Page 198 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT

Unit 14: Future Trends in Organization Development

Self Assessment Notes

Fill in the blanks:
1. ………………….. recent advance in change strategies is used in situations of drastic, abrupt
change when the organization’s survival is at stake.

2. The ………………… in changing organizations is the development of trust within and
between individuals, teams, and organizational units and levels.
3. …………….....… to see the big picture, escape linear thinking, and understand subtle
interrelationships.
4. A …………….. that forces mangers to think more broadly about their organization in
terms of how work, people, and formal and informal structures fit together.
5. ………………. are becoming ever more complex and are affected by competitors and
conditions globally.
14.3 Interpersonal Trends

Interpersonal trends focus on team and group dynamics, including:
 Merging line and staff functions: There is a trend toward reducing layers of management,
increasing participation, and developing temporary systems for problem-solving. OD
practitioners may facilitate teamwork, assist in downsizing, and manage the transition to
“do more with less” systems.
 Resource linking: As problems become more complex, it becomes important to develop
ad hoc problem-solving groups.

 Integrating quality and productivity: The growing emphasis on productivity and quality
suggests future trends for OD practitioners to develop links between the goals of
management and improving productivity systems.
 Diversity: There are increasing trends towards greater diversity of the workforce, including
multinational corporations and a need for the integration of values and skills.

 Networking: In order to benefit from knowledge and innovation, organizations will need
efficient systems for identifying and accessing information.

 Rewarding: “You get what you reward” is a truism reminding managers to reward smart
work, simplification, loyalty, teamwork, and risk-taking. Rewards may include stocks,
trips, bonuses, and fun (Legoeuf, 1985).

14.4 Individual Trends

Individual trends, which focus on the individual, include:
 Intrinsic worth: Evidence suggests that increasing intrinsic, not extrinsic, motivation is a
factor in reducing stress and its symptoms. The OD practitioner can assist in shared
understanding and training do deal with these problems.
 Change in individuals: With an increased emphasis on corporate training and development
efforts, the OD practitioner will need to make this process easier and more effective.
 The effects of thinking: The concept of the thinking individual raises the question of
corporate values and cultures as belief systems, and offers the OD practitioner a vehicle
for creating a positive, research-based value system in the organization.

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