OD Interventions

What is an OD intervention?
A sequence of planned activities, actions, and events intended to help an organization improve its performance and effectiveness

How does OD intervention fit into the OD process?

Interventions purposely disrupt the status quo.

Institutionalizing interventions
Organization characteristics
Intervention characteristics Institutionalization processes Indicators of Institutionalization

Organization characteristics
Congruence
Stability of environment and technology Unionization

Intervention Characteristics
Need/Goal specificity Scope/Level of change target Focus/Purpose Internal support Requirements, Specifications, Constraints Programmability

Costs/Benefits

Institutionalization processes
Socialization: transmit info. Commitment Reward allocation: link rewards to new behaviors. Diffusion: transfer interventions from one system to another (behaviors become normative) Sensing and calibration: detect deviations from desired intervention behaviors and take corrective action

Indicators of institutionalization
Knowledge
Performance Preferences Normative consensus Value consensus

Effective interventions can be determined by 3 criteria

The extent to which it fits the needs of the organization a. Valid information b. Free and informed choice c. Internal commitment

The degree to which it is based on causal knowledge of intended outcomes

The extent to which it transfers changemanagement competence to organization

Designing Effective Interventions is contingent upon

1. Individual differences among organizational members, organizational factors, and dimensions of the change process itself 2. Situational factors Readiness for Change Capability to Change Cultural Context Capabilities of Change Agent

Contingencies Related to Target of Change

Strategic Issues transforming company Strategic Interventions Technology and Structure Issues divide work into depts & coordinate Techno-structural Interventions Human Resources Issues A-S-R organizational members Human Resources Management Interventions Human Process Issues socializing organizational members Human Process Interventions

Strategic Interventions
Integrated Strategic Change
Transorganization Development Mergers & Acquisitions Culture Change Self-designing Organizations Organization Learning & Knowledge Management

Techno-Structural Interventions
Structural Design
Downsizing Reengineering Employee Involvement Work Design

HRM Interventions
Goal Setting Performance Appraisal Reward Systems Career Planning & Development

Coaching and Counseling Activities

Managing Work Force Diversity

Employee Wellness

Human Process Interventions

T-Groups Process Consultation Intergroup activities/Relationships Team Building

Third-party Peacemaking Interventions (Conflict Resolution)

Organization Confrontation Meeting Large-group Interventions Grid Organization Development

Advice for Structuring Interventions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9.

Relevant Problem oriented or opportunity oriented Clear goals Realistic expectations Experience-based learning and conceptual/cognitive/theoretical-based learning Easy-going climate Learn how to learn Task and process Total situation should come into play

Advice for sequencing intervention activities

1. Maximize diagnostic data 2. Maximize effectiveness 3. Maximize efficiency 4. Maximize speed 5. Maximize relevance 6. Minimize psychological & organizational strains

Interventions based on causal mechanisms

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Discrepancy intervention Theory intervention Procedural intervention Relationship intervention Experimentation intervention Dilemma intervention Perspective intervention Organizational structure intervention Cultural intervention

Results expected from Intervention

1. Feedback 2. Awareness of norms 3. Increased interaction 4. Increased communication 5. Confrontation 6. Education 7. Participation 8. Increased accountability 9. Increased energy 10.Optimism

Evaluation
Feedback to practitioners and organization members about progress and impact of interventions

Research Design
Quasi-experimental research designs
Longitudinal measurement Comparison unit Statistical analysis

Quasi-Experimental Designs
3 Un-interpretable Designs
A.One Group Post-Test (X O1) WHY?

B.One Group Pretest-Posttest design (O1X O2) WHY?

C.Post-test only with nonequivalent groups (X O) ( O) WHY?

Untreated Ctrl Group Designs w/Pretests

With dependent pretest & posttest samples (most common) O1 X O2 O1 O2 5 ways data can turn out (and their problems) 1. No change in control group 2. Both groups grow apart in same direction 3. Pretest differences diminished 4. Compensatory treatment case without a crossover effect 5. Outcomes that cross-over: these are great results,

Other Designs
Untreated Control Group Design with Independent pretest and samples
Untreated control group design with a double pretest Cohort Designs: O1

O2

Other Designs
Switching replications design
Reversed-treatment control group design with pretest & posttest Untreated Control group with double pretest and both independent and dependent samples Designs without pretests

Break
15 min. break

Human Process Interventions

Intergroup Interventions

Process Consultation (Review)

A set of activities on the part of the consultant that helps the client to perceive, understand, and act upon the process events which occur in the clients environment.

Group Processes
Communications among group members
Functional roles of group members Problem-solving and decision-making Group norms and growth Leadership & Authority

Work roles
Intergroup relationships require understanding of roles, responsibilities, boundaries. Who is in ones role set?
Role stressors

Role Stressors
Role Overload
Role Ambiguity Role Conflict

Strategies for Conflict Resolution

Prevent conflict through mandate or separation of the parties
Set limits on the timing and extent of the conflict Help the parties to cope differently with the conflict Attempt to eliminate or resolve the basic issues in the conflict

Resolving Intergroup Conflict

Groups and consultant convene to address issues Groups are asked to address 3 questions 1. What qualities/attributes best describe our group? 2. What qualities/attributes best describe their group? 3. How do we think the other group will describe us? Groups exchange and clarify answers Groups analyze the discrepancies and work to understand their contribution to the perceptions

Microcosm Groups
Small groups that solve problems in the larger system
Small group member characteristics must reflect the issue being addressed (e.g., if addressing diversity, group must be diverse) Primary mechanism for change is parallel processes

Microcosm Group Process

Identify an issue
Convene the microcosm group Provide group training Address the issue in the group Dissolve the group

Quality Circles
12-20 members
Formed to resolve a particular problem Disband when resolution is institutionalized

Organizational mirroring
Representatives from different groups
Observed by hosts Resembles a Fishbowl