Dr. Shirley J. Caruso, Ed.D.
Organizational development (OD) and change management (CM) aid people in organizations in the identification and planning of how to deal with intentional and unintentional changes in their environment. Change Processes and Models take a normative, re-educative, and innovative approach to change behavior and include such models as critical research (CR) and traditional action research.
Organizational development (OD) and change management (CM) aid people in organizations in the identification and planning of how to deal with intentional and unintentional changes in their environment. Change Processes and Models take a normative, re-educative, and innovative approach to change behavior and include such models as critical research (CR) and traditional action research (Rothwell, et. al., 2010).
The CR Model Uses Opposing Positions to Power Change
CR impels change from the strain that arises between what people think should be occurring and what they think is essentially occurring. The fundamental force of CR is to identify the difference between what should be occurring and what is essentially occurring to bring about the desired change in behavior. This is very similar to identifying a performance gap, which is the difference between the desired and actual performance. Once a performance gap is identified, steps are taken to bring about a behavioral change to achieve desired performance (Rothwell, et. al., 2010).
Traditional Action Research
Traditional action research provides a foundation for a plethora of change initiatives and is looked upon as both a model and a process. As a model, traditional action research includes eight steps to aid in facilitating change.
Entry
The first step in the traditional action research model is to look for help in facilitating change toward a behavior that brings about desired performance.
Start-Up
The second step is to work with a consultant or change agent to formulate solutions that would bring about the desired change.
Assessment and Feedback
The third step is to analyze the collected data and talk about conclusions and recommendations based on its results.
Action Planning
The fourth step is to formulate an action plan.
Intervention
The fifth step is to monitor the implemented action plan. Evaluation-The sixth step is to evaluate the plan’s effect on the organization.
Adoption
The seventh step is to integrate the plan into the day-to-day work activities.
Separation
The eighth step is for the change agent to ensure that the knowledge and skills have been transferred to the organization to provide a permanent change.
As a process, action research is a cycle or continuing series of actions and events:
- Data relative to a goal or need is collected.
- The collected data is fed back into the system.
- Based on the data, actions are taken.
- The results of the actions are evaluated by collecting more data.
- The cycle repeats itself based on the new data collected.
Building convergence between Human Resource Management (HRM) and OD means defining the roles of personnel management and human resource management; defining the traditional and changing roles of human resource development (HRD) practitioners, defining the alignment of OD with HRD, and offering implications of the two converging fields. Personnel managers have become the social directors of their organizations, expected to lead efforts to get people to work together more effectively by paying attention to them as people and the social side of the business.
Human resource managers focus on personnel management and managers’ competencies; OD; employment policy; employee cooperation; personnel administration; and social relations. OD aligns with HRD because OD is fundamentally about change, and HRD tends to coordinate the policies and procedures that lead change efforts like OD. The convergence of HRM and OD implies that OD skills are needed to be a successful practitioner of HRD and that OD and OD skills are embedded into the HRD practice. OD competencies are the characteristics that define successful performance; distinguish OD practitioners from managers or trainers, delineate who one needs to be, what one needs to know, and what one must be capable of doing. These competencies include self-mastery, the ability to evaluate change, clarify data needs, manage transition and institutionalization, integrate theory and practice, stay current in technology, ability to work with large systems, create a good implementation plan, understand research methods, manage diversity, clarify roles, address power, keep an open mind, manage client ownership of change, be comfortable with ambiguity, manage the separation, see the whole picture, set the conditions for positive change, focus on relevance and flexibility, use data to adjust for the change, be available to multiple stakeholders, build realistic relationships, good client choices, and clarify outcomes.
Resources
Rothwell, W. J., Stavos, J. M., Sullivan, R. S., & Sullivan, A. (2010). Practicing organization development: A guide for leading change (3rd ed.). San Diego: Pfeiffer & Company.
I think the article is correct in stating what are the proper procedures to implement change in the organization. However, I feel that most organizations do not follow all the steps in processing change because most organizations will not get any feedback from the employees’ reaction to the new procedures.
I do agree that in order to be a successful HRD professional, one has to possess excellent organizational development skills. OD as one of the components of HRD tries to incorporate change into the organization to improve organizational success.
I agree that OD and CM are very important to a business in the process of looking to make a change. Change can be very challenging for some people to accept. Therefore, I agree with the article where it mentions that in order to be successful in HRD a person must possess all or most of the skills listed.
I argee with the article and its important for one to be a succesfull HRD professional, one has to adapt the skills needed for OD and CM. The organisation needs to adapt all eight steps to progress this specific change.
I agree with the article that OD and CM are very important to be a successful practitioner in HRD. Knowing that change can be challenging for an organization and people, following all the 8 steps can assist bringing the change in an organization and in people.
Organizational development (OD) and change management (CM) are key elements for HRD professionals to grasp and be able to implement within any organization. They both help keep companies innovative and make sure that change actually happens, and is a positive thing.
I totally agree. HRD and OD go hand-in-hand. They have defining features but they cross over. OD skills are necessary to be successful as an HRD professional. Both have the same goal to change people and organizations for positive growth.
OD and CM are very important when it comes to changes in one’s environment. Following both of these steps will help people to cope with the change in their positions, and teach them the skills they will need for the change.
I can see how organizational development and HRM/HRD are connected. I believe that the eight steps of the traditional action research are essential within all organizations. I think that is why many companies fail or perhaps don’t perform as well as others.
This is a really great and informative article for any organization. The eight steps in facilitating change should be, no matter what, a motto for any decisions or actions when circumstances are approached in a company; regarding HRD or not. The eight steps are a really great way to be organized and move forward with yourself and your employees to promote positive change. It’s interesting that HRD and OD go head to head with one another when leading into a changing an environment within an organization.
What’s amazing is that if any of the 8 steps of AR are missed, the entire process will break down. These steps compliment each other and in my opinion are non negotiable. The unfortunate part is that many organizations today miss more than one step and wonder why change is so difficult.
I agree with the article that OD and CM are needed to be a successful in HRD as well as HRM. I also agree with the eight steps to aid in facilitating change. this can help organizations evaluate first before jumping to conclusions in which change is right.
This article is very clear of the steps that need to be taken when implementing change. It is difficult to a successful practitioner without enforcing OD skills. Taking these 8 steps is essential in facilitating change.
I agree that Organizational Development (OD) is essential for one to master the key elements of being a practioner of HRD. By following these eight steps one will succeed. However, I feel that not all eight steps are practiced and this leads to the difficulty of change. If all steps were thoroughly processed, one would make a great HRD practioner.
this article brougt to my memory everything I read about in chapter twelve of gilleys book. It is essential for all organizations to identify the areas of improvement and also important to know what learning strategies should be created and how to implement the learning of such strategies.