Fundamentals of Organization Development

Organization Development – Definition

Organization Development is an effort planned, organization-wide,

and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness
and health through planned interventions in the organization's
'processes,' using behavioral-science knowledge.

Beckhard, “Organization development: Strategies and Models”, Reading, MA: Addison-

Wesley, 1969, p. 9.

2
 Organization Development – New
Definition
“Organization Development is the attempt to influence the members of an
organization to expand their candidness with each other about their views of
the organization and their experience in it, and to take greater responsibility
for their own actions as organization members.

The assumption behind OD is that when people pursue both of these

objectives simultaneously, they are likely to discover new ways of working
together that they experience as more effective for achieving their own and
their shared (organizational) goals.”

- Neilsen, “Becoming an OD Practitioner”, Englewood Cliffs, CA: Prentice-Hall, 1984, pp. 2-3.

3
 Intervention Defined

► To enter into an ongoing system of relationship

► To come between or among persons, groups, or objects for the purpose of

helping them

► The range of planned, programmatic activities clients and consultants

participate in during the course of an OD program

► Diagnostic and problem-solving activities

► Begin as consultant driven
► If successful (effective) absorbed into organizational processes, culture
4
Action Research

► French and Bell (1995) describe Action Research as a “process of

systematically collecting research data about an ongoing system
relative to some objective, goal, or need of that system;

► feeding these data back into the system;

► taking actions by altering selected variables within the system

based both on the data and on hypotheses;

► evaluating the results of actions by collecting more data”.

5
Action Research

► Kurt Lewin described action research as “a comparative research

on the conditions and effects of various forms of social action and
research leading to social action” that uses “ steps, each of which
is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-finding about
the result of the action”.

6
MODE
LS
MODELS
Action Research Process:

Five steps:

► Diagnosis: The change agent gathers information about

problems, anxieties and required changes from members of
the organization. The information is gathered by asking
questions, interviews, review of records and listening to
employees.

► Analysis: The information gathered in the first step is

analysed into primary concerns, problem areas. 9
 Action Research Process:

► Feedback: Change agent will share with the employees what has
been found in steps one and two. Thus, the employees will be
actively involved in any change programme and develop action
plans for bringing about any needed change.

► Action: Action plans decided in the previous step are set in motion
in this step. The employees and the change agent carry out the
specific actions to correct the problems that have been identified.

► Evaluation: In the final step, the change agent evaluates

effectiveness of the action plans. Using the initial data as the
benchmark, any subsequent changes can be compared and
10
evaluated.
Survey-Guided Method

by David Bowers and Jerome Franklin

In Organization Development and Transformation
by French, Bell and Zawacki

11
Survey-Guided Development

► The process of systematically collecting data about the system and

feeding back the data for individuals and groups at all levels of the
organization to analyze, interpret meaning and design corrective
action steps

► Constructive change is measurement centered (quantitative)

► A measurement-guided approach to change

► Points to differences between what is actually going on and that the

model indicates one wants and needs, providing motivation to change
(in a rational world)

12
The Survey Feedback Process

13
 Process Consultation

► Process consulting is a late 20th century practice.

► Classically espoused in the works of Edgar Schein, this

model is based on consultation as a "helping relationship".
► Partnership between client and consultant.
► Proper maintenance of mutual responsibility.
► Increased capacity for lessons learned

The expert consultant may have a toolkit of best practice

methods, but has to ensure that the tools which are employed
will best fit the organization's needs and interests.

14
OD Interventions

► OD interventions are programs and processes designed to

improve the organization’s functioning. These interventions
aim to create activities that change leadership styles,
organizational structures, or behavioural patterns.
 Types of OD interventions
Generally categorized into four groups:

► Human process interventions related to interpersonal relations, group,

and organizational dynamics. These were the earliest form of interventions

► Techno-structural interventions are targeted toward structural and

technological issues such as organizational design, work redesign, and
employee engagement.

► Human resource management interventions impact areas such as

performance management, talent development and wellbeing in the
workplace.

► Strategic change interventions revolve around transformational

change, restructuring, and uniting two or more organizations together
during a merger.
 Human Process interventions
Organizational Mirror Interventions
by Wendell French and Cecil Bell In Organization Development and Transformation
by French, Bell and Zawacki

18
► Set of activities in which host group receives feedback about
how it is perceived and regarded from representatives across
organization

► Intended to improve intergroup relationships

► Process

1. Host group asks key reps from interface group (customer-

supplier groups) to meet and provide feedback

19
⮚ Host group asks key representatives from interface group (customer-supplier
groups) to meet and provide feedback

⮚ Pre- and post interviews by consultant to ID magnitude of issue(s), prep

participants and answer their questions
At the actual session:

1. Opening remarks by manager of host group to set tone

2. Hosts fishbowl discuss, ask for clarification from guests

3. Subgroups of guests and hosts form to identify important changes

host group needs to make

4. Form and hear summaries of each sub group and form master task list

5. Action planning, tasks, responsible parties, completion dates

established and agreed, concluding mirroring session

6. Follow-up meeting to assess and review progress 20

Team Building interventions
The Confrontation Meeting

by Richard Beckhard
In Organization Development and Transformation
by French, Bell and Zawacki

22
 What is a “confrontation meeting?”

One day meeting of entire management of an organization in

which they take a reading of their own organizational health

23
1. Climate setting 45-60 min.
2. Information Collecting 60 min.
3. Information Sharing 60 min
4. Debate on Priority setting and group action planning 75 min.
5. Immediate follow-up by top team 60-180 min.
6. (Four-six weeks later) Progress review 120 minutes

24
When is it appropriate to conduct confrontation
meeting?

► Need for the total management group to examine its own

workings

► Very limited time available for the activity

► Top management wishes to improve conditions quickly

► Enough cohesion in the top team to ensure follow-up

► Real commitment by top management to resolve the issue

► Organization is experiencing , or has recently experienced,

some major change
25
Human resource management interventions

► STAR SYSTEM: TAJ CASE

► RECOGNITION BUNNY: WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE
► GOLDEN BANANA: HP
Strategic change interventions

► HR Challenges during merger

Techno-structural
interventions
 Techno Structural:
Parallel Learning Structures

by Gervase Bushe and Rami Shani

In Organization Development and Transformation by French, Bell and
Zawacki

29
 Definition

► A structure (specific division and coordination of labor) is created that

operates side-by-side with the formal hierarchy and structure with the
goal of increasing a bureaucratic organization’s learning

► Not a task force or team

► Not matrix and project-management structure

► Not semi-autonomous work teams

30
Parallel Learning Structures (also known as Communities of Practice)

promote innovation and change in large bureaucratic organizations while

retaining the advantages of bureaucratic design.

Groups representing various levels and functions work to open new

channels of communication outside of and parallel to the normal,

hierarchical structure. Parallel Learning Structures may be a form of

Knowledge Management.

31
When to Use it
► To develop and implement organization-wide innovations.

► To foster innovation and creativity within a bureaucratic

system.

► To support the exchange of knowledge and expertise among

performers.

► To capture the organization's collective expertise.

32
Xerox Corporation
Xerox found that its technical representatives (tech reps) often made it a
point to spend time not with customers but with each other. The tech reps
would gather in common areas (the local parts warehouse or coffee pot)
and swap stories from the field. Rather than trying to discourage this
practice to improve productivity, Xerox decided to formalize the knowledge
exchange. These technicians were knowledge workers in the truest sense.
The tech reps were not just repairing machines; they were also
coproducing insights about how to repair machines better. Rich knowledge
transfer took place through these conversations that were not a step in any
formal "business process" or a box in any official "org chart."

"The People Are the Company."

 So Xerox turned conventional wisdom on its head. Rather than eliminate the
informal conversations in pursuit of corporate efficiency, the corporation decided
to expand them in the name of learning and innovation. Xerox uses a system
called Eureka. Eureka is an electronic "knowledge refinery" that organizes and
categorizes a database of tips generated by the field staff. Technically, Eureka is
a relational database of hypertext documents. In practice, it's an electronic
version of war stories told around the coffee pot. Eureka has the added benefits
of an institutional memory, expert validation, and a search engine.

Eureka operates as a free-flowing knowledge democracy, much like the natural,

informal collaborations among tech reps. The system relies on voluntary
information exchanges. All tech reps, regardless of rank, can submit a tip, but
they are neither required to nor are they explicitly rewarded. In Eureka, the
incentive is to be a good colleague, to contribute and receive knowledge as a
member of the community.
34