Running Head: Chapter Analysis 1 1

Chapter Analysis 1

Keyse Ribeiro Fonseca

University of North Texas

1. How would you define OD in your own words?

Running Head: Chapter Analysis 1 2

Organization development defined when a study is done on successful performance and organizational

change. The processes and organizational structures influence worker motivation and behavior. Long-

term training programs may help with the creation and reinforcement.

2. Would you rather work as an internal or external OD consultant? WHY? How might Schein's

cultural iceberg impact both roles as an OD consultant?

To me, either one would work fine. However, since I have to choose one for this assignment, I would

choose internal OD consultant. I think it’s because I’m more familiar with it, and it’s very similar to what

I do at work already. I’m familiar with my organization and how it works, I know the organizational

culture better than an external OD consultant, I have relationships established, high trust level, among

others. I just feel that being an internal OD consultant is more reliable today for myself.

Schein's cultural iceberg impact: First, visible or tangible things which reinforce culture. “The things you

can see and touch”. For instance, if you walk into an organization with a collaborative culture, you might

see shared spaces, you will hear people talking and planning together, and if you stick around enough,

you might find there are awards for those people who are most effective connecters and team players.

Second, espoused values. “What people say is important and what is understood to be valued”. For

instance, seeing the organizational values posters on walls, hearing leaders talk about how customer needs

come first. These can sometimes represent the public relations face of the organization, rather than the

reality. Third, underlying beliefs and assumptions. “Our core beliefs – what people think and feel to be

true”. These assumptions might not be conscious, but they can heavily influence how people act and

interact. For instance, an organization may say it values innovation, but staff members have seen leaders

punish ideas that fail. In that situation, people will quickly learn that it’s safer to keep their heads down

and toe the corporate line, and that will shape their behavior from then on.

3. How does the Action Research Model compare to the Organization Development Process Model?

On pages 18-23, the textbook explains what ARM and ODP are. It says from early on in OD, the ARM

has been the organizing approach for doing OD. It remains deeply embedded within the practice of OD.

Kurt Lewin, one of the widely recognized founders of the field of OD, is also credited with forwarding
Running Head: Chapter Analysis 1 3

the ARM concept in the mid-1940s with his famous statement, “No research without action; no action

without research”. In many respects, the ARM reflects a similar commitment to continuous improvement.

There is no indication od overlap between the phase, or any suggestion that there might be a back and

forth movement among the phases. As a result, a modification of this model is called the organization

development process (OPD) model. It consists of eight components or phases with interactivity among

the phases. Each of these phases applies whether or not the OD professional is an internal or external

consultant. Keeping in mind that OD can be applied at different levels of depth, some of these phases will

be very brief and superficial, while more in-depth OD efforts will require more time, resources, and

effort. Entry, start-up, assessment and feedback, action plan, implementation, evaluation, adoption, and

separation are examples of components.

4. As an OD consultant, what are important factors to consider (or steps to take) before you enter

into a contract?

Entry: The OD and the person representing the client organization meet to decide whether they will work

together, assess the readiness of the organization to change, and agree on the conditions under which they

will work together. Start-up: An agreement has been reached to work together, and a basic infrastructure

is put in place. Assessment and feedback: Consultant and client determine the organizational culture and

give this information to the organizational members. It can also focus on a specific area of interest to the

organization that might require much less commitment of time and resources. Action plan: They are

mutually developed as to how the organization wishes to move forward, in terms of both goals and

objectives and how these will be accomplished. Implementation: The plans that were made in the

previous step are implemented; in OD jargon, this is called an intervention. Evaluation: “How well did

our intervention accomplish the objectives that were planned?” Adoption: If the evaluation indicates that

the objectives of the intervention were accomplished, then the change that was implemented becomes

institutionalized; that is, it becomes a part of the wat in which business is done in the organization. If the

evaluation indicates that desired objectives were not met, then this phase is skipped. In both cases, the

process begins all over again. Separation: At some point, the consultant will withdraw from the
Running Head: Chapter Analysis 1 4

intervention process, having transferred his skills to the client organization. This may occur because

additional change is no longer a priority to the client organization, or that it is not ready for the next stage

of change.

5. For this question, revise the section in this module on force field analysis. Follow the example

provided as you answer this question. Be sure to create a table as shown in the example as you

respond to the question. See link https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_06.htm

Are you thinking about making a decision in your life, regarding work, education, career but

having difficulty making that change? A force field analysis is a technique that can help you decide

for or against that change. Conduct a force field analysis by completing the questions below. Follow

the example provided as closely as possible.

a. Briefly describe your plan or proposal for change.

Our company needs a new software, a newer and more developed tool to create tickets in our help desk

support team. With this new software, we’ll have a much better experience using the platform, searching

for knowledge basis, and inputting data.

b. Identify forces for change.

Running Head: Chapter Analysis 1 5

Web-based, local experts available, 24/7 support available, incorporates best practice, reduced

implementation time.

c. Identify forces against change.

Cost, business disruption, staff afraid of changes, extensive training sessions.

d. Assign scores based on the example provided in the module.

Please see table above

e. In a paragraph (no more than half page), analyze the results and state how you plan to

implement (or not implement) the change based on your scores.

I believe the plan to incorporate the new Service Now web-based application would bring more forces for

change than against change. It might cost more, however, the benefits and gain in a long-term would be

much greater than we have today. This is web-based application is much easier to work with and to train

our staff, thus, the faster our staff gets used to it, more money will come in for the company. The goal is

to spend less and less time writing tickets, make calls faster, and be more productive.