Organizational Change and Development

Question 1

________________________ refers to the interventions that are used to facilitate planned change.

Answer 1

Organizational development.

Question 2

According to Lewin’s (1951) Force Field Analysis of Planned Change, organizations continually respond to forces that either promote or resist change. Forces that promote change are “_______________” and include pressure for change from mngmt. and new competition. Forces that resist change are “_________________” and include employee hostility and apathy and malfunctioning equipment.

Answer 2

• Driving forces
• Restraining forces

Question 3

Lewin’s Stage 1 - _________________: Occurs when the need for change is recognized and steps are taken to make members of the organization receptive to change.

Answer 3

Unfreezing.

Question 4

Lewin’s Stage 2 - _________________: Involves moving the organization in the new direction and includes helping employees acquire new behaviors, values, and attitudes.

Answer 4

Changing.

Question 5

Lewins Stage 3 - ____________________: Entails supporting the changes that have been made to help stabilize the organization at a new state of equilibrium.

Answer 5

Refreezing.

Question 6

Nadler’s (1988) _________ Model of _________________ proposes that effective organizational change requires addressing four factors:

a) Informal organizational elements (communication patterns, leadership)
b) Formal organizational elements (formal structures and processes)
c) Individual characteristics of employees and managers
d) Characteristics of employee and managerial tasks

Answer 6

• Systems
• Planned Change.

Bonus: Change in any one factor will cause change in the other factors.

Question 7

Organizational Develeopment (OD) interventions rely on ________________ principles and techniques to facilitate planned change.

Answer 7

Behavioral science.

Question 8

Most OD interventions share the following characteristics:

a) Adoption of a _________ (organization-wide) perspective
b) Incorporation of a systems approach and ___________ philosophy
c) Commtiment and support of top management
d) Focus on individuals and social relationships
e) Use of a ______________ (catalyst) who guides the change process
f) A view of OD as an ongoing and long-term process

Answer 8

• Macro
• Humanistic
• Change-agent

Question 9

__________________ (QWL) programs are designed to humanize work and the work environment. They emphasize employee empowerment, are traditionally focused on lower-level employees, and emphasize worker participation and involvement in all stage of decision-making.

Answer 9

Quality of Work Life.

Question 10

A __________________ (QC) consists of a small voluntary group of employees who work together on a particular job and meet regularly to discuss job-related problems and solutions. Representatives of the QC then present their solutions to management.

Answer 10

Quality Circle.

Question 11

______________________ (SMWTs) are autonomous work groups whose members are trained in the skills needed to effectively perform the group task. They are made up of employees who work together as a unit, but functions include making hiring, budget, and other decisions previously made by managers. Leadership typically rotates.

Answer 11

Self-Managed Work Teams.

Question 12

_____________________ refers to activities designed to assist members of an organization help themselves by improving their ability to perceive, understand, and alter the processes that are undermining their interactions with one another. A consultant observes employees and provides them with direct feedback; the focus is on behaviors related to communication, leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, and roles.

Answer 12

Process consultation.

Question 13

________________ focuses on employee attitudes, opinions, and perceptions, and involves 3 basic steps: ____________ collection, data feedback, and __________ planning.

Answer 13

• Survey feedback
• Data
• Action

Question 14

______________________ (TQM) focuses on customer satisfaction, employee involvement and empowerment, continuous improvement in the quality of goods and services, and ongoing measurement of performance in order to identify problems. It emphasizes teamwork and decision-making at all levels of the organization. Elements include organizing around processes rather than tasks, and adopting stringent work standards.

Answer 14

Total Quality Management.

Question 15

The introduction of TQM usually requires a change in organizational structure from a traditional _______________ managerial hierarchy to a flatter _________________ structure that has parallel work teams and fewer managers. The primary reason for instances in which this method is not successful is _______________________.

Answer 15

• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Incorrect implementation

Question 16

An ___________________ is a member of the organization, is already familiar with the company’s culture, norms, and power structure, and has a personal interest in the change effort.

Answer 16

Internal Change Agent.

Question 17

An _____________________ is often able to see the situation more objectively, bring a new perspective, is typically better received by members of the organization due to impartiality, to have greater influence and status, and to be more willing to take risks.

Answer 17

External Change Agent.

Question 18

_______________________ are useful for identifying attitudes, values, and beliefs and for obtaining information from a large number of individuals.

Answer 18

Questionnaires and Surveys.

Question 19

_________________ can be used to obtain a wide range of information and are the only technique that allows two-way communication.

Answer 19

Interviews.

Question 20

____________________ is most helpful for obtaining data on overt behaviors and interactions.

Answer 20

Direct observation.

Question 21

____________________ provide information on organizational productivity and the performance of individual employees.

Answer 21

Secondary (archival) sources.

Question 22

As defined by Chin & Benne (1976), strategies for ___________________ can be classified in terms of 3 basic types.

Answer 22

Overcoming resistance to change.

Question 23

The ___________________ strategy is based on the assumption that people are basically rational and will act in accord with their self-interest once they have been provided with the necessary information (i.e., they will not resist change once they see that they will benefit from it). This is most effective when resistance is due to lack of knowledge.

Answer 23

Rational-empirical.

Question 24

The ___________________ strategy is based on the premise that peer pressure and sociocultural norms are potent forces of change. Group discussions about ways to accomplish change can be useful in overcoming resistance.

Answer 24

Normative-reeducative.

Question 25

The __________________ strategy involves using power and legitimate authority to coerce employees to comply with plans for change. It can take the form of rewards or punishment.

Answer 25

Power-coercive.

Question 26

Theorists interested in the notion of fairness distinguish between 3 types of ___________________.

Answer 26

Organizational justice.

Question 27

_______________ justice refers to the fairness of the way in which a procedure or policy is implemented.

Answer 27

Procedural.

Question 28

____________________ justice refers to the fairness of the outcomes of an organizational procedure or policy.

Answer 28

Distributive.

Question 29

____________________ justice refers to how people feel about the quality and content of person-to-person interactions.

Answer 29

Interactional justice.