Unit 3: Implementation and Assessment of O.D

Implementation Conditions for Success of OD Efforts

OD (Organizational Development) succeeds when the following conditions are fulfilled:

1. Top Management Support

Leaders must show commitment, provide resources, and encourage employees.
Without top-level involvement, OD programmes lose direction.

2. Clear Goals and Expectations

OD activities must have defined objectives (e.g., improved teamwork, reduced conflict, better communication).

3. Open Communication

Employees should feel safe to express ideas, concerns, and feedback.
Transparency builds trust.

4. Employee Participation

OD works best when employees are involved in planning and decision-making.
Participation increases acceptance of change.

5. Skilled OD Practitioner

The consultant or OD expert should have strong interpersonal, analytical, and facilitation skills.
They must understand organizational culture and behaviour.

6. Proper Diagnosis

Before implementing interventions, the organization must correctly identify the root causes of problems.

7. Long-Term Commitment

OD is not a one-time activity; it requires continuous effort and follow-up.

8. Suitable Organizational Culture

Culture must support learning, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Implementation Conditions Leading to Failure of OD Efforts

OD programmes fail mainly due to:

1. Lack of Top Management Support

Leaders do not prioritize OD activities or provide resources.

2. Resistance to Change

Employees fear loss of job, power, or comfort.
This reduces acceptance and cooperation.

3. Poor Diagnosis

Wrong identification of issues leads to wrong solutions.

4. Inadequate Communication

Lack of clarity creates confusion, rumours, and mistrust.

5. Short-Term Focus

Management expects quick results; OD is a long-term process.
Impatience leads to incomplete implementation.

6. Lack of Skilled Practitioners

Untrained consultants can misguide the process.

7. Cultural Misfit

If the organizational culture is rigid, hierarchical, or closed, OD fails to take root.

8. Insufficient Resources

Lack of time, money, training, or tools leads to incomplete execution.

Assessment of OD and Change in Organizational Performance

Assessment (evaluation) helps measure whether OD efforts are effective.

Process of OD Assessment

1. Pre-OD Diagnosis

Measure the current situation (baseline data):

productivity
employee morale
absenteeism
turnover
conflicts
customer satisfaction

2. During-OD Assessment

Check whether interventions are being implemented properly.
Collect feedback through surveys, interviews, or observations.

3. Post-OD Evaluation

Compare results after the intervention with baseline data.

4. Measuring Organizational Performance Indicators

Some performance indicators include:

Increased productivity
Improved team coordination
Higher employee satisfaction
Lower absenteeism
Reduction in conflicts
Better customer service
Faster decision-making

5. Continuous Monitoring

OD assessment is ongoing; results are reviewed at regular intervals.

Impact of OD on the Organization

OD brings several positive impacts:

1. Improved Organizational Culture

Promotes openness, trust, innovation, and teamwork.

2. Better Communication

Reduces confusion and improves clarity of goals.

3. Enhanced Productivity and Efficiency

Teams work more smoothly with better coordination.

4. Higher Employee Satisfaction and Morale

Employee involvement increases motivation.

5. Better Conflict Management

OD techniques like team-building reduce interpersonal conflicts.

6. Stronger Leadership

OD develops leadership skills through coaching and training.

7. Increased Adaptability

Organizations become more flexible and ready for change.

8. Customer Satisfaction

Improved internal efficiency leads to better service quality.

Key Considerations and Issues in OD

While implementing OD, organizations must keep the following in mind:

A. Key Considerations

1. Organizational Culture

OD requires a culture that supports change.

2. Readiness for Change

Employees and managers must be mentally prepared.

3. Consultant–Client Relationship

Trust and communication must be strong between OD practitioner and organization.

4. Ethical Considerations

Confidentiality, transparency, and fairness must be maintained.

5. Alignment with Organizational Goals

OD interventions should support long-term strategic goals.

6. Resource Availability

Sufficient time, budget, and manpower are necessary.

B. Key Issues in OD

1. Resistance to Change

One of the biggest challenges.
People fear the unknown and loss of security.

2. Misunderstanding OD Purpose

Employees may see OD as a threat or unnecessary.

3. Lack of Trust

If employees don’t trust management or the consultant, OD fails.

4. Role Conflicts

Confusion between consultant and manager responsibilities.

5. Cultural Challenges

Rigid, bureaucratic cultures resist OD practices.

6. Poor Communication

Leads to confusion and slows implementation.

7. Unrealistic Expectations

Management expects immediate results.

8. Sustaining Change

After the intervention, maintaining the change is difficult.

Issues in Consultant–Client Relationship

The consultant–client relationship is central to OD success. However, several issues can arise:

1. Lack of Trust

If the client does not trust the consultant’s skills, advice, or intentions, cooperation becomes weak.
If the consultant feels the client is hiding information, diagnosis becomes inaccurate.

2. Role Confusion

Sometimes the client expects the consultant to “solve everything.”

In reality:

Consultant = facilitator/guide
Client = decision-maker
When roles overlap, conflicts arise.

3. Resistance to Change

Managers or employees may resist the consultant's suggestions.
They may feel threatened, insecure, or fearful of losing power.

4. Miscommunication

Unclear expectations about goals, timelines, or responsibilities.
Lack of regular feedback leads to misunderstanding.

5. Unrealistic Expectations

Client expects quick results or miraculous changes.
OD requires time—when expectations are unrealistic, frustration builds.

6. Confidentiality Issues

Consultant must ensure sensitive data remains confidential.
If employees fear their opinions will be revealed, they won't cooperate.

7. Power Dynamics

Senior managers may dominate consultant interactions.
Consultant may feel pressured to agree even when it’s not ideal.

8. Lack of Commitment from Client

Client must actively participate; OD is not a “consultant-only” job.
Without commitment, recommendations are ignored.

Mechanistic vs. Organic Systems

These are two types of organizational structures.

A. Mechanistic System

A mechanistic system is rigid, formal, and hierarchical.

Features

Strict rules and procedures
Centralized decision-making
Tall hierarchy (many layers)
Clearly defined job roles
Limited flexibility
Communication flows top-down

Suitable For

Stable environment
Routine, repetitive tasks
Manufacturing, government offices, large bureaucracies

Impact on OD

Harder to implement OD (because change is slow)
Resistance is higher
Innovation and participation may be low

B. Organic System

An organic system is flexible, adaptive, and open.

Features

Decentralized decision-making
Flat structure
Open communication (both ways)
Flexible job roles
High collaboration and teamwork
Innovation-friendly

Suitable For

Dynamic, uncertain environment
Tech companies, startups, creative industries

Impact on OD

OD works better in organic systems
Employees are open to change
Easy communication helps in implementation

Contingency Approach in OD

The contingency approach believes “There is no one best way to manage or change an organization.”

Key Idea

OD interventions should depend on:

organizational culture
size of the company
nature of work
environment (stable or dynamic)
leadership style
employee readiness

Example

Team building works well in an organic system but may fail in a rigid, mechanistic system.
A participative style may succeed in a creative firm but fail in a police department.

Why it’s Important

Helps tailor OD strategies for better success
Reduces the risk of failure
Ensures practical and realistic solutions

The Failure of OD

OD may fail due to several reasons:

1. Weak Diagnosis

If root problems are misunderstood, interventions become ineffective.

2. Lack of Top Management Support

Leadership must provide direction, resources, and commitment.
Without this, OD loses momentum.

3. Employee Resistance

Fear of change, job insecurity, or political interests can block OD.

4. Poor Communication

Unclear goals, lack of feedback, and rumour spread can derail OD efforts.

5. Incompetent OD Practitioner

If the consultant lacks skills or experience, the OD programme becomes weak.

6. Unrealistic Expectations

Expecting quick results, ignoring long-term nature of OD.

7. Resource Constraints

Insufficient budget, time, or manpower.

8. Cultural Mismatch

OD requires an open, flexible culture.
In rigid, bureaucratic cultures, employees see OD as interference.

9. Short-Term Focus

Organizations stop OD mid-way due to impatience or shifting priorities.

10. Lack of Follow-Up

OD is continuous.
Without monitoring and reinforcement, changes fade over time.