Techniques of

Organizational Diagnosis

By Sharon Stephen
II MSW-HRM
 Survey Feedback
 Information is collected through survey method. This is the
most popular and widely used method of data collection.
The managers use this information collected through survey
for making decisions. The wide range of data is collected
regarding working conditions, quality of work, working
hours, wages and salaries, attitude of employees relating to
above.
 These data are then analyzed by the team of managers.
They find out the problem, evaluate the results and find out
solutions. After this plans are prepared for making
necessary changes. This procedure is followed at all levels of
management involving all the employees of the
organisation.
 Team Building
 Team Building is another method of organisation development.
This method is specifically designed to make improvement in the
ability of employees and motivating them to work together.
These teams consist of employees of the same rank and a
supervisor. This technique is an application of sensitivity training
to the teams of different departments. The teams or work
groups are pretty small consisting of 10 to 15 persons. They
undergo group discussion under the supervision of an expert
trainer usually a supervisor. The trainer only guides but does not
participate in the group discussion. They become aware of
group functioning. They get exposed to the creative thinking of
others and socio-psychological behaviour at the workplace.
They learn many aspects of interpersonal behaviour and
interactions.
 Sensitivity Training

 It is quite popular OD intervention. It is also known as laboratory training.

Under this technique the employees in groups are asked to interact. The
aim of sensitivity training is to help people understand each other and
gain insight so that they feel free and become fearless.
 “Under this technique the different groups of employees are allowed to
mix up with each other and communicate freely and build up
interpersonal relationship. They learn the reflection of their behaviour
and try to improve it. The employees through this technique know others
feelings and behaviour and the impact of their behaviour on others. It
builds up openness, improves listening skills, tolerate individual
differences and the art of resolving conflicts. It helps in reducing
interpersonal conflicts in the organisation.
 Managerial Grid
 The concept of managerial grid identifies two major
dimensions of management behaviour. They are people
oriented and production oriented behaviours. It is
impoverished management. There are many managers come
under this category. Such managers do not face any trouble
and they do not carry any risk too. The point B having
coordinates 1.9 represents a managerial style which is highly
people oriented and low production oriented. This is a Country
Club pattern of management. This type of management style
keeps the employees happy without much concern for
production. The next point C or 9.1 represents a managerial
style which shows high concern for production and low in
people orientation. The managers who come under this
category who usually fix high targets of production for their
subordinates and employees and do not pay any attention to
the needs and wants of their people.
 The point D having coordinates 9.9 represent a managerial style
which is highly production oriented and highly people oriented.
Robert Blake and Jane Mouton say that this is the most effective
managerial style. Under this category of management style
managers put their best efforts and have commitment to the
people and organisation. This is the most favoured style and
efforts must be made to develop the style accordingly. There is
however a middle way which is represented by the point E or 5.5 a
management style having moderate production orientation and
moderate people orientation. This is known as middle of the road
managerial style. But the style represented by the point D or 9.9 is
the most effective and most favoured one for accomplishment of
organisational objectives. To achieve D or 9.9 type of managerial
style to strengthen organisational effectiveness Blake and
Mouton have prescribed Grid programme which is a structured
laboratory training containing six phases.
 Management by Objectives (MBO)
 MBO is a technique of management development
which was put forward for the first time by Peter
Drucker in 1954. It is a method of achieving
organisational objectives and a technique of
evaluation and review of performance. Under this
method objectives of the organisation are fixed and
responsibility to achieve them lie on the managers
and results are expected from them. Achievement of
organisational objectives is considered as the joint
and individual responsibility of all managers. It also
provides a perfect appraisal system. Performance of
the managers is measured against the specific
objectives. It is result oriented technique.
 Brain Storming

 It is a technique where a group of five to eight

managers come together and find a solution
to a problem. As the name suggests it
involves storming of the brain to develop
creativity in thinking. It gives rise to new
ideas. The principle involves in it is that any
idea, thought or plan put forward in a meeting
must be critically evaluated. The participants
are asked to come forward with novel ideas
 Process Consultation
 The technique of process consultation is an improvement
over the method of sensitivity training or T Group in the
sense that both are based on the similar premise of
improving organisational effectiveness through dealing with
interpersonal problems but process consultation is more
tasks oriented than sensitivity training. In process
consultation the consultant or expert provides the trainee
feedback and tell him what is going around him. Under this
technique the consultant or expert provides necessary
guidance or advice as to how the participant can solve his
own problem. Process consultation technique is developed
to find solutions to the important problems faced by the
organisation such as decision making and problem solving,
communication, functional role of group members,
leadership qualities. Consultant is an expert outside the
organisation.
 Quality Circles

 Under this system a group of 5 to 12 come together at their

own free will during working hours once in a week and
discuss out the problems and suggests solution to the
management for implementation. The supervisors remain
present during the meeting. Quality Circles have their origin
in Japan in nineteen sixties which improved the quality,
reduced cost and heightened the morale of the workers.
The success was due to workers’ participation. Total quality
management or TQM is the recent development. This
concept was adopted by the USA in 1980.
 Transactional Analysis

 Transactional analysis helps people to understand

each other better. It is a useful tool for organisational
development but it has diverse applications in
training, counselling, interpersonal communication
and making analysis of group dynamics. Nowadays, it
is widely used as OD technique. It helps in developing
more adult ego states among people of the
organisation. It is also used in process consultation
and team building.
THANK YOU !