3.3 - Organizational Development and Culture Flashcards
Open Systems Theory
Open systems theory refers to how organizational structure affects the flow of information and interaction, both internally and with the external environment. They are characterized by input-throughput-output mechanisms.
Open systems planning involves scanning the environment to determine the demands and expectations of external stakeholders; developing scenarios of possible organizational futures; and developing action plans to ensure that a desirable future occurs. This kind of thinking is a requirement for creating learning organizations (Senge 2006)
Complexity Theory
Complexity Theory defines an organization as a complex, adaptive system that needs to respond to the external and internal environment by remaining on the edge of chaos while also self-organizing and continuously reinventing itself. In complexity theory, the future is unknowable and, as such, the ability to learn is absolutely critical to ongoing organizational effectiveness. Application requires experimentation and innovation to develop new operations patterns.
Chaos Theory
Chaos theory is an interdisciplinary theory that says there are underlying patterns, constant feedback loops, repetition, and self-organization, even in the apparent randomness of chaotic, complex systems.
The butterfly effect describes how a small change in one state of a system can result in large differences in a later state, meaning there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions.
Social Network Theory
Social Network Theory represents how people, organizations, or groups interact with others inside their network. Networks comprise actors and the relationships between those actors, who are referred to as nodes and can be individuals, organizations, or companies. Actors are always the smallest single unit inside a network.
Action Research
Action Research, a term first coined by Kurt Lewin in 1944, is also known as participatory research. It is learning by doing in the sense that a group of workers—or teams as part of a community of practice—identifies a problem, develops a resolution, implements the solution, and then analyzes the final results.
Transformative change occurs through the simultaneous process of taking action and doing research, which is linked by critical reflection.
Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis
Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis (1947) is based on the premise that what is occurring at any point in time is the result of forces pushing in opposite directions. Lewin suggests that change is a three-stage process of:
unfreezing the old behavior moving to a new level of behavior refreezing behavior at the new level
William Bridges’s Transition Model
William Bridges’s Transition Model (1991) describes planned change as situational, and transition as psychological. This model focuses on transitions and “letting go” versus planned change. Bridges describes three phases of transition: ending, neutral zone, and new beginning. [See 3.6.1.4]
W. Warner Burke–George H. Litwin Model
W. Warner Burke–George H. Litwin Model (1994) identifies the variables involved in creating first-order (transactional) and second-order (transformational) change. It distinguishes between organizational climate and organizational culture as:
Climate represents individuals’ collective assessment of an organization in terms of whether it is a good or bad place to work Culture represents a collective assessment of an organization based upon deeper, relatively enduring, often unconscious values, norms, and assumptions.
Transformational Change and fundamental culture shifts are produced by solutions that are directed toward leadership, mission, strategy, and organization.
Transactional change or changes in climate are produced by solutions directed toward management practices, structure, and systems produce.
Peter Senge
Peter Senge (2006) described organizations as organisms, challenging the concept of the top-down, hero-leader, and large-scale change. Senge advises small, incremental change through five disciplines of organizational learning.
Prosci ADKAR Model
Prosci ADKAR Model is a goal-based change management model used to guide both individual and organizational change.
It is different from many other change management models because it focuses on guiding change at the individual level through five distinct phases: awareness (A), desire (D), knowledge (K), ability (A), and reinforcement (R).
Marvin Weisbord’s Six Boxes Model (1976)
Marvin Weisbord’s Six Boxes Model (1976) is a research-based OD model that tells practitioners where to look and what to look for when diagnosing organizational problems. It categorizes six critical areas as leverage points for influencing organizational success and achieving maximum impact.
The areas are: Purposes; Relationships; Structure; Rewards; Helpful Mechanisms; Leadership
Nadler and Tushman
David A. Nadler and Michael L. Tushman (1997) describe a Congruence Model and “Seven S” approach for examining how interdependent, organizational subsystems scan and transform input from the external environment to outputs in the organization across individual, group, and total levels. The seven Ss are strategy, structure, systems, shared values, skills, style and culture, and staff.
5 Phases of an OD Strategy
- Entry: represents the initial contact between consultant and client where they present and explore the problem, opportunities, or situation.
- Diagnosis (assessment) represents the fact-finding phase.
- Feedback represents the return of analyzed information to the client or client system.
- Solution represents the design, development, and implementation of the solution or set of solutions meant to correct the problems, close gaps, improve or enhance performance, or seize opportunities.
- Evaluation represents the continuous process of collecting formative and summative evaluation data to determine whether the initiative is meeting the intended goals and achieving defined success indicators.
Senge’s 5 Components of a learning culture
- Systems thinking
- Personal mastery
- Mental models
- Building shared visions
- Team learning
