1. Organization Development
Values, Assumptions, and Beliefs in OD

2. Values, Assumptions, and Beliefs in OD
Value foundation
Early significant statements
Implications
…constitute an integral part of and distinguishes OD from other improvement strategies
…provide structure and stability for people as they attempt to understand the world around them
…humanistic, optimistic, democratic

3. Events in Management and Organization Thought
Edgar Schein
-group process consultation
David Cooperrider
-appreciative inquiry
Marvin Weisbord
-future search
Harrison Owen
-open spaceSecond Wave
Douglas McGregor
-Theory X and Y
Burns and Stalker
-two forms of organization structure
RensisLikert
-democratic leadership style
Katz and Kahn
-open systems
Addison-Wesley Six-Pack/OD Six- Pack
-theory, practice, values of ODLate 1960s
Kurt Lewin
-group dynamics
-laboratory training
Wilfrid Bion
-the Tavistockmethod
RensisLikert
-survey research and feedback methods
Eric Trist
-sociotechnical approach
Robert Tannenbaum
-team building1940s –1960s
Frederick Taylor
-the scientific management
Max Weber
-bureaucracy
Mary Parker Follett
-participative leadership
Hawthorne Studies
-primacy of social factors on productivity and morale
Chester Barnard
-acceptance theory of authority
Lewin, Lippitt, White
-Democratic leadership< 1939

4. Prevailing paradigms for organizations - zeitgeist
Scientific management as the way to organize work
Bureaucracyas the way to organize people
Hawthorne studies gave way to human relations movementadvocating participative management and a general “humanizing” of the workplace
Emergence of laboratory training movement where humanistic and democratic values filled the movement
Survey feedback systematically assessed employee morale and attitudes in organizations
Sociotechnical approach viewed social and technical systems as interdependent where a change in one system will directly affect the other
1900s to 1920s
1940s to 1960s

5. Prevailing paradigms for organizations - zeitgeist
Recognition of four major stems of OD: (1)application of laboratory training insights to complex organizations, (2) survey feedback technology, (3) emergence of action research, (4)sociotechnical and socioclinicalapproaches
Changing Context and Second-wave OD
1980s to 1990s has dramatically changed the context of the business environment (globalization, tech innovations etc.)
Considerable attention is being given to new concepts, interventions, and areas of application
Second generation OD includes interest in organizational transformation, culture, learning organization, TQM, and visioning
1960s and beyond

6. Early Statements of OD Values and Assumptions
Warren Bennis
OD practitioners share a set of normative goals
Richard Beckhard
Several assumptions about the nature and functioning of organizations
Robert Tannenbaumand Sheldon Davies
Values in transition

7. Normative goals by Warren Bennis
1.Improvement in interpersonal competence
2.A shift in values so that human factors and feelings come to be considered legitimate
3.Development of increased understanding between and within working groups in order to reduce tension
4.Development of more effective “team management”
5.Development of better methods of conflict resolution
6.Development of organic rather than mechanical systems

8. Mechanical System
Authority-obedience relationships
Strict division of labor and hierarchical supervision
Centralized decision making
Organic System
Mutual confidence and trust
Multi-group membership and responsibility
Wide sharing of responsibility and control
Organic versus mechanical systemsfrom Normative goals by Warren Bennis

9. Assumptions about the nature and functioning of organizations by Richard Beckhard
1.The basic building blocks of an organization are groups (teams)
2.An always relevant change goal is the reduction of inappropriate competition
3.Decision making is located where the information sources are
4.Controls are interim measurements, not the basis of managerial strategy
5.Develop open communication, mutual trust, and confidence between and across levels
6.People support what they help create

10. Values in transitionfrom 1969 Industrial Management Review by Robert Tannenbaumand Sheldon Davies
Away from…
Towards… People are badPeople are goodNegative evaluation of individualsConfirming as human beingsIndividuals as fixedSeeing as being in processResisting and fearing individual differencesAccepting and utilizingA job descriptionA whole personWalling off expression of feelingsMaking appropriate expression and effective useMaskmanshipand game playingAuthentic behavior

11. Values in transitionfrom 1969 Industrial Management Review by Robert Tannenbaumand Sheldon Davies
Away from…
Towards…
Status and prestige to maintain power
Status for organizationally relevant purposes
Distrusting people
Trusting people
Avoiding facing others
Making appropriate confrontation
Avoidance of risk taking
Willingness to risk
Process work as unproductive
Process work as essential
Competition
Collaboration

12. The democratic values prompted a critique of
authoritarian, autocratic, and arbitrary management practices
dysfunctions of bureaucracies
Thehumanistic values prompted a search for
Better ways to run organizations
Develop the people in them

13. Implications of OD values and assumptions
For dealing with individuals
For dealing with groups
For designing and running organizations

14. Implications for dealing with individuals
Two basic assumptions
Most individuals have drives toward personal growth and development
Most people desire a higher level contribution to the attainment of organization goals than most environments permit

15. Implications for dealing with individuals
Implications:
•Ask
•Listen
•Support
•Challenge
•Encourage risk taking
•Permit failure
•Remove obstacles and barriers
•Give autonomy
•Give responsibility
•Set high standards
•Reward success

16. Implications for dealing with groups
Assumptions
What occurs in the work group greatly influences feelings of satisfaction and competence
Most people wish to be accepted and to interact cooperatively with at least one reference group
Most people are capable of making greater contribution to a group’s effectiveness and development
Group members should assist the leader for group effectiveness
Attitudinal and motivational problems require interactive and transactional solutions

17. Implications for dealing with groups
Implications:
•Let teams flourish
•Leaders should invest in groups
•In time required for group development
•Training time and money to increase group members’ skills
•Energy and intelligence in creating a positive climate
•Leaders adopt a team leadership style
•Give important work to teams, not individuals

18. Implications for dealing with groups
Implications:
•Group members receive training in group effectiveness skills
•Problem solving and decision making
•Conflict management
•Facilitation
•Interpersonal communication
•Encourage to deal with positive and negative feelings
•A shift in perspective
•From viewing problems as “within the problem person” to
viewing problems and solutions as transactional and as embedded in a system

19. Implications for designing and running organizations
Assumptions
The needs and aspirations of human beings are the reasons for organized effort in society
It is possible to create organizations that on one hand are humane and on the other hand are high performing and profitable

20. Implications for designing and running organizations
Implications:
•An optimistic, developmental set of assumptions about people is likely to reap rewards to both organization and its members
•The belief that people are important tends to result in their being important
•The belief that people can grow and develop competently tends to produce that result
•People are an organization’s most important resource
OD rests in the foundation of values and assumptions about people and organizations
These beliefs help to define what OD is and guide its implementation

21. Creating the Best Workplace on Earth
by Rob Goffeeand Gareth Jones
“In a nutshell, it’s a company where individual differences are nurtured; information is not suppressed or spun; the company adds value to employees, rather than merely extracting it from them; the organization stands for something meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding; and there are no stupid rules.”
http://hbr.org/2013/05/creating-the-best-workplace-on-earth/ar/1

22. References
French, W., & Bell, C. (1995). Organization Development: Behavioral Science Interventions for Organization Improvement. 5thEd. New Jersey, USA: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Sikes, W., Drexler, A., & Gant, J. (1989). The Emerging Practice of Organization Development. Alexandria, Virginia; San Diego, California, USA: NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Science; University Associates, Inc.
French, W., Bell, C., & Zawacki, R. (2005). Organization Development and Transformation: Managing Effective Change. 6thEd. NY, USA: McGraw-Hill.
The Foundations and Future of Organization Development presented by Sandhya Johnson (http://www.slideshare.net/)

23. Organization Development
Values, Assumptions, and Beliefs in OD