Case Study 3: International OD Competencies
Group 5:
Tracey Bingham
Veronica Quijada-Albornoz
Catherine Nelson
M. Makenzie Sheehy
Penn State World Campus
WFED 572
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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Case Background: What is Happening?
Ralph, a U.S. based manager of a multinational corporation, was recently put on a twoyear assignment to oversee their Philippines subsidiary. Ralph had limited training and
preparation prior to his arrival and just two weeks into his assignment, a decision was made by
top managers at their New York facility to engage an external OD consultant to install Total
Quality Management (TQM) at this manufacturing facility. The OD consultant, Georgina, was
hired for her extensive background and experience in TQM in manufacturing. She had traveled
and conducted business in other Asian countries but had limited knowledge of the Filipino
culture. Upon her arrival to the Manila manufacturing facility, she was introduced to Ralph and
quickly discovered that he was just getting acclimated to the customs of the Filipino culture. He
shared some of his initial impressions of the culture and how they conducted business as
compared to the U.S. He explained that there was some urgency from the New York office to
quickly implement and adapt TQM at his facility but expressed concern for how this would be
received in this culture and environment. He let Georgina know that she was there as the expert
to make this implementation happen successfully and that he could be available to help address
any concerns from the staff.
Principles: What Should be Happening?
This particular case study draws on many fundamental principles and concepts as it
relates to diversity, inclusion and global organization development. As we later assess the gap
between what is happening and what should be happening, we draw on these concepts and
principles along with steps taken in the Action Research Model, to illustrate a successful global
OD change effort.
The foundation of OD consulting is to understand how groups of people work together to
build organization effectiveness. Within those groups, there are various beliefs, values and
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behaviors. In practicing OD, it’s important to not only understand the values of an organization
but also the individual people within. Katz and Miller (2016) address two elements for
leveraging diversity across groups within an organization: “a mindset of joining rather than
judging others; and, the use of 4 Keys to create common language that people can readily use
and understand” (p. 366).
Judging vs. Joining
It can be human tendency to create judgement on those that are different from us, but
coming from a place of joining rather than judging, “paves the way for faster, more inclusive
collaboration, better decision making, and the elimination of waste in interactions” (Katz and
Miller, 2016, p. 366). Judging places distance between us while joining creates openness and
support. “In Joining, people seek out areas of agreement, find ways to link to the perspective of
others, and foster collaboration” (Katz and Miller, 2016, p. 368). The joining approach creates
an inclusive environment where others feel the freedom to share their voice and work in
collaboration. In this case, it’s clear that Ralph is coming from a place of judging, which is
immediately building a wall with the Filipino staff. What he should be doing is coming from a
place of curiosity and learning, allowing time to engage, build trust and test his assumptions.
The 4 Keys
The 4 Keys, as outlined by Katz and Miller (2016), provide a framework for adopting the
joining mindset and creating a common language that builds on trust:
•
Key 1: Lean into Discomfort - stepping outside our comfort zones to try something new.
Speak up and allow an environment for others to share ideas (Katz and Miller, 2016).
•
Key 2: Listen as an Ally - Listen and understand the others’ perspectives to engage and
establish collaboration (Katz and Miller, 2016).
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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Key 3: State Intent and Intensity - “Clarify intent at the outset: State Notions (statement
that leaves the door open for further discussion), Stakes (establish a starting point for
discussion with the ability to shift as needed), Boulders (substantive and firm in position),
and Tombstones (total commitment to an idea). Say what you mean and how much you
mean it” (Katz and Miller, 2016, p. 369).
•
Key 4: Share your Street Corner - “Accept others’ thoughts and experiences as true for
them. Hear others’ differences as additive” (Katz and Miller, 2016, p. 369).
By applying these 4 Keys to this case, Ralph could have established open communication
and trust with his staff and begin to build rapport that would set the stage for the change
initiatives to come.
The competencies for global OD professionals are more complex and ever-changing as
the world around us continues to change. “Global refers to being cognizant there may be
different political, economic, legal and cultural factors that may influence a change initiative or
may alter the OD approach” (Yaeger and Sorensen, 2016, p. 376). OD consultants engaging in
work outside of their own cultural norm must consider “societal orientation in terms of power,
uncertainty, masculinity, and individualism” (Yaeger and Sorensen, 2016, p. 377). These tools,
developed by Geert Hofstede (2001; Hofstede and Hofstede 2004) and outlined by Yaeger and
Sorensen (2016), are:
•
Power distance - “the extent to which a society accepts that power in institutions or
organizations is distributed unequally” (p. 377).
•
Uncertainty avoidance - “the extent to which a society feel threatened by uncertain and
ambiguous situations” (p. 377).
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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Individualism - “a loosely knit social framework in which people should take care of
themselves and their immediate families only, while collectivism is characterized by a
tight social framework in which people distinguish between in-groups (relative, clan,
organizations) to look after them” (p. 378).
•
Masculinity - “the extent to which the society if assertive and aggressive rather than
contemplative” (p. 378).
Applying these concepts to global OD consulting plays an important role in how
successful a change initiative may be for an organization and the people within. It’s important
for the OD practitioner to match the cultural values with “core humanistic values of OD, such as
trust, respect and collaboration” (Yeager and Sorensen, 2016, p. 379). In this case study, the OD
consultant brought in to implement TQM at the Manila manufacturing facility should have
researched the cultural implications that may impact the effectiveness of her work prior to
contracting the job. By mapping OD practices with cultural values, Georgina would have been
able to prepare for any resistance and plan accordingly with her implementation plan.
This ties into the pre-launch and launch steps of Burke’s (2014) Action Research Model
which provides a process for the client and consultant to collectively decide what change is
needed. An OD consultant must conduct due diligence prior to implementing any action plan,
which involves some heavy lifting on the front end and establishing consensus from the client.
Burke’s model looks at change efforts as opportunities for ongoing learning, where each phase
serves as an important platform for the next. The Pre-Launch phase establishes the foundation
for change by: “scanning the external environment, establishing the need for change, and
providing clarity of vision and direction” (Rothwell et al, 2016, p. 46). The Launch phase
communicates the need for change and builds momentum and sustainability for the change effort
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(Rothwell et al, 2016). “It is a phase of OD in which valuable information is gathered and
analyzed and a collaborative approach is used to evaluate the information, plan actions around
the change process, and implement changes using methods that can significantly improve the
probability of successful change” (Warrick, 2016, p. 173). In this case study, these steps were
missed or loosely addressed by Georgina and should have been used as the foundation for her
work. As we further assess the gap between what is and what should be and outline an
appropriate action plan, we will draw on these two crucial phases of the Action Research Model
to demonstrate what could have been a successful OD change effort.
The Gap Between What is and What Should Be: Recommended Action Plan
The recommended action plan for this case actually begins before the external consultant
was hired. In the case study, Ralph made a comment that his company was just “jumping on the
bandwagon” in trying to apply TQM in the manufacturing facility in Manila. Before a consultant
was hired, the leadership and stakeholders of the company should have decided on the direction
that they wanted to take their company. Did they have a clear understanding of what goals they
wanted to achieve? Were other types of external consultants considered that had a different type
of expertise? Did the company believe that TQM was a one size fits all solution? Just because it
worked in other industries, and just because it worked in New York, didn’t necessarily mean it
would work in the Philippines. Did TQM align with the values and economic context of
manufacturing companies in the Philippines? These are just a few of the questions that should
have been posed to the relevant stakeholders before deciding on an approach.
A major factor to be discussed between the OD consultant and the organization during
the contracting phase should have been her role as an OD versus performance consultant. Given
Ralph’s comments about Georgina being the expert, it does not appear that the company was
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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interested in a participative OD approach to change. These roles and expectations should have
been clearly defined to determine if she was even the right fit for the role. Non-OD experts may
lack familiarity with the distinction between OD and performance consulting; however, it is
incumbent upon Georgina to ensure the leadership team understands her approach and skillset, in
order to ensure it is aligned with their goals and expectations.
After management and stakeholders had agreed that Georgina was in fact a good fit, and
that TQM would have been the appropriate avenue in reaching their goals, Georgina should have
requested a liaison or a change agent within the company. From reading the case study, it was
apparent that the expectations for Georgina were extremely high. The responsibility for the
implementation of TQM and its success were placed squarely on her shoulders. At the
contracting phase, in addition to proposing an implementation plan that included parameters such
as goals, length of engagement and cost, it should have been stressed that the use of internal
change agents would have greatly increased the likelihood of its success. Allowing Georgina to
start building a trusting a relationship with this person early on would help ensure a smoother
change process for the organization. The significance of this role will be discussed in more
detail later in this section.
“Mapping” (Margulies and Raia 1978) of the organizational structure should have begun
following the contracting phase. This is where the consultant should have begun studying both of
the cultures that she would be interacting with in this engagement, the Filipino culture and the
corporate culture of the manufacturing facility. Despite having had successful consulting
engagements throughout Asia, it was shortsighted to make the assumption that the approach
would be similar to her engagements in China, Korea and Japan. Proper front-end work should
have been conducted in order to explore the history of the country, the language and the customs.
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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When there is an understanding of a culture, it allows the consultant an opportunity to find
common ground with the people they are trying to engage. In finding common ground, this
helps to form a foundation of trust, which is essential in an OD intervention.
An economic assessment of the country would have also provided a wealth of
information. This would have provided Georgina better insight into any possible resistance she
might encounter at the manufacturing facility. According to Yaeger and Sorensen (2016) while
drawing from research from Cumming and Worley (2015), “A country’s level of economic
development places constraints on applying OD in terms of technology and information systems,
employee and management skill levels, project planning and organizing, and motivational and
reward systems, among others” (p. 378). Being aware of the role of the economy in the
Philippines could have provided Georgina with a baseline of what the national economy was
built on, how skilled the labor force was, what the compensation practices were, and what the
skill level was for people in managerial positions. All of these factors could provide insights as
to how the TQM implementation should be approached in order to ensure chances of success.
Further research that could have also provided value would have been to research how
closely the values of OD were aligned with the national cultural values of the Philippines. This
could have served as an indicator to the kind of resistance Georgina could have expected as a
result of her arrival. The research by Jaeger (1986) found that the likelihood of having a
successful OD intervention is correlated to how closely aligned the country’s values are to the
values of OD. In countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, where the values are most
compatible with the values of OD, a wide range of interventions to organizations could be
proposed and met with very little resistance, increasing the probability of success. Conversely,
the countries whose values are most different than the OD values will pose more challenges.
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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Finding out where the Philippines fit on the spectrum, from most consistent values to least
consistent values as they align with OD, would have provided the consultant with a better
understanding of how to propose and implement changes. To further supplement her research,
Georgina could have networked with other OD professionals in the Philippines to learn about
how their OD efforts have been carried out successfully.
Assuming all of these conversations happened about the goals, scope of project, role
clarity, and cultural dynamics and sensitivities, the project could begin. As previously
mentioned, having a least one company insider who could serve as a change agent and liaison
between Georgina and the native employees would be a critical factor in increasing the chances
of success in the project. As noted in the WFED 572 Lesson 10 materials by Rothwell, there are
advantages and disadvantages to internal and external consultants. When these consultants can
work together, the chances of success improve. Having a native Filipino would be especially
important in this instance as this person would be able to help Georgina understand,
communicate with, and build trust with the other employees. The local employees may be more
willing to listen and work with someone who they already know and trust, and it may be hard to
build a relationship with a foreign outsider without support and advocacy of someone in their
organization they respect.
From here, the assessment phase could begin with Georgina collecting data from
available sources to understand the problem and prepare feedback that could be shared back to
the leadership team and stakeholders to gain consensus and commitment on solutions. A variety
of sources should be used, such as questionnaires or interviews, and the data should be presented
in a clear and easy to understand manner. Georgina could then facilitate a conversation with
stakeholders on possible solutions and action planning. The participative nature of this step
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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would be a key difference between Georgina’s work as an OD consultant versus the previously
mentioned Performance Consultant, as she would be helping facilitate a discussion among
stakeholders to help them arrive at the best solution rather than telling them what to do. As
noted by Warrick (2016), “The fundamentals of the action planning process are: involve key
stakeholders, evaluate and prioritize data, agree on the changes to be made, develop a change
strategy, and clarify roles and follow-through on responsibilities” (p. 184).
Of particular note and relevance to this case are the many different roles people can play
in managing change. Warrick (2016) laid out four key roles on p. 187:
•
Change Agent (OD Practitioner): A person who is a specialist in organization
development and change.
•
Change Leader: A person in a leadership position who can significantly influence the
success or failure or a change effort and provide the support and the leadership
necessary for the change to succeed.
•
Change Champion: A person at any level of the organization who champions needed
changes and has at least a basic understanding of how to successfully plan and
implement changes.
•
Change Team: A team that is responsible for planning, managing, monitoring, and
championing a change effort.
In this case study, Georgina fulfilled the role of Change Agent (OD Practitioner). To be
successful, she would need to gain the support of the project sponsor and client(s) to determine
who could fill the other roles described.
After successful contracting, assessment, and action planning, the organization would be
ready for the implementation phase. The key elements of what went wrong in this case study
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occurred early in the process. As such, little time will be spent here discussing the suggested
steps in successful Implementation, Evaluation, and Closure phases. As summarized by Warrick
(2016), “All previous phases of OD build toward the implementation phase where OD achieves
results. Six steps are recommended for the implementation process: keep the big picture in
mind; use a sound change plan and model to manage the change process; adapt the interventions
to achieve the best results; keep people engaged; identify and manage resistance to change; and
follow through and learn from the process” (p. 188).
Negative Consequences
Based on the implementation plan for this International OD Competencies case study,
there are numerous negative consequences to consider. A critical negative consequence to be
considered based on the proposed action plan is the possibility of getting an insider who is not
necessarily the right fit and cannot provide appropriate insights needed to connect Georgina with
the local employees. Even if the right internal change agent was selected, there may be a chance
of resistance within the workforce for other reasons. Potential opposition to the effort should be
anticipated as part of the change and action planning.
A second negative consequence is that Georgina and Ralph do not seem be cognizant of
potential blind spots and when to reach out for help. They appear to demonstrate a level of
arrogance that could backfire on them and end up having adverse effects on this project. If they
cannot admit to what they do not know, this could erode the level of trust the local employees
have and undermine their leadership in the intervention.
Another negative consequence to be considered relates to the fact that Georgina was an
OD consultant, but the company wanted her to be the expert performance consultant. If the
company and its’ employees were expecting a performance consultant to fix everything on their
CASE STUDY 3: International OD Competencies
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own, but then local employees were expected to contribute to the transformation, the employees
would have been placed in roles that they did not expect. This would lead to frustration and
potential lack of motivation with the changes. The management team’s commitment to the
project may also waver, creating additional frustration and stress for everyone involved.
Lastly, if some or all of these negative consequences played out, the employees in the
organization may feel a high level of uncertainty. This could lead to lack of motivation,
miscommunication, and potential for employees to leave the organization.
Conclusions
The complexities of being a successful OD consultant increase drastically in an
international setting. Because Ralph and Georgina were so new to the culture and its
surroundings, it made the role and transition to the Filipino culture that much more difficult.
Yaegar and Sorrensen (2016) state, “the competencies for the global OD practitioner are
considerably more complex than for the traditional “in-country” practitioner. International OD
work is not the place for amateurs” (p. 382). In addition to Ralph still learning the customs and
assessing the facility, Georgina was new to the Filipino culture and society herself. Although
Georgina had successful engagements with other Asian cultures, that is not to say she is ready to
take on the challenge of OD consultant for this manufacturing facility. It is critical for the OD
professional to know the client’s dominant cultural values and how those values might affect the
nature of one’s work. If the principles and recommended actions described in this paper were
taken before Ralph and Georgina landed in the Philippines, and throughout the course of the
project, the chances of success for Ralph, Georgina, the local employees, and the overall
organization would have been much greater.
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References
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Jaeger, A. 1986. “Organization Development and National Culture: Where’s the Fit?” Academy
of Management Review 11: 178-190.
Katz, J. and F. Miller. 2016. Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for Performance. In W. J.
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