Unit-1 Introduction

An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.

An Old Standard Definition of OD

The nature and needs of organizations are changing dramatically. Correspondingly, the profession of organization development (OD) has been changing to meet the changing needs of organizations. Therefore, it may be most useful to consider several definitions of organization development. Here's a standard definition. The next section gives some contrasting definitions. For many years, the following definition was perhaps the standard definition for OD. The following definition was developed in 1969 at a time when an organization was considered to be much like a stable machine comprised of interlocking parts. Organization Development is an effort planned, organization-wide, and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness and health through planned interventions in the organization's 'processes,' using behavioral-science knowledge. -- Beckhard, Organization development: Strategies and Models, Reading, MA: AddisonWesley, 1969, p. 9.

New Definitions of OD
Today's organizations operate in a rapidly changing environment. Consequently, one of the most important assets for an organization is the ability to manage change -- and for people to remain healthy and authentic. Consider the following definition of OD: Organization Development is the attempt to influence the members of an organization to expand their candidness with each other about their views of the organization and their experience in it, and to take greater responsibility for their own actions as organization members. The assumption behind OD is that when people pursue both of these objectives simultaneously, they are likely to discover new ways of working together that they experience as more effective for achieving their own and their shared (organizational) goals. And that when this does not happen, such activity helps them to understand why and to make meaningful choices about what to do in light of this understanding. -- Neilsen, Becoming an OD Practitioner, Englewood Cliffs, CA: Prentice-Hall, 1984, pp. 2-3. Experts might agree that the following definitions of OD represent the major focus and thrust of many of today's OD practitioners. "Organization development is a system-wide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organizational strategies, structures, and processes for improving an organization's effectiveness." -- Cummings and Worley, "Organization Development and Change", Sixth Edition, SouthWestern Publishing, 1997, p.2. "Organization Development is a body of knowledge and practice that enhances organizational performance and individual development, viewing the organization as a complex system of systems that exist within a larger system, each of which has its own attributes and degrees of

alignment. OD interventions in these systems are inclusive methodologies and approaches to strategic planning, organization design, leadership development, change management, performance management, coaching, diversity, and work/life balance." -- Matt Minahan, MM & Associates, Silver Spring, Maryland (Or) A social unit of people, systematically structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals on a continuing basis. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between functions and positions, and subdivides and delegates roles, responsibilities, and authority to carry out defined tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries. (Or) Basically, an organization in its simplest form is a person or group of people intentionally organized to accomplish an overall, common goal or set of goals. Business organizations can range in size from one person to tens of thousands. There are several important aspects to consider about the goal of the business organization. These features are explicit (deliberate and recognized) or implicit (operating unrecognized, "behind the scenes"). Ideally, these features are carefully considered and established, usually during the strategic planning process.

Vision
Members of the organization often have some image in their minds about how the organization should be working, how it should appear when things are going well.

Mission
An organization operates according to an overall purpose, or mission.

Values
All organizations operate according to overall values, or priorities in the nature of how they carry out their activities. These values are the personality, or culture, of the organization.

Strategic Goals
Organizational members often work to achieve several overall accomplishments, or goals, as they work toward their mission.

Strategies
Organizations usually follow several overall general approaches to reach their goals. (Or) Organization development is a system-wide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organizational strategies, structures, and processes for improving an organization's effectiveness." -- Cummings and Worley, "Organization Development and Change",

Understanding organizations
Weisbord presents a six-box model for understanding organization:

1. Purposes: The organization members are clear about the organizations mission and purpose and goal agreements, whether people support the organization purpose. 2. Structure: How is the organizations work divided up? The question is whether there is an adequate fit between the purpose and the internal structure. 3. Relationship: Between individuals, between units or departments that perform different tasks, and between the people and requirements of their jobs. 4. Rewards: The consultant should diagnose the similarities between what the organization formally rewarded or punished members for. 5. Leadership: Is to watch for blips among the other boxes and maintain balance among them. 6. Helpful mechanism: Is a helpful organization that must attend to in order to survive which as planning, control, budgeting, and other information systems that help organization member accomplish.[9]

Characteristic of organisation from Dr. Kenneth D. Mackenzie's The Practitioner's Guide to Organizing Organizations
There are six desired organizational characteristics for an efficiently adaptable organization in the holonomic organization model. Each is described in terms of a set of conditions, all 6 of which must be met if the organization is to possess this Desired Organizational Characteristic [DOC].

1. Clarity of Direction
Means that the organization has a: Clearly defined Strategic Direction, and that Every Associate, unit and the organization as a whole knows what must be done and how to get it done, and The organization has the will and means for maintaining Clarity of Direction.

2. Clarity of Structures
Means that: The many organizational tasks and their Technological Support Systems are understood, Their interdependencies are recognized and understood, There is position clarity throughout the organization, The Organizational Logic and the Organizational Architecture are congruent, and The organization has the will and the means to maintain Clarity of Structures.

3. Clarity of Measurement
Means that, throughout the organization. there are:

Clearly defined performance standards which are defined by and linked to the work itself and Supported by an Organizational Rewards System that is linked to the work itself and the Technological Support Systems that Motivate each Associate and unit to achieve these standards and those of the entire organization and The organization has the will and the means for maintaining this Clarity of Measurement.

4. Successful Goal Achievement

Means that, given the Strategic Direction, the following three-step process is followed throughout the organization: 1. Deciding what must be done, then 2. Determining how to get it done, and then 3. Making sure that it gets done successfully. Furthermore, the means and will exist for ensuring that this process for Successful Goal Achievement is operating throughout the organization.

5. Results Oriented Problem Solving

Means that the following seven-step process is followed throughout the organization: 1. Decisions are made at the lowest possible level at which the work or problem occurs 2. The best available resources are brought to bear on the problem solving tasks 3. These resources are utilized in problem solving 4. There is clear identification of the accountable decision maker and those Associates who are in support 5. The problem solving process is healthy and nonpolitical 6. The rewards for successful problem solving and for positive results are clearly defined, and 7. The result of problem solving is an implementable best decision. These three criteria are essential: 1. Results Oriented Problem Solving is working for the organization as a whole 2. Results Oriented Problem Solving is working at the unit-level and for individuals, and 3. The will and means exist to ensure Results Oriented Problem Solving And the final organizational characteristic,

6. Associates Are Assets and Resources

Means that, given the Strategic Direction, the following conditions are met throughout the organization: Associates are a continuing source of results as the organization evolves Associates continually contribute knowledge, information and energy to solve the organization's problems and enable it to seize opportunities as it adapts to its dynamically complex environments.

The means and will exist for ensuring that Associates are treated as assets and resources throughout the organization.

These six Desired Organizational Characteristics of the efficiently adaptive organization need to be characteristic of the entire organization and not just of senior management.

HISTORY

Introduction

Organizational development is an ongoing, systematic process to implement effective change in an organization. Organizational development is known as both a field of applied behavioral science focused on understanding and managing organizational change and as a field of scientific study and inquiry. It is interdisciplinary in nature and draws on sociology, psychology, and theories of motivation, learning, and personality.

HISTORY OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

In the late 1960s organizational development was implemented in organizations via consultants, but was relatively unknown as a theory of practice and had no common definition among its practitioners. Richard Beckhard, an authority on organizational development and change management, defined organizational development as "an effort, planned, organization-wide, and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness and health through planned interventions in the organization's processes, using behavioral-science knowledge" (Beckhard 1969). Throughout the 1970s and 1980s organizational development became a more established field with courses and programs being offered in business, education, and administration curricula. In the 1990s and 2000s organizational development continued to grow and evolve and its influences could be seen in theories and strategies such as total quality management (TQM), team building, job enrichment, and reengineering.
CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK AND HISTORY OF ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Presented By Preeti .S .K DEFINITION Organization development is a system wide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development , improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies , structure and process that lead to organization effectiveness It involves both 'hard' and 'soft' issues. The 'hard' issues for OD are strategies and policies, structures and systems. The 'softer' issues are developing appropriate skills, behaviours and attitudes to achieve optimum performance. Both the 'harder' and 'softer' issues of OD need to be addressed to avoid conflict between goals and needs.

HISTORY OF ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT

Laboratory Training Background Laboratory training began in 1946, when Kurt Levin was asked for help in research on training community leaders A workshop was developed and the community leaders were brought together At the end of each session the researchers discussed the behaviors they had observed Thus the first T-group was formed in which people reacted to data about their own behavior The researchers drew two conclusion about this first T- group experiment Feedback about group interaction was a rich learning experience

The process of group building had potential for learning that could be transferred to back home situations Applying T-group techniques to organizations gradually became known as team building Action Research and Survey Feedback Background The action research contribution began in 1940 The research needed to be closely linked to the actions A collaborative effort was made, to collect the organizational data To analyze the cause of the problem and then to device and implement a solution

 Further data was collected to asses the results Participative Management Background Participative management is a means of getting employees involved in planning and managing change Four types of management systems Exploitative authoritative system Benevolent authoritative systems Consultative systems Participative group

Likert applied system 4 to organization using a survey feedback process Which asked the members about the present and the ideal conditions about the organization Generated action plans to move the organization towards system 4 condition Productivity and quality of work life background The contribution of QWL can be explained in two phases This phase was developed in Europe in 1950 based on the research of Eric Trist. This program involved developing a work design which aimed at better integrating technology and people Participation by unions and management in the work design The distinguishing characteristics of this program was developing self managing groups The second phase of QWL continues under the banner of employee involvement Employee contribution helps in running the organization so that it can be more flexible, productive and competitive Strategic Change Background This background is a recent influence on ODs evolution Strategic change involves improving alignment among an organization's environment, strategy and design Richard Bechhard used open system planning

 He described the difference between organizations' demand and the way it responds could be reduced and performance improved

stages of contributory stems

From R Flicker
Ruth Flicker, M.Ed. President, RRF Human Development Consultants Inc. w2rote the following. No references were provided. Stage One: Inception Envision and Court Often, organizations are formed when a founder (or a group of founders) recognizes an unmet need and decides to do something about it. Energized by a vision of a better world, the founder imagines what could be. The founder courts followers by articulating her values and ideas. If the founder perceives sufficient support, she then undertakes the move from inspiration to conceiving a new organization. Stage Two: Start-up and Launch Organizational Infancy Now the organization moves from visioning to planning and implementing the dream. Locations are chosen, buildings outfitted and the first teaching staff are hired. Infant schools require constant, 7/24 care from their founders: there is intense activity to get the school up and running and many near-disasters to clean up. There is a constant cry for Cash! as start-up funding is quickly exhausted. Stage Three: Go-Go Grounding and Delivery As more paid staff comes on board, the school begins to need centralized and unified direction. The senior leader transitions from an educator-in-chief into a functional manger and often some of her first direct reports transition from managing themselves to managing staff. Stage Four: Maturing Delegate and Evaluate By this point in the life cycle the school is firmly established. Basic resources are in place, and, typically, the growth of the school continues at a steady pace. Continuous growth creates demands for more resources. Stage Five: Specialize and Control Prime In the best scenarios, healthy schools at this stage are systematic enough to understand the reason for their successes and able to replicate them. They are nimble and adaptive enough to evolve. They address and solve problems caused by change and this keeps them young and vital. Stage Six: Renew and Rebuild Typically, changing external forces or an implosion of internal forces or unprecedented opportunities, or a combination of these three dynamics propel the organization into a large-scale

review of its identity, values, vision and mission. Generally, most of the original founders have left or moved on and a new generation of leaders takes on the responsibility of reinventing the organization.

value,assumption,belief in OD

presented by meetu dhiman

introduction :

A set of values, assumptions and beliefs is characteristics of OD, distinguishing OD from other improvement/change strategies. The field of OD rests on a foundation of values and assumptions about people and organizations. These beliefs help to define what OD is and guide its implementation.

definitions :
belief: belief is a proposition about how the world works, that the individual accepts as true; it is a cognitive fact for the person. Value: values are judgemental beliefs that is good or bad .beliefs about what is the desirable or good (e.g.truthfulness) and what if undesirable or bad.(e.g.theft,dishonesty). Assumptions: Assumptions are beliefs that are regarded as a valuable and correct , that they are taken for granted and very rarely questioned or examined. Values, assumptions and beliefs provide structure and stability for people as they attempt to understand the world around them. OD values tends to be: Humanistic: values proclaim the importance of the individual,treat people with respect and dignity ,assume that everyone has intrinsic work, view all people as having the potential for growth and development. Optimistic: values consider that people are basically good ,that progress is possible and desirable in human affairs and that rationality,reason and goodwill are the tools for making progress. Democratic: values are assert the sanctity of the individual ,the right of people to be free from arbitrary misues of power , the importance of fair and equitable trewatment for all and the need for justice through the rule of law.

Intellectual climate prevalent then, the initial enthusiasm for scientific management; bureaucracy and authoritarian leadership, gave way to increasing doubts about the organizational practices as theory and research pointed out their limitations, dysfunctions and negative consequences. Organization development practitioners formulated a set of values and

assumptions regarding people, groups, and organizations i.e. Humanistic, Optimistic, Democratic.

Early statements of od values and assumptions :

Values are an integral part of OD. In 1969, Warren Bennis proposed the OD practitioners(change agent) share a set of normative goals based on their Humanistic/Democratic philosophy. He tested the following normative goals: 1.Improvement in interpersonal competence. 2.A shift in values, so that human factors and feelings come to be considered legitimate. 3.Development of more effective Team Management i.e. capacity for functional groups to work more competently. 4. Development of increased understanding between and within working groups in order to reduce tension. 5.Development of better methods of conflict resolution. Rather than the usual bureaucratic methods, which rely mainly on suppression, compromise and unprincipled power more rational and open methods of conflict resolution are sought. 6. Development of organic rather than mechanical/mechanistic systems. This is a strong reaction against the idea of organs as mechanisms which managers work on like purchasing buttons.

definition :
According to Bennis, The basic value underlying all OD theory and practice is that of CHOICE. Though focused attention, and through the collection and feedback of relevant data to relevant people, more choice becomes available and hence better decisions are made. Richard Beckhard, in 1969, described several assumptions about the nature and functioning of organizations, held by OD practitioners, as tested below: 1.The basic building blocks of an organization are groups(teams) so the basic units of change are groups and not individuals. 2.An always relevant change goal is the reduction of inappropriate competition between parts of the organization and the development of a more collaborative condition. 3.Decision-making in a healthy organization is located where the information sources are rather than in a particular role or level of hierarchy. 4.Organizations, sub-unit of organizations and individuals continuously manage their affairs against goals. Control are interim measures, not the basis of managerial strategy. 5. One goal of healthy organization is to develop generally open communication, mutual trust and confidence between and across levels. 6. People support what they help create. People effected by a change must be allowed active participation and a sense of ownership in planning and conduct of the change.

Action research
Wendell L French and Cecil Bell defined organization development (OD) at one point as "organization improvement through action research".[8] If one idea can be said to summarize OD's underlying philosophy, it would be action research as it was conceptualized by Kurt Lewin and later elaborated and expanded on by other behavioral scientists. Concerned with social change and, more particularly, with effective, permanent social change, Lewin believed that the motivation to change was strongly related to action: If people are active in decisions affecting

them, they are more likely to adopt new ways. "Rational social management", he said, "proceeds in a spiral of steps, each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-finding about the result of action".[12]

Figure 1: Systems Model of Action-Research Process

Lewin's description of the process of change involves three steps:[12] "Unfreezing": Faced with a dilemma or disconfirmation, the individual or group becomes aware of a need to change. "Changing": The situation is diagnosed and new models of behavior are explored and tested. "Refreezing": Application of new behavior is evaluated, and if reinforcing, adopted. Figure 1 summarizes the steps and processes involved in planned change through action research. Action research is depicted as a cyclical process of change. The cycle begins with a series of planning actions initiated by the client and the change agent working together. The principal elements of this stage include a preliminary diagnosis, data gathering, feedback of results, and joint action planning. In the language of systems theory, this is the input phase, in which the client system becomes aware of problems as yet unidentified, realizes it may need outside help to effect changes, and shares with the consultant the process of problem diagnosis. The second stage of action research is the action, or transformation, phase. This stage includes actions relating to learning processes (perhaps in the form of role analysis) and to planning and executing behavioral changes in the client organization. As shown in Figure 1, feedback at this stage would move via Feedback Loop A and would have the effect of altering previous planning to bring the learning activities of the client system into better alignment with change objectives. Included in this stage is action-planning activity carried out jointly by the consultant and members of the client system. Following the workshop or learning sessions, these action steps are carried out on the job as part of the transformation stage.[4] The third stage of action research is the output, or results, phase. This stage includes actual changes in behavior (if any) resulting from corrective action steps taken following the second stage. Data are again gathered from the client system so that progress can be determined and necessary adjustments in learning activities can be made. Minor adjustments of this nature can be

made in learning activities via Feedback Loop B (see Figure 1). Major adjustments and reevaluations would return the OD project to the first, or planning, stage for basic changes in the program. The action-research model shown in Figure 1 closely follows Lewin's repetitive cycle of planning, action, and measuring results. It also illustrates other aspects of Lewin's general model of change. As indicated in the diagram, the planning stage is a period of unfreezing, or problem awareness.[12] The action stage is a period of changing, that is, trying out new forms of behavior in an effort to understand and cope with the system's problems. (There is inevitable overlap between the stages, since the boundaries are not clear-cut and cannot be in a continuous process). The results stage is a period of refreezing, in which new behaviors are tried out on the job and, if successful and reinforcing, become a part of the system's repertoire of problemsolving behavior. Action research is problem centered, client centered, and action oriented. It involves the client system in a diagnostic, active-learning, problem-finding, and problem-solving process. Data are not simply returned in the form of a written report but instead are fed back in open joint sessions, and the client and the change agent collaborate in identifying and ranking specific problems, in devising methods for finding their real causes, and in developing plans for coping with them realistically and practically. Scientific method in the form of data gathering, forming hypotheses, testing hypotheses, and measuring results, although not pursued as rigorously as in the laboratory, is nevertheless an integral part of the process. Action research also sets in motion a long-range, cyclical, self-correcting mechanism for maintaining and enhancing the effectiveness of the client's system by leaving the system with practical and useful tools for self-analysis and self-renewal.[4]