Organization Development

and Change
Chapter 14

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 1

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?

2. How can we assist individuals,

groups, and organizations in
successfully dealing with change?

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Questions to Consider – 2
3. Is it really possible to “transform” an
entire organization?

4. 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.”

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 4

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
 Change through cognitive restructuring
 Refreezing

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Organization Development
Theories

Implementation theory – how specific

intervention strategies are designed
and carried out. Four main types:
 Human process-based 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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Model of Planned Change

By Permission: Porres & Silvers (1991)

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Model of Planned Change – 2
Porras & Silvers Model:
1. Change intervention (two categories):
 Organization transformation
 Organization development
2. Organizational target variables:
 Vision (beliefs, purpose, mission)
 Work setting (organizing arrangements,
social factors, technology, physical setting)

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Model of Planned Change – 3

Porras & Silvers Model:

3. Individual organizational member:
 Cognitive change (four types):
 Alpha change
 Beta change
 Gamma (A) change
 Gamma (B) change
 Behavior change

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Model of Planned Change – 4

Porras & Silvers Model:

4. Organizational outcomes:
 Improved organizational performance
 Enhanced individual development

Question: What is the value of this

model?

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Designing an Intervention
Strategy
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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Force Field Analysis

By Permission: Center for Effective Performance (1997)

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Types of Interventions:
Human Process-Based

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 group’s 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 team’s activities

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Types of Interventions:
Sociotechnical Systems – 2
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 – 3

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 – 2

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 – 3

High Performance Work Systems

 Eight core principles:
1. Alignment to organizational strategy
2. Clear goals and outcomes (all levels, all aligned)
3. Work is organized around processes
4. Process-oriented tracking and management of results
5. Work units are linked to identified processes
6. Accountability, cycle time, and responsiveness emphasized
7. Collaboration, trust, and mutual support are present
8. Emphasis on strategic change management

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High Performance Work
Systems Framework

By Permission: Van Buren & Werner (1996)

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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).
2. Recent efforts have stressed “change
management.”
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Some Concluding Thoughts on
Organization Development – 2

3. Many HRD applications can be viewed

as OD interventions:
 Human Process-Based: 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

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