Organization Development: Intervention Processes

James HuntTrimester 3, 2012

GSBS6120: Managing Organisational Change

A Review of Last Week’s Lecture

Organisational DevelopmentDiagnostic Models and Theories

1. Organisational Development and the Process of Change

2. Action Research and Survey Feedback.

3. Five Phases of Planned Change

4. Diagnostic Models and Theories

Weisbord’s Six Box Model

The Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model

Hornstein & Tichy’s Emergent Pragmatic Model

Grid Organization Development

Rensis Likert’s Four Systems – measuring and mapping organisational culture

Organization Development and the Process of Change

• OD is a planned process of change in an organisation’s system or sub-system.

• It normally draws upon behavioural science technology and management and organisational theory.

• It usually impacts on the total organisational system.

Primary Distinguishing Characteristics of OD

1. OD focuses on organisational culture and processes

2. OD encourages collaboration between organisational members of different levels.

3. Teams are considered to be vital to an organisation.

4. OD focuses on the human, social, technological and structural aspects of organisations.

5. Participation and involvement in problem-solving efforts.

6. OD focuses on total system change.

7. OD practitioners are facilitators, practitioners and co-learners.

Primary Distinguishing Characteristics of OD

Organization Development seeks to achieve alignment of the organisation’s influential elements; structure, culture, systems, roles, tasks and strategy.

Summary Comparison of Three Models of Change

Lewin’s 3 Steps Action Research Model for ODLippit, Watson & Westley’s Phases of Planned Change

Unfreezing

Movement

Refreezing

Perception of problem

Enter consultant

Data are collected

Feedback provided to client

Joint action planning

Action

Assessment

Feedback provided to client

Joint action planning

Action

Development of a need for changeEstablishment of a change relationshipDiagnosis

Examination of alternatives

Actual change

Generalization and stabilization of change

Achieving a terminal relationship

Continuing cycle

Rensis Likert – Diagnosing Organisational Systems

System One System Two System Three System Four

AUTOCRATIC BENEVOLENT AUT. CONSULTATIVE PARTICIPATIVE

Traditional decisions

Unilateral actions

Exploitative techniques

Hierarchical

Structured decisions

Not exploitative

Somewhat formal

Some hierarchy

Friendly climate

Supportive

Advisory

Not consensus-based

Full consensus

Participative

Developmental

Team-building emphasised

Lecture Outline

1. Organisation Development – Intervention Theories Models and Techniques

2. A Sequence for Theoretical and Practical Understanding of Change

3. Criteria For An Effective OD Intervention

4. Planning the Intervention or Change

5. Choosing the Depth of an Intervention

6. An Illustration of Open Systems Planning

7. Four Domains of Intervention, Huse (1980)

8. French and Bell’s 14 Categories of OD Intervention

9. The Burke-Litwin Model of Organisational Performance and Change

10. Categories and Typologies of Interventions

11. The OD Cube

12. Concluding Comments

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Organization Development – Intervention Theories, Models and Techniques

Organization Development – A Sequence for Theoretical and Practical Understanding of Change

1. Organisational Behaviour

2. Human Resources Management

3. Organisational Development

4. Strategic Management

Criteria For An Effective OD Intervention

Chris Argyris (1970) specified three important criteria for an effective OD intervention:

1. Obtaining valid and useful information of relevance to the organisation and to the change initiative (data gathering and diagnosis)

2. Provide the client organisation with alternatives for action: OD interventions assume that no particular or specified action is automatic, pre-ordained or imposed.

3. Build internal commitment: This is a very important element in OD. The client organisation and its people need to own the choice of change initiative, and feel responsible for implementing it.

Planning the Intervention or Change

There are at least three considerations in planning an OD intervention:

1. Determining the client’s readiness for change

2. Making sure that the change is tied to the power points in the organisation

3. Arranging for internal resources to help manage, monitor, and maintain the change process

Planning the Intervention or Change

1. Determining the client’s readiness for change:

• Diagnose and understand the system’s openness to and capability for learning.

• The need to develop a capacity for appreciative enquiry and double loop learning on the part of organisational members is pivotal

• Readiness and the energy to move toward change also stem from organisational members’ awareness of a difference, a gap, between the current status of their organisation and what they would like it to be – the idea of some improved state.

Planning the Intervention or Change

2. Linking the change process to the power points in the organisation

• If the client system is hierarchical in its authority and decision-making structure, the change process should be managed by the top manager of the system, with full involvement by his or her key subordinates.

• Regardless of structure, the intervention should be linked for implementation to the individuals who are central to the main problems identified in the diagnostic phase (eg: Dick DeLisle at Scott Aviation)

• Referring to Weisbord’s six-box model, if the leadership box is loaded with problems, the intervention should be tied directly to the leadership of the organisation. If the rewards box is loaded with problems, then the HR specialists should be directly linked with the intervention (Jim Anderson at Figgie International, p.33).

Planning the Intervention or Change

3. Arrange for internal resources to help manage the change process

• If the primary consultant is from outside the organisation, an internal consultant should be assigned to the change effort as early as possible, preferably at the very beginning.

• In the planning change phase of OD practice, the consultant normally tests the system’s readiness for change.

• Part of this process involves measuring broad attitudinal readiness for change across the organisation, but another important part involves bringing on board a number of committed internal change champions.

• This ensures visible ownership of the process of change, and helps to ensure that internal energy and expertise are behind the change.

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention

In considering the degree of a client’s readiness for change, the OD consultant is also attempting to discern just how far he or she can go with that client:

• whether the intervention should be biased toward structure and largely systemic matters.

• or toward some personal confrontations; surfacing emotional and value-laden issues.

Roger Harrison (1970) has developed a way to think about these questions that has become well-established in OD intervention theory.

His model differentiates interventions according to depth – how much a given intervention requires the emotional involvement of the client.

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention

According to Harrison, the deepest type of intervention is intrapersonal analysis – analysis within an individual – eg: getting a CEO to re-examine his or her leadership style, values, assumptions and belief system.

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention

A less deep type of intervention would involve surface characteristics and processes – for example, a change in the organisation’s structure . . . or the implementation of an activity such as open systems planning, where the key is involvement in the process.

An Illustration of Open Systems Planning at an International Business School

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention – Harrison (1970) and Huse (1980)

On the basis of Harrison’s model, Huse (1980) developed a list of types of interventions according to depth.

Huse categorised these interventions into four domains:

1. The system-wide approaches

2. The individual-organisational interfaces

3. The interventions concerned with personal work style

4. The initiatives that involve intrapersonal analysis and relationships

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention – Harrison (1970) and Huse (1980)

Four Domains of Intervention, Huse (1980):

1. System-wide approaches:

Contingency theories of organisational design

Survey feedback and development

Organisational confrontation meeting

Quality of work life programs

Grid organisation development (The six phase grid model covers almost every level of intervention)

2. Individual-organisational interfaces

Job design

Role analysis

Management by objectives

Competency-based training programs

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention – Harrison (1970) and Huse (1980)

Four Domains of Intervention, Huse (1980):

3. Concern with personal work style:

Process consultation – exploring personal preferences for work processes in small groups or work teams

Third party intervention

Team-building

Managing interdepartmental and intergroup relationships

4. Intrapersonal analysis and relationships

Life and career planning interventions

Laboratory training (experimental scenario participation)

Encounter groups

Personal consultation

Choosing the Depth of an Intervention – Beyond Huse (1980)

A weakness of Huse’s (1980) model is that it doesn’t capture some of the newer management consultancy approaches to OD.

French and Bell (2000) classify modern OD interventions into 14 broad areas:

1. Diagnostic activities 10. Coaching and counselling activities

2. Team-building activities 11. Life and career planning activities

3. Intergroup activities 12. Planning and goal-setting activities

4. Survey feedback activities 13. Strategic management activities

5. Education and training activities 14. Organisational transformation activities

6. Technostructural or structural activities

7. Process consultation activities

8. Grid Organisation Development activities

9. Third-Party Peacemaking Activities

W. French & C. Bell (2000) Organization Development, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey: 151-2.

French and Bell’s Classification of OD Interventions:

1. Diagnostic activities: Fact-finding activities designed to ascertain the state of the organisational system; it’s relative health and functionality. Methods include interviews, questionnaires and survey instruments, meetings, observational studies, examining organisational records, and projective devices such as “build a collage that represents your place in this organisation”.

2. Team-building activities: Designed to enhance cooperative effort and commitment to the team, strengthen regard for other team members. Methods include interactive tasks, case studies, scenario exploration, problem-solving, and off-site activities such as adventure training.

3. Intergroup activities: Activities designed to improve the effectiveness of interdependent groups – these focus on joint activities where groups must work together. This encourages groups to see themselves as part of a system, rather than two separate subsystems.

French and Bell’s Classification of OD Interventions:

4. Survey feedback activities: Rely on questionnaire surveys to generate information that is then used to identify problems and opportunities.

5. Education and training activities: Activities designed to improve individuals’ skills, abilities and knowledge in a wide range of areas (decision-making, problem-solving, goal-setting, planning).

6. Technostructural or structural activities: Activities geared towards improving the organisation’s structure and technical systems (IT, finance, HR)

7. Process consultation activities: Activities that help the client to perceive, understand and act upon events which occur in the client’s environment. Primary emphasis is on processes such as communication, leadership and member roles in groups, problem solving and group development.

French and Bell’s Classification of OD Interventions:

8. Grid Organisation Development: A six-phase change model involving the whole organisation, commencing with leadership styles and abilities.

9. Third-Party Peacemaking Activities: Activities conducted by a skilled specialist designed to help two members of an organisation to manage their interpersonal conflict.

10. Coaching and Counseling Activities: Specialists or experts work with individuals to identify learning goals and develop strategies for building competence in mutually agreed key areas.

11. Life and Career Planning Activities: Guided and structured activities include generating life and career inventories, discussing goals and objectives, and assessing current capabilities.

French and Bell’s Classification of OD Interventions:

12. Planning and goal-setting activities: Theoretical training and experiential exercises in planning, goal setting and problem solving. The goal is to encourage broad capabilities for divergent thinking and the identification of multiple possible courses of action.

13. Strategic management activities: Activities that help key executives to reflect on the organisation’s basic mission and goals, environmental demands, threats and opportunities, and to engage in long-range strategic planning in both the proactive and reactive frames.

14. Organisational transformation activities: Activities that involve large-scale system changes designed to fundamentally change the nature of the organisation. Targets can include structure or work design, mission and strategic direction, values, culture and leadership.

Total Organisational Transformation

The Burke-Litwin Model of Organisational Performance and Change

Source: W. Warner Burke, (1994) Organization Development, Figure 7.1, p. 128)

Categories and Typologies of Interventions

Source: Richard Schmuck and Matthew Miles (1976) Organization Development in Schools, University Associates, San Diego, CA.

Beyond the categorisations developed by Harrison (1970), Huse (1980), and French and Bell (2000), other prominent and useful typologies have been developed by Burke and Hornstein (1972), and Blake and Mouton (1976).

Conceptually one of the most robust, and practically one of the most useful typologies was presented by Schmuck and Miles (1971), who introduced a three dimensional model referred to as the OD cube.

The OD cube categorises three important aspects of OD interventions:

1. Mode of intervention

2. Focus of Attention

3. Diagnosed Problems

The OD Cube

Source: Richard Schmuck and Matthew Miles (1976) Organization Development in Schools, University Associates, San Diego, CA.

Total organisation

intergroup

Team or group

Dyad or triad

Role / Person

Focus of Attention:

Goals, plans

Communication

Culture, climate

Leadership, authority

Problem solving

Decision making

Conflict or cooperation

Role definition

Other

Diagnosed Problems:

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Modes of Intervention:

Concluding Comments

Even within the field of OD, there is an array of intervention methods available to consultants, from process consultation and appreciative inquiry, to data feedback and problem solving approaches.

Choosing the depth of intervention is also an important consideration, dependent to an extent on the degree of readiness for change on the part of the client organisation.

In this respect, the diagnostic phase of any OD intervention is always an important undertaking.

OD practitioners recognise that total systems change sometimes needs to begin with intrapersonal interventions, particularly at the senior executive level.

Internal commitment to change is also an important prerequisite for successful OD interventions.