Theories

• Change process theory seeks to explain how
  organizations improve and change. According to
  Lewin and Schein, there are three stages
• Unfreezing
• Moving/Change
• Refreezing

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Organization Development Theories

• Implementation theory how specific intervention
  strategies are designed and carried out. Four
  main types
• Human processual theory
• Technostructural theory
• Sociotechnical systems theory
• Organization transformation theory

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Caution About Organization Development Research

• Concerns have been expressed about much of the OD
  research that has been conducted
• Lack of experimental designs.
• Lack of resources available.
• Limitations in field research designs used.
• Potential bias by researchers.
• Lack of motivation to conduct strong research.

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What is Needed?A Model of Planned Change

• Porras Silvers Model (four parts)
• Change Organizational Individual Organizational
• Intervention Target
  Organizational Outcomes
• Variables Member

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A Model of Planned Change

• Porras Silvers Model
• Change intervention (two categories)
• Organization transformation
• Organization development
• Organizational target variables
• Vision (beliefs, purpose, mission)
• Work setting (organizing arrangements, social
  factors, technology, physical setting)

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A Model of Planned Change

• Porras Silvers Model
• Individual organizational member
• Cognitive change (four types)
• Alpha change
• Beta change
• Gamma (A) change
• Gamma (B) change
• Behavior change

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A Model of Planned Change

• Porras Silvers Model
• Organizational outcomes
• Improved organizational performance
• Enhanced individual development
• Question What is the value of this model?

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Designing an Intervention Strategy - 1

• Specific Roles
• Change Manager
• Oversees the design of the strategy bears
  ultimate responsibility.
• Change Agent
• Assists the Change Manager facilitates the
  activities involved.
• Internal Change Agent (often an HRD professional)
• External Change Agent (consultant)
• Individuals
• Labor Unions

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Designing an Intervention Strategy - 2

• Systems Approach
• Diagnose the Environment
• e.g., force field analysis
• Develop an Action Plan
• Objectives, activities, details
• Evaluate the Results of the Intervention.

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Types of Interventions Human Processual

• Survey Feedback
• The systematic collection of survey data.
• Fed back to groups to promote problem solving and
  change.
• Team Building
• A process to improve a groups problem-solving
  abilities.
• Example Process consultation.

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Types of Interventions Technostructural

• Job Enlargement
• Adding variety through similar tasks.
• Job Enrichment
• Increasing responsibility, knowledge of results,
  and meaningfulness of work.
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Compressed workweek
• Flextime work Schedule

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Types of Interventions Sociotechnical Systems

• Quality Circles
• Involving employees in work decisions.
• Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Continuous improvement efforts.
• Self-Managing Teams (SMTs)
• Team members have authority to make decisions and
  regulate the teams activities.

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Types of Interventions Sociotechnical Systems

• Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Five basic components
• Total commitment from senior management.
• Quality standards and measures in place.
• Training in quality for all employees (including
  Statistical Process Control).
• Programs/ways to reward, recognize, and celebrate
  quality achievements.
• Strong quality communication efforts.

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Types of Interventions Sociotechnical Systems

• Self-Managing Teams
• Basic components
• Interdependence among team members.
• Individual members have discretion/authority to
  make important work decisions.
• Individual members possess a variety of skills,
  so that they can perform multiple tasks.
• The team receives regular performance feedback.

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Types of Interventions Organizational
Transformation

• Cultural Interventions
• Efforts to change the values, norms, or ways of
  thinking in an organization.
• Strategic Changes
• Fundamental changes in the purpose or mission of
  an organization.
• Becoming a Learning Organization
• Beyond TQM, to continuous learning and
  improvement for all employees.
• High Performance Work Systems

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Types of Interventions Organizational
Transformation

• Becoming a Learning Organization
• Dimensions that support learning
• Organization structure more collaborative and
  team-based.
• Information acquisition, sharing, and retention
  effective knowledge and information sharing.
• HRM practices all reinforce learning.
• Organizational culture promotes learning.
• Leadership supportive (at all levels).

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Types of Interventions Organizational
Transformation

• High Performance Work Systems
• Eight core principles
• Alignment to organizational strategy.
• Clear goals and outcomes (all levels, all
  aligned).
• Work is organized around processes.
• Active tracking and management of results.
• Work units are linked to identified processes.
• Accountability, cycle time, and responsiveness
  emphasized.
• Collaboration, trust, and mutual support are
  present.
• Emphasis on strategic change management.

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Some Concluding Thoughts on Organization
Development - 1

• Effectiveness There is evidence for the
  effectiveness of particular OD interventions.
  However, there is much room for improvement (in
  the research designs used, and the results
  obtained).
• Recent efforts have stressed change management.

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Some Concluding Thoughts on Organization
Development - 2

• Many HRD applications can be viewed as OD
  interventions
• Human Processual career development, coaching,
  orientation
• Technostructural skills/technical training
• Sociotechnical team and quality training
• Organization transformation EAPs, management
  development

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Summary

• Organization development can be difficult!
• Reluctance/resistance to change.
• Success is most likely with
• An appropriate model of change.
• The appropriate methods/interventions.
• A systems approach (e.g., high performance work
  systems, HRD process model).
• Need a dual focus on organizational performance
  and employee well-being.