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Block 1 Introduction

Unit 3 Conceptual Framework Of Organisational Development

1. Discuss early development in organisational development.

The sources mention that early organizational development stemmed from five different backgrounds. These include:

• The application of laboratory training methods focusing on individual, interpersonal, and group behavior.
• The development of survey research methods used to collect data on organizational problems and attitudes.
• The application of participative management to organizational structure and design.
• An approach focusing on productivity and the quality of work life.
• The most recent influence involves strategic change and organization transformation.

2. What is world wide organisation?

The sources indicate that worldwide organisations can have different strategic orientations, including global, multinational, or transnational. These organizations must make decisions such as whether to centralize or decentralize operations, and how to work with people from different cultures.

3. Trace the early and modern developments in organisational development.

Early developments in organisational development stemmed from five different backgrounds:

• The application of laboratory training methods.
• The development of survey research methods.
• The application of participative management to organizational structure and design.
• An approach focusing on productivity and the quality of work life.
• The most recent influence involving strategic change and organization transformation.

4. Describe organisational development worldwide.

• Worldwide organisational development has four main areas of activity: research and process development, organisational services, and publishing.
• Research and Process Development is input-focused, relating to gathering information and feedback. It involves conducting research across various organizations and sectors, focusing on medium- to long-term studies in organizational development tools, techniques, and methods.
• Organizational Services and Publishing are output-focused, offering solutions to members and clients. This includes publishing articles, case studies, and research papers on organisational development.
• Worldwide organisations generally implement one of three types of strategic orientations: global, multinational, or transnational. These orientations are geared to specific market, technological, and organisational requirements. OD interventions help organizations meet these demands. For example, with a global orientation, OD interventions can include career planning, role clarification, employee involvement, conflict management, and senior management team building.

5. Describe the role played by Lewin in organisational development.

Kurt Lewin's Role in Organisational Development

• Kurt Lewin is considered the founder father of organisational development.
• Lewin introduced group dynamics and action research, which underpin the organisational development process.
• He experimented with a collaborative change process involving a consultant and a client group, which was based on a three-step process of planning, action, and measuring results. This was the forerunner of action research.
• Lewin also participated in the beginnings of laboratory training, or T-groups. His close associates developed survey-research methods after his death.

6. Describe modern development in organisational development.

Modern Developments in Organisational Development

• There has been serious questioning about the relevance of organisational development to managing change in modern organisations.
• The need for "reinventing" the field has emerged as a topic.
• The use of new technologies combined with globalisation has also shifted the field of organisational development.
• Organisational development is now seen as a "transformative leap to a desired vision where strategies and systems align, in the light of local culture with an innovative and authentic leadership style using the support of high tech tools".

7. Discuss multinational orientation.

Multinational Orientation

• A multinational orientation is one of three strategic orientations that worldwide organisations generally implement.
• It is characterised by decentralised and locally coordinated operations, which require a complex set of organisational development interventions.
• The focus of a multinational orientation is to tailor organisational development to fit the specific cultural and economic context where the subsidiary is located.
• Key interventions for this orientation include intergroup relations, local management team building, sophisticated management selection and development practices, and changes to reward systems.
• Team building is also important, but it must be modified for local management teams because polycentric selection policies can produce management teams with different cultures at each subsidiary.
• Intergroup interventions are also important to improve relations between local subsidiaries and the parent company.
• Decentralised decision-making and regiocentric selection can strain corporate-subsidiary relations.
• Organisational development practitioners can help by offering training in cultural diversity and appreciation.

8. What are intergroup interventions?

Intergroup Interventions

• Intergroup interventions aim to improve relations between local subsidiaries and the parent company.
• They also focus on improving relations between different groups within an organisation.
• These interventions can help smooth parent-subsidiary relationships by focusing on the profit-centre control system or other criteria as the means for monitoring and measuring subsidiary effectiveness.
• Intergroup problem solving is also a type of intervention where groups work separately before coming together to establish common goals and negotiate changes.

9. What is required in management selection for multinational firms?

Management Selection for Multinational Firms

• Management selection for local or regional subsidiaries requires finding people who are technically and managerially competent and possess the interpersonal competence needed to interface with corporate headquarters.
• Management development programs can help teach these cross-cultural skills and abilities.
• Such programs typically include language, cultural awareness, and technical training. They can also include managers and staff from subsidiary and corporate offices to improve communications.
• Reward systems need to be aligned with the decentralised structure. Managers' compensation could be tied to local profit performance.