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Block 1 Introduction

Unit 1 Definition And Introduction To Organisational Development

1) Describe organisational development.

Organisational development (OD) is a long-range effort to improve an organisation's problem-solving and renewal processes. It involves a systematic process to change the culture, systems and behaviour of the organisation. 

This is often achieved through more effective and collaborative management of organisational culture, with the help of a change agent or catalyst and the application of behavioural science theory and technology. OD focuses on the people dimensions of an organisation, such as norms, values, attitudes, relationships and organisational culture. 

The strategies of OD aim to enhance organisational effectiveness and solve organisational problems, including structural and technological changes, and focuses on the working relationships of employees. It is a planned, organisation-wide effort to increase an organisation's effectiveness.

2) Discuss any two goals of organisational development.

• Two goals of organisational development include:
  • Improving employee satisfaction and motivation.
  • Enhancing the achievement of organisational goals. This can be achieved through the use of varied techniques.
• Other goals include ensuring authority is associated with role, status, knowledge and competence, and clarifying decision making and sources of information.

3) Describe the most important goal of organisational development according to you. Give reason.

The sources identify several goals of organisational development, including improving employee satisfaction and motivation and enhancing the achievement of organisational goals. 

Improving organisational effectiveness is noted as another important goal. While the sources do not specify one as the most important, enhancing the achievement of organisational goals is a critical goal because it encompasses the overall purpose of OD, which is to help organisations succeed. Various techniques are used to enhance the achievement of organisational goals.

4) Differentiate organisational development from organisational change.

While both terms might seem similar, they differ to a greater extent. 

Organisational development is specifically oriented to improving organisational effectiveness and involves helping organisation members gain the skills and knowledge necessary to solve their own problems. It is also concerned with both high performance and the quality of work life. 

Organisational change, on the other hand, is a broader term which refers to any alteration occurring in the overall work environment. Management consulting is concerned with financial performance, whereas training and development addresses individual effectiveness; both differ from OD in their focus.

5) What is organisational change?

Organisational change is a significant area that involves alterations in an organisational setting. It is a broad term, referring to any modification or shift in the overall work environment.

6) State any two ways in which organisational development is different from organisational change.

Two ways in which organisational development differs from organisational change are:

• OD is focused on improving organisational effectiveness, including the organisation's ability to solve its own problems, and achieve goals.

• OD is concerned with both high performance and quality of work life.

7) Discuss the concept of organisational culture.

Organisational culture is an important factor in organisational development. Organisational development can be described as a long range effort to improve the management of organisational culture. OD concentrates on people dimensions like norms, values, attitudes, relationships and organisational culture.

8) Discuss any two definitions of organisational development.

Organisational development can be defined as:

• A long-range effort to improve an organisation's problem-solving and renewal processes, particularly through more effective and collaborative management of organisational culture, often with the assistance of a change agent or catalyst and the use of the theory and technology of applied behavioural science.
• A systematic process to change the culture, system and behaviour of an organisation, which helps in solving organisational problems and achieving organisational objectives. It is also an important mechanism that helps in impressing the organisation and its employees through a planned and established system.

9) Describe factors that need to be highlighted while defining organisational development.

Factors to be highlighted when defining organisational development include:

• It's a systematic process.
• It aims to change culture, systems and behaviours.
• It's a long range effort.
• It focuses on improving an organisation's problem solving and renewal processes.
• It emphasises effective and collaborative management of organisational culture.
• It uses the theory and technology of applied behavioural science.
• It aims to enhance organisational effectiveness.
• It helps in achieving organisational objectives.
• It concentrates on people dimensions like norms, values, attitudes, relationships, and culture.
• It focuses on working relationships of employees.

10) Explain the meaning of organisational development.

Organisational development is a planned, organisation-wide effort to increase an organisation's effectiveness. It is also described as a long-range effort to improve an organisation's problem-solving and renewal processes through the effective management of organisational culture and the application of behavioural science. 

It is a systematic process to change the culture, systems and behaviours of the organisation to solve problems and achieve objectives, and focuses on people dimensions like norms, values and attitudes.

11) Highlight the five important factors in organisational development.

Five key factors in organisational development can be highlighted:

1. Systematic process: OD is a planned and structured approach to change.
2. Focus on culture: OD emphasizes the management of organisational culture.
3. Application of behavioural science: OD uses theories and techniques from behavioural science.
4. Problem-solving and renewal: OD aims to enhance an organisation's ability to solve problems and adapt to change.
5. People dimensions: OD concentrates on norms, values, attitudes and relationships.

12) Elaborate the goals of organisational development.

The goals of organisational development include:

• Improving employee satisfaction and motivation.
• Ensuring authority is associated with role, status, knowledge, and competence.
• Clarifying decision-making processes and sources of information.
• Improving organisational effectiveness.
• Enhancing the achievement of organisational goals.

13) Differentiate between organisational development and organisational change.

• Organisational development is focused on improving organisational effectiveness by helping organisations solve their own problems. It is a long-range, planned effort and emphasizes enhancing both performance and the quality of work life.
• Organisational change is a broader term that refers to any alteration in an organisation's environment, and it may or may not be planned.

14) Describe how organisational culture is an important factor in organisational development.

Organisational culture is a key factor in OD because it influences how people behave and interact within the organisation. OD aims to improve an organisation by focusing on the management of its culture. OD focuses on the people dimensions of the organisation like norms, values and attitudes, all of which form the culture of the organisation.

15) What are the main functions of OD?

The sources indicate that the main functions of Organisational Development (OD) include:

• Improving an organisation's problem-solving and renewal processes.
• Changing the culture, systems, and behaviours within an organisation.
• Enhancing organisational effectiveness.
• Solving organisational problems.
• Focusing on people dimensions such as norms, values, attitudes, and relationships.
• Improving working relationships of employees with the organisation.
• Bringing about change and improving performance.
• Creating an environment where staff can understand and deliver the organisation's objectives.
• Promoting a participative-democratic style of working.
• Using techniques and promoting organisational effectiveness.
• Improving profitability, productivity, morale, and/or quality of work life.

16) Describe the six-step model of understanding organisation developed by Weisbord.

Weisbord's six-step model provides a framework for understanding organisations:

• Purposes: This step involves understanding the organisation's mission, purpose, and goals, including whether members support the organisation’s purpose.
• Structure: This looks at how the work is divided within the organisation and whether the internal structure adequately fits the purpose.
• Relationships: This considers the relationships between individuals, between different units or departments, and between people and their job requirements.
• Rewards: This involves diagnosing what the organisation formally rewards or punishes.
• Leadership: This involves monitoring other parts of the model and maintaining balance among them.
• Helpful Mechanisms: This includes planning, control, budgeting, and other information systems that help organisation members accomplish their goals.

17) Explain the concept of organisational development as described by Warren Bennis.

According to Warren Bennis, organisational development is a response to change, described as a complex educational strategy intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of an organisation so that it can adapt to new technologies, marketing challenges, and the rate of change. 

It is not simply "anything done to better an organisation" nor is it just "the training function of the organisation"; instead, it is a particular kind of change process designed to bring about a particular kind of end result. It involves interventions in the organisation’s “processes,” using behavioural science knowledge, organisational reflection, system improvement, planning, and self-analysis.

18) How does OD achieve its goals?

OD achieves its goals through:

• A systematic process to change the culture, system and behavior of an organization.
• Planned interventions that use behavioural science knowledge.
• Focusing on the people dimensions of an organization, including norms, values, attitudes, and relationships.
• Enhancing organizational effectiveness and solving organizational problems.
• Structural and technological changes as needed.
• Improving the working relationships of employees within the organisation.
• A shared approach valuing a participative-democratic style of working.
• Using various techniques to promote organisational effectiveness.
• Improving an organization’s problem solving and renewal processes.

19) Why is organisational change and change management important?

Organisational change and change management are important because:

• Organisations must adapt to changes in their environment to remain effective.
• Change is inevitable due to both internal and external forces.
• Organisational development is designed to help an organisation change to enable it to achieve its goals, mission and vision in a most effective and efficient manner.
• Change management is the modern approach to management of change for human resources development.
• Adaptability and responsiveness are essential for organisations to survive and thrive.
• Effective change management ensures that an organisation can deal with challenges in both its internal and external environments.
• Organisational development can help the whole organisation to become more flexible adaptable and effective.