Organizational development (OD) is a process of improving the effectiveness of an organization by making changes to its structure, processes, and culture. Evaluating the success of OD initiatives is an essential part of the process. There are several techniques that can be used to assess the effectiveness of organizational development initiatives. The survey method is one of the most popular and widely used data collection methods for evaluating organizational development effectiveness.
Managers use this information collected through surveys to make decisions about working conditions, quality of work, hours of work, salaries, and employee attitudes. This data is then analyzed by the management team to identify problems, evaluate results, and find solutions. Information is collected from all members of the organization, and managers hold meetings with their subordinates to discuss the data and allow them to interpret it. Team building is another technique used in organizational development.
This method is specifically designed to improve employees' capacity and motivate them to work together. It emphasizes the creation of teams or workgroups to improve organizational effectiveness. These teams are made up of employees of the same rank and a supervisor, and they undergo a group discussion under the supervision of an expert coach or supervisor. The trainer only guides but does not participate in the group discussion.
This technique helps employees express their views and see how others interpret them, increases sensitivity to the behavior of others, and exposes them to creative thinking and socio-psychological behavior in the workplace. Sensitivity training is another OD intervention that is also known as laboratory training. With this technique, employees in groups are asked to interact with each other. The goal is to help people understand each other and obtain information so that they feel free and not afraid.
Abraham Korman has correctly observed that “the assumptions of the sensitivity training procedure are that, if these objectives are achieved, one will become defensive with oneself, be less afraid of the intentions of others, respond better to others and their needs, and be less likely to misinterpret the behaviors of others in a negative way”. Through this technique, employees learn about the feelings and behavior of others and the impact of their behavior on others, encourages openness, improves listening skills, tolerates individual differences, and teaches the art of resolving conflict. The concept of management network identifies two main dimensions of management behavior: behaviors oriented to people and behaviors oriented to production. An attempt is being made to pay greater attention to both variables. Robert Blake and Jane Mouton have developed a diagram that shows production-oriented behavior on the X axis and people-oriented behavior on the Y axis.
Point A (1.1) represents a management style that is not very people-oriented or production-oriented; point B (1.9) represents a management style that is very people-oriented but low-production oriented; point C (9.1) represents a management style that shows a great concern for production but low orientation towards people; point D (9.9) represents a management style that is highly oriented to production and people; point E (5.5) represents a management style that has a moderate orientation to production and a moderate orientation to people; and point F (9.9) represents a management style that is highly oriented to production and people – this is considered the most effective management style. For these techniques to be effective in fulfilling the purpose of OD, it is important for executives at the highest level of the organization to make decisions on their appropriateness with caution. They must ensure that all objectives are achieved with these methods while avoiding any potential risks or pitfalls such as groupism in the organization or individuals taking advantage of opportunities for their own benefit. The selection of coaches must also be done carefully as they play a crucial role in making OD programs successful. Coaches must be honest and responsible individuals who inspire respect from participating groups. They must maintain a friendly environment throughout training programs so that each member can learn about behavior and interpersonal interactions. To achieve an effective management style type D or 9.9 for strengthening organizational effectiveness, Blake and Mouton have prescribed the Grid program which involves...
