Principles of Organzational Development

ORGANIZATION DEVELOPEMNT
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Contents
 TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u  HYPERLINK \l "_Toc324980535"
Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc324980535 \h
3
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An example  PAGEREF _Toc324980536 \h
3
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Identifying OD issues, problems and opportunities  PAGEREF _Toc324980537 \h
4
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Preliminary data collection and analysis  PAGEREF _Toc324980538 \h
5
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Action planning  PAGEREF _Toc324980539 \h
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Implementation  PAGEREF _Toc324980540 \h
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Assessment  PAGEREF _Toc324980541 \h
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Identifying actions and selecting alternative OD actions  PAGEREF _Toc324980542 \h
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Using appropriate intervention  PAGEREF _Toc324980543 \h
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References  PAGEREF _Toc324980544 \h
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Introduction
Organization Development or OD is a concept and practice of behavioral science that help organizations to change in order to achieve better functionality by using social processes and human efforts effectively. OD concerns about the relations between an organization and it external environmental factors as well as internal functions to get greater performance. In practice, the difference between theory and application is not straightforward, and researchers and OD professionals work together to implement the theories to learn the outcomes (Lawler et al., 1985). This makes OD a science of action, and knowledge or facts are developed on the basis of the application of the theories and results from the experience (Argyris et al., 1985).
This paper discusses three key outcomes of OD course to achieve personal and professional goals which are: i) developing skills to identify OD issues, problems and opportunities, ii) identifying appropriate actions and selection of best alternative OD actions in actual work situations, ii) developing the ability to apply OD knowledge to organizational situations and iii) identifying organizational situations that require professional assistance.
An example
Throughout this paper, different aspects of an experiment, that involves several important concepts of OD, will be discussed. The experiment was initiated by MDP ESA in some countries of Africa. The project name was Civic Participation in Municipal Governance. In this project, MDP ESA represented the appropriate utilization of action research strategies. In this project, almost every level of citizens from different communities participated with a target to improve the quality of life. The main objectives of the project were:
Building capacity of communities, civic groups and Municipal Council to work together.
Building capacity of the inhabitants to improve their negotiation skills about issues of concern with the Municipal Council.
Making the inhabitants understandable about the purposes and role of Municipal Council.
The project started on February 200 and went on for about a year. It was divided into several sections with individual purposes, such as, constructions of boats, community civic education, cleanup campaign, reconstruction campaign, NGO meeting, capacity building for local organs, training for council members and training of Municipal police.
Identifying OD issues, problems and opportunities
The application of organization development for an organization has its roots in its historical background and psychological foundation. The activities and operating procedure of an organization carry issues like collaboration, trust and openness among the members of the organization. To deal with these issues, it is important to understand how OD is practices and carried within the system of the organization, and for that identifying OD issues, problems and opportunities is very crucial.
There are few approaches to achieve that goal among which, action research can be very useful to develop OD skills to reach personal and professional goals. Action research is a practical method to recognize organizational issues. This technique uses scientific methods that have been proven effective in the past to help different organizations identifying their problems, discovering the causes that underlying the issues and finally, finding scopes and solutions to be implemented for making appropriate changes. Furthermore, the research can be collaborative and can involve organization members and OD professionals in the action and research process.
There have been quite a few alternatives of action research method (Argyris and Schon, 1989; Shani and Pasmore, 1985; Lippitt et al., 1958); however, the steps of a basic action research are the same: preliminary data collection and analysis, action planning, implementation and assessment.
Preliminary data collection and analysis
The research usually starts with a current problem which is pressuring the members of the organization and they are motivated to come to a solution of the problem. The collection of primary data is based on this idea with a target to identify the problematic issues. It is very important to identify the problem correctly as well as analyzing the data to find the core causes. Initially, the research is designed with a diagnostic model that covers all the features and operating process of the organization. The OD professionals use overabundance models for the diagnosis to assess different viewpoints of the problem including individual motivation of the members and relationships of the organization with other similar associations (Lawler et al., 1980). The methods of the research include collecting data, interviewing, survey and documentations (Nadler, 1977). If the data collection and analysis goes perfectly, they can give the actual causes of the problems.
Action planning
Based on the preliminary research results, the OD professionals can draw action plans based on which, the organization can take necessary steps. The results and choices of the plan interference depend on different factors and the factors are related with the possible changes. In order to select the possible changes, the OD professionals can use different ways, including OD interventions, to adjust and betterment of different viewpoints and issues of the organizations. Indeed, OD is primarily recognized for its interventions, like self managed groups and team development. In addition, the primary assessment helps the professionals to select interventions which are the most likely to be useful and succeed in the changed circumstances. Scholars have recognized major situational emergencies that can influence the success of the intervention; for example, personal dissimilarities among the members of the organization and the competitive situation of the organization (Porras & Berg, 1978; Nicholas, 1982). Awareness of these emergencies can assure that action planning can fit very well along with the changed situation.
Implementation
Implementing action planning includes modification and changes that forward the organization towards the goal and target. These changes cannot occur instantly, rather they require certain amount of time during which the members of the organization can learn about enacting according to the changes and making them useful. OD professionals can identify structures and activities that can ease this shifting phase (Beckhard & Harris, 1987). Specifying the changing process, that is very important, can temporally take place, while monitoring the progress. It also includes recognizing main stakeholders whose promise and obligation are important and mandatory for the changes to take place as well as receiving their support. For the situations where ...