LESSON 1: THE NATURE OF PLANNED CHANGE

THE GENERAL MODEL OF PLANNED CHANGE


1. ENTERING AND CONTRACTING

• entering an organization involves gathering initial data to understand the problems facing the organization
• problems and opportunities are discussed with the different members of the organization to develop a contract or agreement
• the contract contains: future change activities, resources that will be committed to the process and how the OD practitioner and members would be involved in the process

2. DIAGNOSING

• focuses on understanding organizational problems (causes and consequences)
• one of the most important activities in organizational development (OD)
• includes choosing: appropriate model for understanding the organization and gathering, analyzing, and feed back information to members of the organization about their problems

3. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING CHANGE

• There are four major types of OD interventions:

1. HUMAN PROCESS INTERVENTIONS - individual, group, and total system levels
2. MODIFY ORGANIZATION'S STRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
   
3. HUMAN RESOURCE INTERVENTIONS - seek improvement in member performance and wellness
   
4. STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS - managing the organization's relationship to the external environment and internal structure

• organizational members and OD practitioners join together in planning and implementing OD interventions

• they will create interventions to achieve the organization's vision and make action plans to implement them

4. EVALUATING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING CHANGE

• involves evaluating the effects of the intervention and managing the institutionalization of successful change programs
• feedback information about the OD interventions would determine if the change should be continued, modified or suspended
• reinforcement through feedback, rewards, and training

I learned that there are 4 steps in the general model of change, namely: entering and contracting, diagnosing, planning and implementing change, and evaluating and institutionalizing change. Each of these steps are essential in the ODI process. The intervention would not be complete without following all the steps and change can't occur if one step is not done. First, entering the organization means gathering sufficient information about the organization and the problem. If data is already gathered, the signing of the contract will take place to make sure that the organization agrees to this change. The second step is diagnosing which is the most vital step because the OD practitioner will evaluate how the organization's system functions. From there, the OD practitioner will be able to create change plans in line with the organization's operation. Implementing the change would entail different types of intervention as mentioned above. The last step in this model is evaluation and institutionalization which involves evaluating the change that occurred and if it showed visible change effects in the organization.