Organization Development and Change

Chapter Nine:
Designing Interventions

Thomas G. Cummings
Christopher G. Worley
 Learning Objectives
for Chapter Nine
• To discuss criteria for effective
interventions
• To discuss issues, considerations,
constraints, ingredients, and processes
associated with intervention design
• To give an overview of the various
interventions used in the book

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 Definition of Interventions

An intervention is a set of sequenced and

planned actions or events intended to help the
organization increase its effectiveness.

Interventions purposely disrupt

the status quo.

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 Characteristics of
Effective Interventions
1. Is it relevant to the needs of the
organization?
– Valid information- accurate diagnosis
– Free and Informed Choice- members are
actively involved in making decisions
– Internal Commitment- members accept
ownership of the intervention

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 Characteristics of
Effective Interventions
2. Is it based on causal knowledge of intended
outcomes?
– Based on valid knowledge that those outcomes
actually can be produced.
– Knowledge of intervention effects in in
developmental stage
– Few research focus on the examination of the
comparative effects of different OD techniques.
– More attempt to assess the strengths and weaknesses
of OD interventions.

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 Characteristics of
Effective Interventions
3. Does it transfer competence to manage
change to organization members?
– The extent to which it enhances the
organization’s capacity to manage change.
– Organization members should be better able to
carry out planned change activities on their
own.

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 The Design of
Effective Interventions
• Contingencies Related to the
Change Situation 環境中可能會影響
intervention成功之因素
例:
• individual difference (need for autonomy)
• Organizational factors (management style)
• dimensions of the change process itself (need top
management support or not)
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 The Design of
Effective Interventions
• Contingencies Related to the
Change Situation 環境中可能會影響
intervention成功之因素
• Readiness for Change
• Capability to Change
• Cultural Context
• Capabilities of the Change Agent

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 The Design of
Effective Interventions
• Contingencies Related to the Target of Change
變革本身可能會影響intervention成功之因素
Two key contingencies related to change targets that
can affect intervention success
1. Organizational issues that the intervention is
intended to resolve.
2. Organizational level of organizational system at
which the intervention is expected to have a
primary impact.
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 The Design of
Effective Interventions
• Contingencies Related to the Target of Change
• Organizational issues
– Strategic Issues
– Technology and structure issues
– Human resources issues
– Human process issues
• See Fig. 9.1

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 The Design of
Effective Interventions
• Contingencies Related to the Target of Change
• Organizational Level
– Individual
– Group
– Organization
– Transorganization
• See Table 9.1

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 Intervention Overview
• Human Process Interventions
• Technostructural Interventions
• Human Resources Management
Interventions
• Strategic Interventions

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 Human Process Interventions
• Coaching
• Training and Development
• Process Consultation and Team Building
• Third-party Interventions (Conflict
Resolution)
• Organization Confrontation Meeting
• Intergroup Relationships
• Large-group Interventions
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Technostructural Interventions
• Structural Design
• Downsizing
• Reengineering
• Employee Involvement
• Work Design

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 Human Resources
Management Interventions
• Goal Setting
• Performance Appraisal
• Reward Systems
• Career Planning and Development
• Managing Work Force Diversity
• Employee Stress and Wellness

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 Strategic Interventions
• Integrated Strategic Change
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Alliances and Networks
• Culture Change
• Self-designing Organizations
• Organization Learning and Knowledge
Management
9-16