2valuesassumptionsandbeliefsinod-140903071222-phpapp01(1).pdf

7/17/2019 2valuesassumptionsandbeliefsinod-140903071222-phpapp01(1).pdf

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2valuesassumptionsandbeliefsinod-140903071222-phpapp011pdf 1/23

Organization

Development

Values, Assumptions, and Beliefs in OD



Values,

Assumptions, and

Beliefs in OD

Value foundation

Early significant statements

Implications

…constitute an integralpart of anddistinguishes OD fromother improvement

strategies

…provide structureand stability for peopleas they attempt tounderstand the worldaround them

…humanistic,optimistic, democratic



Events in Management and Organization Thought

Edgar Schein

-group processconsultation

DavidCooperrider

-a ppreciativeinquiry

Marvin Weisbord

-f uture search

Harrison Owen

-o pen space

Second Wave

Douglas McGregor

-Theory X and Y

Burns and Stalker

-two forms of

organizationstructure

Rensis Likert

-democraticleadership style

Katz and Kahn

-open systems

Addison-WesleySix-Pack/OD Six-Pack

-theory, practice,

values of OD

Late 1960s

Kurt Lewin

-group dynamics

-laboratorytraining

Wilfrid Bion

-the Tavistockmethod

Rensis Likert

-survey researchand feedback

methodsEric Trist

-sociotechnicalapproach

RobertTannenbaum

-team building

1940s

–

1960s

Frederick Taylor

-the scientificmanagement

Max Weber

-bureaucracy

Mary Parker Follett

- participativeleadership

Hawthorne Studies

-primacy of social factors on productivity

and morale

Chester Barnard

-acceptance theory ofauthority

Lewin, Lippitt, White

- Democraticleadership

< 1939



Prevailing paradigms for organizations -

zeitgeist

Scientific management as the way to organize work

Bureaucracy as the way to organize people

Hawthorne studies gave way to human relations

movement advocating participative management

and a general “humanizing” of the workplace

Emergence of laboratory training movement where

humanistic and democratic values filled the

movement

Survey feedback systematically assessed employeemorale and attitudes in organizations

Sociotechnical approach viewed social and

technical systems as interdependent where a change

in one system will directly affect the other

1900s to1920s

1940s to

1960s



Prevailing paradigms for organizations -

zeitgeist

Recognition of four major stems of OD: (1)applicationof laboratory training insights to complex

organizations, (2) survey feedback technology, (3)

emergence of action research, (4)sociotechnical and

socioclinical approaches

Changing Context and Second-wave OD

1980s to 1990s has dramatically changed the

context of the business environment (globalization,

tech innovations etc.)

Considerable attention is being given to newconcepts, interventions, and areas of application

Second generation OD includes interest in

organizational transformation, culture, learning

organization, TQM, and visioning

1960sand

beyond



Early Statements of OD Values

and Assumptions

Warren Bennis

OD practitioners share a set of normative goals

Richard Beckhard

Several assumptions about the nature andfunctioning of organizations

Robert Tannenbaum and Sheldon Davies

Values in transition



Normative goalsby Warren Bennis

1. Improvement in interpersonal competence

2. A shift in values so that human factors and

feelings come to be considered legitimate

3. Development of increased understanding

between and within working groups in order to

reduce tension

4. Development of more effective “team

management”

5. Development of better methods of conflict

resolution

6. Development of organic rather than mechanical

systems



Mechanical System

Authority-obedience

relationships

Strict division of laborand hierarchical

supervision

Centralized decision

making

Organic System

Mutual confidence

and trust

Multi-groupmembership and

responsibility

Wide sharing of

responsibility and

control

Organic versus mechanical systemsfrom Normative goals by Warren Bennis



Assumptions about the nature andfunctioning of organizationsby Richard Beckhard

1. The basic building blocks of an organization are

groups (teams)

2. An always relevant change goal is the reductionof inappropriate competition

3. Decision making is located where the

information sources are

4. Controls are interim measurements, not the basis

of managerial strategy

5. Develop open communication, mutual trust, and

confidence between and across levels

6. People support what they help create



Values in transitionfrom 1969 Industrial Management Review

by Robert Tannenbaum and Sheldon Davies

Away from… Towards…

People are bad People are good

Negative evaluation of

individuals Confirming as human beings

Individuals as fixed Seeing as being in process

Resisting and fearing individual

differencesAccepting and utilizing

A job description A whole person

Walling off expression of feelingsMaking appropriate expression

and effective use

Maskmanship and game playing Authentic behavior



Values in transitionfrom 1969 Industrial Management Review

by Robert Tannenbaum and Sheldon Davies

Away from… Towards…

Status and prestige to maintain

power

Status for organizationally relevant

purposes

Distrusting people Trusting people

Avoiding facing others Making appropriate confrontation

Avoidance of risk taking Willingness to risk

Process work as unproductive Process work as essential

Competition Collaboration



The democratic values prompted a critique of

authoritarian, autocratic, and arbitrary

management practices

dysfunctions of bureaucracies

The humanistic values prompted a search for

Better ways to run organizations

Develop the people in them



Implications of OD values andassumptions

For dealing with individuals

For dealing with groups

For designing and running organizations



Implications for dealing with individuals

Two basic assumptions

Most individuals have drives toward personal growth

and development

Most people desire a higher level contribution to the

attainment of organization goals than most

environments permit



Implications for dealing with individuals

Implications:

• Ask

• Listen

• Support

• Challenge

• Encourage risk taking

• Permit failure

• Remove obstacles and barriers

• Give autonomy

• Give responsibility

• Set high standards

• Reward success



Implications for dealing with groups

Assumptions

What occurs in the work group greatly influences

feelings of satisfaction and competence

Most people wish to be accepted and to interact

cooperatively with at least one reference group

Most people are capable of making greater

contribution to a group’s effectiveness and

development

Group members should assist the leader for groupeffectiveness

Attitudinal and motivational problems require

interactive and transactional solutions




Implications:

• Let teams flourish

• Leaders should invest in groups

• In time required for group development

• Training time and money to increase group members’ skills

• Energy and intelligence in creating a positive climate

• Leaders adopt a team leadership style

• Give important work to teams, not individuals




Implications:

• Group members receive training in group effectiveness skills

• Problem solving and decision making

• Conflict management

• Facilitation

• Interpersonal communication

• Encourage to deal with positive and negative feelings

• A shift in perspective

• From viewing problems as “within the problem person” to

viewing problems and solutions as transactional and as

embedded in a system



Implications for designing and running

organizations

Assumptions

The needs and aspirations of human beings are the

reasons for organized effort in society

It is possible to create organizations that on one hand

are humane and on the other hand are high

performing and profitable



Implications for designing and running

organizations

Implications:

• An optimistic, developmental set of assumptions about people

is likely to reap rewards to both organization and its members

• The belief that people are important tends to result in their

being important

• The belief that people can grow and develop competently

tends to produce that result

• People are an organization’s most important resource

OD rests in the foundation of values and

assumptions about people and organizations

These beliefs help to define what OD is and

guide its implementation



Creating the Best Workplace on Earthby Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones

“In a nutshell, it’s a company where individual

differences are nurtured; information is notsuppressed or spun; the company adds value to

employees, rather than merely extracting it from

them; the organization stands for something

meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding;

and there are no stupid rules.”

http://hbr.org/2013/05/creating-the-best-workplace-on-earth/ar/1



References

French, W., & Bell, C. (1995). OrganizationDevelopment: Behavioral Science Interventions forOrganization Improvement. 5th Ed. New Jersey, USA:Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Sikes, W., Drexler, A., & Gant, J. (1989). The Emerging

Practice of Organization Development. Alexandria,Virginia; San Diego, California, USA: NTL Institute ofApplied Behavioral Science; University Associates, Inc.

French, W., Bell, C., & Zawacki, R. (2005). OrganizationDevelopment and Transformation: Managing Effective

Change. 6

th

Ed. NY, USA: McGraw-Hill. The Foundations and Future of Organization

Development presented by Sandhya Johnson(http://www.slideshare.net/)



Organization

Development

Values, Assumptions, and Beliefs in OD

2valuesassumptionsandbeliefsinod-140903071222-phpapp01(1).pdf

Documents

Transcript of 2valuesassumptionsandbeliefsinod-140903071222-phpapp01(1).pdf