ADLT 625

What do we mean by “organizational change”?

Occurs each and every dayMostly unplanned and gradualAffects us as individuals, groups, and

organizations as a whole

Different types of changeRevolutionary (discontinuous, sudden,

transformational)Evolutionary (continuous, gradual, transactional Can be planned or unplanned

Our focus: Planned change (rather than unplanned)Emphasis on revolutionary than evolutionary

The reason:Rapid changes in the external environment that

are precipitating change at an accelerating rate

The premise of organizations:Organization theory is about continuity and

stabilizationWe need to know much more about how to lead,

manage, and change organizations

Organization Development began as a field of practice to enable organizations to make necessary changes

When is an organizationready for change?

The Learning Curve for Organization Development

The Core Values of

Organization Development

W. Burke, 2008

Why is change so difficult?Deep organizational change is extremely

difficult.

It’s hard to make a case for change when things are going well.

Our knowledge of how to plan and implement organization change is limited.

The Paradox of Planned Organizational Change

Planning for change is usually linear, a step-by-step process

Implementation is anything but linearOften, a spiral cycleEmergent pattern of moving forward /

backward / forwardThere is no “end state” although the

organization may have an end in mind

Significant Shifts in Organizational Dynamics and Management Since 1969 …From To Growth Moderate speedModerate complexityStrategic planningConsultant jargonManagement Unilateral, top-down

managementLittle concern for ethicsMicro perspective

ConsolidationWarp speedHigh complexityStrategic implementationPopular, accepted conceptsLeadershipMultilateral, participative

processes at all levelsHigh concern for ethicsMacro perspective on

change

The OD History Tree

The Action Research Model for Change

Perception of Problem

Data Gathering and Diagnosis by Consultant

Feedback to Key Client Group

Joint action planning

New strategies or actions taken

Comparison of OD and OT

OD Traditional Data Collection and Feedback Methods

OT Whole- System I nteractive Change Events

Theory Base Action research

Open systems theory

Purpose I mproved organizational eff ectiveness

Alignment around a strategic direction, work redesign, system-wide issues

Data Base Source Availability

I nternal to organization Limited to units

Organization and external

stakeholders Widely shared

Responsibility

Driven by senior management Broadly shared by senior management with the whole system

Comparison of OD and OT

ODTraditional Data Collectionand Feedback Methods

OTWhole- System I nteractive ChangeEvents

Time Slow: Waterfall process bylevel

Fast: Rapid response to data

ConsultantRole

Central to: Data collection Data interpretation Data feedback process

Structures and facilitates: Data collection Data analysis Action taking

ChangePotential

Sequential incremental change Simultaneous fundamental change

Conceptualizing Organizational Change

Revolutionary vs. Evolutionary

Discontinuous vs. Continuous

Episodic vs. Continuous flow

Transformational vs. Transactional

Strategic vs. Operational

Total system vs. Local option

Metaphors Adopted by Organizational Members in Change Efforts

Organizations as machines

Organizations as organisms

Organizations as brains

Organizations as cultures

Organizations as political systems

Organizations as psychic prisons

Organizations as flux and transformation

By the end of this course, you will have:

The digital media tools we’ll use

Graded Assignments

Whole System Intervention Strategies We’ll Explore

Future SearchOpen Space TechnologyAppreciative Inquiry

Examples of situations in which large group interventions have been used