Organizational development

Organizational Development ( OE ; English development organization , OD ) is an organization theoretical concept , in order to implement planned social change in organizations. OE is very broadly defined as an "intervention strategy that uses group dynamic processes that focus on organizational culture to bring about planned changes". With a slightly shifted focus, Bowman and Asch describe OE as a "long-term intervention program in the social processes of organizations using principles and practices of behavioral science with the aim of bringing about changes in behavior and attitudes that lead to increased organizational effectiveness" .

Organizational development examines and deals with relationships, behavior and attitudes towards the individual, the work group, other work groups and the organization as a whole. Mabey and Pugh name five distinguishing features of OE:

• OE is a broad, ongoing, medium to long term approach.
• OE is based on the knowledge and methods of behavioral science.
• OE is process-oriented (contrasts with goal-oriented).
• OE requires moderation .
• OE is participatory .

As a result, organizational development means promoting human capital and not just disinvesting jobs. OE is used in large companies, administrations, churches, social institutions and the army. The laws of social communities are used and (as with the HR approach) the interests of employees are taken into account in the design of their work and action systems.

past

The concept of organizational development emerged shortly after the Second World War in the USA from the organizational laboratory ( working with unstructured small and large groups) and survey feedback (including those affected in the evaluation of surveys) in the MIT environment with Kurt Lewin as the Researchers began to apply the findings from group dynamics to companies and larger organizations.

Content

The image of man in organizational development

Organizational development is tied to a humanistic image of man. The concept is based on the image of man in the XY theory developed by Douglas McGregor . According to the Y theory, people naturally want to realize and develop, strive to meet their inclinations and interests, show commitment and initiative and seek responsibility.

The best chances of realization and the highest probability of success have methods which are carried out taking into account the wishes and hopes of those involved and affected.

The subject of changes in the course of organizational development are not only technical and organizational structures and processes, but also interpersonal communication and behavioral patterns as well as the norms, values ​​and power constellations ( organizational culture ) prevailing in the organization .

With all changes, “human satisfaction” and “optimal task fulfillment” are equally sought. Problems identified in the process with individual subsystems, groups or people are not considered in isolation, but always examined and treated for connections with the organizational and social environment.

Reasons for organizational changes

Basically, a distinction can be made between internal and external reasons for changes:

Examples of changes within the organization

• Optimization of work processes, in particular to avoid loss of information at interfaces.
• Targeted realignment of power structures in teams.
• Humanization of the world of work through higher identification and self-realization.
• Increased flexibility , willingness to change and innovative ability.
• Improvement of employee motivation through various bundles of measures.

Examples of changes outside the organization

• Technological changes
• New competition
• Changes in the market balance

Development of the organizational development strategy

The three-phase model of Lewin (see next section) was one of the first models, which dealt systematically with the processes of change in organizations. The origin of this management perspective lies in the USA and has started to establish itself in Europe since the mid-1980s.

Organizational development has developed to its current level through several research approaches.

• The first approach, which comes from MIT and is known as the so-called re- educational approach , was based on the assumption that companies are over-bureaucratized and have strong hierarchical structures.
• The second, so-called action research approach , emphasized the role of external consultants.
• The third approach, known as the Tavistock approach , focuses on changes in the socio-technical system.

Over time, organizational development integrated the approaches of open systems theory . In the 1990s, however, the actual effect of organizational development was criticized.

Phases of the organizational development process

→ Main article : 3-phase model by Lewin

According to Kurt Lewin's 3-phase model , change processes can be divided into phases:

1. Phase: Unfreezing (thawing): The current prevailing organizational structure is thawed by failing to confirm, inducing guilt / fear, creating psychological security in order to create motivation for change.
2. Phase: Moving (change): This is the phase of change in which the previously desired objectives are to be achieved.
3. Phase: Refreezing (freezing again): Here the changes made are stabilized.

Practical starting points for organizational development

1. Create incentives through:
   • Work tasks
   • Work design
   • Establishing decision-making structures
2. Employee:
   • Promote skills
   • Promote skills
   • Motivate
3. Control:
   • regular control of whether there are social conflicts in the organization
   • Control of the quality and quantity of the services provided
4. Consequences:
   • Promote
   • Training
   • Offset
   • Dismiss

See also

• Grid model
• Learning organization
• Co-determination
• Moderation (group work)
• Team dynamics
• Organizational controlling
• Organizational psychology
• Personnel development
• Personnel development in schools
• Systemic organizational consulting
• Ego development
• Administrative ethics

literature

• Bär-Sieber, Krumm, Wiehle, Understanding, Designing, Changing Companies , Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden, 3rd edition, 2015
• Becker / Langosch: Productivity and Humanity. Organizational development and its application in practice. Stuttgart 2002.
• R. Beckhard: Organization Development. Strategies and Models. New York 1996.
• Michael Berger, Jutta Chalupsky, Frank Hartmann: Change Management - (Sur) life in organizations . 7th edition. Publishing house Dr. Götz Schmidt, Gießen 2013, ISBN 978-3-921313-88-6 .
• G. Comelli: Training as a contribution to organizational development. Munich, Vienna 1985.
• G. Fatzer: Organizational development for the future. 3rd edition, Bergisch Gladbach 2004, ISBN 3-926176-41-5 .
• French / Bell: Organizational Development. Berlin / Stuttgart / Vienna 1994.
• F. Gairing: Organizational development as a learning process for people and systems. 4th edition, Weinheim 2008, ISBN 978-3-407-32091-9 .
• F. Gairing: Organizational Development . History - Concepts - Practice. Stuttgart 2017, ISBN 978-3-17-031145-9 .
• D. Gebert: Organizational Development. Stuttgart 1974.
• W. Goerke: Organizational development as a holistic innovation strategy. Berlin 1981.
• Gerald Lembke: The learning organization as the basis of a company capable of development. Marburg 2001.
• Harald Pühl : Supervision and organizational development. Opladen 2000.
• Matthias von Saldern: Basics of systemic organizational development. Hohengehren 2000.
• Edgar Schein: Process consulting for the organization of the future. Cologne 2000, ISBN 3-89797-010-4 .
• B. Schmid, A. Messmer: Systemic personnel, organizational and cultural development. Bergisch Gladbach 2005, ISBN 3-89797-039-2 .
• Burkard Sievers: Organizational development as a problem. 1977, ISBN 3-12-907260-8 .

swell

1. ^ P. Rowlandson (1984) The oddity of OD , Management Today, November, pp. 91-93; quoted in Christopher Mabey, and Derek S. Pugh (1999) Strategies for Managing Complex Change , The Open University, Milton Keynes, ISBN 0-7492-9518-X
2. ↑ C. Bowman and D. Asch (1987) Strategic Management , Macimillan, p. 219; quoted in Christopher Mabey, and Derek S. Pugh (1999) Strategies for Managing Complex Change , The Open University, Milton Keynes, ISBN 0-7492-9518-X
3. ↑ Christopher Mabey, and Derek S. Pugh (1999) Strategies for Managing Complex Change , The Open University, Milton Keynes, ISBN 0-7492-9518-X
4. ↑ Ulrike Kipman; Organizational development and personnel management with special consideration of potential analysis ; Dissertation 2007. Grin Verlag. P. 173f.
5. ↑ Kurt Lewin (1947): Frontiers in group dynamics , Human Relations, 1, pp. 5-41; German translation under the title "Equilibria and Changes in Group Dynamics" in Lewin, Field Theory in the Social Sciences , 1963 Hans Huber, Bern, pp. 223–270.