Module-I

Organization Development
(OD) : An Introduction
Dr. Ashok Kumar
Professor (HR & OB)
Amity Business School, Lucknow

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 Contents of Module I
1. Nature and basic assumptions of OD
2. Characteristics and techniques of OD
3. Historical framework
4. Various stems of OD
5. Steps involved in OD
6. Roles of managers in OD
7. Factors affecting OD

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1. Nature and Basic
Assumptions of OD

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 What is an Organization?

An organisation is the social entity that is goal-

directed, is designed as deliberately structured
and coordinated activity systems, and is linked
to external environment

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 Sub-systems of organization
Organization is a system consisting of four
interacting sub-systems :
1. Structure
2. Technology
3. People
4. Task

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 Goals of organization
Organization as system can be changed and
developed to achieve its goal in the best
possible ways.
The goals of an organization:
• Survival
• Stability
• Profitability
• Growth
• Service to the society
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 Two schools of thought in OD
Program Procedure System Process
School School
Internal Internal and external
Personnel oriented Department oriented
Individual Group
Sectional Holistic
Prescriptive Open
Interdisciplinary

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 What is OD ?

It is a response to change: a complex

educational strategy intended to change
the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure
of organisations so that they better adapt
to new technologies, market and
challenges and the dizzying rate of change
itself
[ Warren Bennis]
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 What is OD ?

OD may be defined as a systematic,

integrated and planned approach to
improve the effectiveness of the enterprise.
It is designed to solve problems that
adversely affect the operational efficiency
at all levels.
[Knootz]

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 What is OD ?

It is an effort [1] planned [2] organisation-wide

and [3] managed from the top,[4] to increase
organizational effectiveness and health through
[5] planned interventions in the organisation’s
processes using behavioral science knowledge.

[Richard Beckhard]

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 What is OD ?

OD is a planned effort initiated by process

specialist(s) to help an organization develop
its diagnostic capabilities, linkage strategies
(in form of temporary and semi-permanent
systems,) and a culture of mutuality
- Udai Pareek

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 What is OD ?

OD is long-term effort, led and supported by top management

to improve an organization’s visioning, empowerment, learning,
and problem-solving processes through an ongoing, collaborative
management of organizational culture-with special emphasis on the
culture of intact work teams and other team configurations- using
the consultant-facilitator role and theory And technology of applied
behavioral science including, action research
-French and Bell

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 Nature of OD

 Is a planned change
 Involves the total system
 Managed with total acceptance and commitment
of the top management
 Makes use of behaviural science knowledge
 Is in terms of intervention at the task or structure
or technology or people level.(some of them or all
of them)
 Is a ongoing process and a long term process
 Is primarily on experiential learning
Uses an action research intervention mode
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Assumptions and Values in OD
• Individuals have drive towards personal
growth
• Individuals are capable
• Importance of work groups
• Formal leadership has limitations
• Importance of interactive and
transactional solutions
• Putting people first
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 Objectives of OD

• Improved effectiveness at the level of

individual, teams, organization and the total
organization
• Better adaptability of the organisation
• Willingness of the members to face
problem and contribute creative solutions
• Improvement in internal behavioural pattern

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 Essential Components of OD
• Long-term effort
• Led and supported by top management
• Visioning processes
• Empowerment processes
• Learning processes
• Problem-solving processes

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 Essential Components of OD
(Contd.)
• Ongoing collaborative management of
organization’s culture
• Intact work teams and other configuration
of teams
• Consultant-facilitator role
• Organization’s improvement through
participant action

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2. Characteristics and
Techniques of OD

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 Characteristics of OD

1. Totality of the organisation

2. Theoretical base is eclectic
- Psychology, sociology,anthropology,
political science etc
3. Change in any sub-systems
- Structure
- Task
- Climate
- Methods of decision making and of problem solving
- Technology

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 Characteristics of OD (Contd)
-Communication
- Residential Analysis: live-in observer
- Participant Analysis: Interviews, questionnaires to
get information about the place of communication in
network
- Duty Study: Positioning himself at any point of
network
- Cross-Section Analysis: A time sampling of the
communication process
- Ecco [Episodic communication channels in
Organisation Analysis]-a piece of comm.left
4. Management Practices and Employee
reactions to these practices are analysed
5. OD is an ongoing process
6. Change agent may be internal or external 20
 Techniques of OD

o Planned change
o Distinctive nature of consulting
o Total system perspective
o Action research

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I. Planned Change

Three Types of Change

1. Changing Design and

Structure
2. Changing Process
3. Changing boundaries

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II. Distinctive Consulting Method
• Collaborative
• Learning
• Solving own problem

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 III. Total System Perspective
• System: interdependencies,
interrelatedness, multiple causes and
multiple efforts
• Culture, processes and structures
-Norms, values and assumptions
-Task vs. Process
-Designing and integration of the task
• Complex social system
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 IV. Action Research
• Changes based on action research
• Client group learns new knowledge

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 What is Action Research ?

It is a process of systematically collecting

research data about an ongoing system,
feeding those data back to the system,
taking actions by altering selected variables
with in the system and evaluating the results

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 What is a Process in OD

A methodology that links

activities
together so as to add value

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 What is a fair process in OD ?

• Engagement
– People want their view to be heard
– There is right to refute
– Communication is sincere and genuine
• Exploration
– Different options are explored
• Explanation
– People are informed of the decision
– Decisions are based on sound facts and reasoning

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• Expectations
– Decisions are translated into clear goals,action
plan and behaviours
– The meaning of a commitment is clear
– There is appropriate coaching and support
• Evaluation
– Decisions are applied with consistency
– Desired behaviours and results are rewarded

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 3. Historical Framework of OD
• In USA in 1946 with ‘T’ Group by Kert
Lewin
• In India in 1957 by Rolf Lynton who
established a ‘T’ Group, name “Aloka” in
Mysore to develop the capacity of youth

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 4.Various Stems of OD
• The laboratory training
• The survey research and feed-back
• The action research
• The sociotechnical and socioclinical

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 I. The Laboratory Training

Unstructured small- group situations in which

participants learn from their own action

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 Experience of ‘ T ‘ Group
• Self in sight……..
• Conditions facilitating or inhibiting group
behavior
• Understanding interpersonal operations in
groups
• Developing the skills of diagnosis

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II. The Survey Research and
Feedback

A specialized form of survey research

using scales and measurement

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 III. Action Research

The collection of data and analysis for

feeding back to the client organization
for initiating certain changes. The
evaluation of these efforts add to the
knowledge to the client organization

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IV. The Sociotechnical and
Sociochemical

Understanding group behavior through

experiments using knowledge of Social
Psychology

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 Implications of OD
• Improvement in interpersonal competence.
• Human factors and feelings are to be
considered as legitimate.
• Increased understanding to reduce tension.
• More effective “Team Management”.
• Better methods of conflict resolution.
• Development of organic rather than
mechanistic designs.
• Making available more choice to people.
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 5. Steps in OD
• Diagnosis
• Action
• Program management

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 I. DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis as Foundation for
Intervening
It is an exercise attempted to make an analysis
of the organization its structure,sub-systems
and processes in order to identify the strengths
and weaknesses of its structural components and
processes and use it as a base for developing
plans to improve and for maximize the dynamism
and effectiveness of an organization.

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 Steps in Diagnosis
• Define the target
• Finalize tools for data collection
• Assess organizational processes
-Communication
-Goal setting
-Decision making and problem solving
-Conflict resolution
-Managing interface

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Steps in Diagnosis (Contd.)
-Superior-subordinate relations
-Technological and engineering systems
• Information to be sought for the processes
• Diagnostic targets
-Formulation of vision-mission
-Strategic management
-Long-range planning
-Organizational learning
-Change in structure and design
-Improving Human processes
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 Tools and Techniques of
Organisational Diagnosis
 Questionnaire
 Interview
 Observation
 Analysis of Secondary Data
 Analysis of Primary Data
 Taskforce and Task group
 Workshops
 Seminar,Symposium and Training Programmes
 Recording and examining critical incidents/events
 Force Field Analysis
 The Six-Box Model
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 II. Action
The Action Component
Use of Action Research as a generic process:
“The key aspects of the model are diagnosis, data
gathering, feedback to the client group, action
planning, and action.The sequence tend to be
cyclical, with the focus on new or advanced
problems as the client group learns to work
effectively together”
French & Bell

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The Action Component
(Contd.)

“ Action research is the application of the

scientific method of fact finding and
experimentation to practical problems
requiring action solutions and involving
the collaboration and cooperation of scientist,
practitioners, and laypersons”
- Shepard

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 The Program Management
Component
• Motivating change
• Creating a vision
• Developing political support
• Managing the transition
• Sustaining momentum
• Withdrawing

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 6. Role of Manager in OD
• Change agent
• Creating a learning organization
• T&D
• Coach and mentor

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 7. Factors Affecting OD
• Need for change
• Involving key people
• Establishing relationship
• Diagnosing
• Choice of intervention
• Stabilizing change

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