Organization Development and Change

Chapter Eleven:
Evaluating and Institutionalizing
OD Interventions

Thomas G. Cummings
Christopher G. Worley
 Learning Objectives
for Chapter Eleven
To understand the issues associated with
evaluating OD interventions
To understand the process of
institutionalizing OD interventions and the
factors that contribute to it

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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
 Issues in Evaluating OD
Interventions
Implementation and Evaluation Feedback
Measurement
Select the right variables to measure
Design good measurements
Operational
Reliable
Valid
Research Design
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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
 Implementation Evaluation
Feedback Feedback
Feedback aimed at Feedback aimed at
guiding determining impact of
implementation efforts intervention
Milestones, Goals, outcomes,
intermediate targets performance
Measures of the Measures of the
interventions progress interventions effect

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 Implementation and
Evaluation Feedback
Diagnosis

Design and Implementation of Implementation Evaluation

Implementation Intervention Feedback Feedback
of Interventions Clarify Plan for Measures of Measure
Intention Next Steps the Intervention of
Alternative and Immediate Long-term
Interventions Effects Effects

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 Sources of Reliability
Rigorous Operational Definition
Provide precise guidelines for measurement:
How high does a team have to score on a five-
point scale to say that it is effective?
Multiple Measures
Multiple items on a survey
Multiple measures of the same variable (survey,
observation, unobtrusive measure)
Standardized Instruments
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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
 Types of Validity
Face Validity: Does the measure appear to
reflect the variable of interest?
Content Validity: Do experts agree that the
measure appears valid?
Criterion or Convergent Validity: Do
measures of similar variables correlate?
Discriminant Validity: Do measures of non-
similar variables show no association?
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 Elements of Strong Research
Designs in OD Evaluation
Longitudinal Measurement
Change is measured over time
Comparison Units
Appropriate use of control groups
Statistical Analysis
Alternative sources of variation have been
controlled

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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
 Evaluating Different
Types of Change
Alpha Change
Movement along a stable dimension
Beta Change
Recalibration of units of measure in a stable
dimension
Gamma Change
Fundamental redefinition of dimension

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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
Institutionalization Framework

Organization
Characteristics

Institutionalization Indicators of
Processes Institutionalization

Intervention
Characteristics

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 Organization Characteristics
Congruence
Extent to which an intervention supports or
aligns with the current environment, strategic
orientation, or other changes taking place
Stability of Environment and Technology
Unionization

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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western
 Intervention Characteristics
Goal Specificity
Programmability
Level of Change Target
Internal Support
Sponsor

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 Institutionalization Processes
Socialization
Commitment
Reward Allocation
Diffusion
Sensing and Calibration

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 Indicators of
Institutionalization
Knowledge
Performance
Preferences
Normative Consensus
Value Consensus
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(c)2005 Thomson/South-Western