Surname1
Surname
Course name
University affiliation
Date
Resources
Anderson, D. L. (2013). Organization Development: The Process of Leading Organizational
Change.
Dickinson, J. G. ( 2013). Walmart’s War Against Unions — and the U.S. Laws That Make
It Possible. Union-Side Law Firm Bush, Gottlieb.Huffington Post.Retrieved from:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-b-gutman/walmart-labor-laws_b_3390994.html
Freeman, R. E., Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C., Parmar B. L., & Colle, S. (2010). Stakeholder
theory: The state of the art. (p. 46). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Graziadio Business Review. (Nov. 17, 2004).Managing Resistance to Change: Effective leaders
need to manage the logical consistency of change in an organization.The Associated
Press.Retrieved from: https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/managing-resistance-tochange/
Massengill, R. P. (2013). Wal-Mart wars: Moral populism in the twenty-first century.
Moniah Amer
HURD741
5/8/2018
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL
Introduction
Change is inevitable in every institution. Contemporary organizations have to restructure
their systems to align them with new inventions and the dynamic business environment. Today's
world is marked by technological, social-cultural and demographic changes which may shake an
institution if it fails to adopt changes effectively. This dynamism has changed people's attitudes
and organizational goals thus systems that enhance compatibility between all stakeholders have
to be devised and implemented. Failure to efficiently adopt can have dire consequences in the
entire institution as it will fail in achieving its set goals and objectives; thus, crumbling in the
long run. The need for structural and systematic changes prompted people to devise
organizational development theories and models which are skewed towards ensuring
sustainability and continuity in an organization. This paper looks at the components of the
Organizational Development Model, its importance, and application.
Founder of the OD design model
The organizational model above was developed by Harold Leavitt. According to
Harold Leavitt, an organizational system is based on an interaction between various subsystems.
Leavitt stated that change in one of the systems affects the other subsystems as shown in the
model above. The need to cope and succeed in the ever-changing world has pushed many
organizations towards developing and implementing OD models. On a broader perspective, OD
can be defined as the continuous process of identifying, planning and evaluating the structure of
an institution aimed at imparting and transferring skills to organizations and their workforce
(Lunenburg, 2010). It incorporates a structured change in aspects such as attitude, beliefs, and
values of individual workers in an institution. It may involve modification of business strategy,
information management systems, amalgamation, downsizing, outsourcing and adoption of new
technologies among other key features. Leavitt’s System Model and inception can be traced back
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ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
to his time, a time when people began embracing it as a social science (Caley, 2016). He
recommended that for successful change management, organizations should carefully monitor
related actions. Studies revolving around his ideas became a basis for research in the business
environment. Ever since then, OD has become an integral phenomenon in the business and
organizational field as institutions strive to remain competitive and relevant in the modern world.
How it works
Leavitt stated that change in one of the systems affects the other subsystems as shown in
the model above. This model works in an interactive manner. The model above shows that OD is
a continuous process centered on achieving the missions and visions of an institution. It also
involved different stakeholders who play different vital roles in the entire process. Achievement
of the goals depends on every individual as a failure by one group will cripple the whole process.
Implementation of this OD is an extensive continuous process where all stakeholders are
involved. The management should not rush in implementing it without carrying out extensive
research and training. This is because improper implementation may demoralize workers and
stall business activities leading to business breakdown. It entails injection of resources such as
money, technology, and human resources. The initial step of implementing this OD involves
identification of the desired needs and changes (Lotich, 2017). This process should be
comprehensive it should incorporate ideas from the leadership, employees and the market. The
decisions made and planned decisions should be sound and acceptable to everyone and the
environmental culture failure to which the entire process will bear no fruits. The cause for
change should be well defined to erase any doubts on all stakeholders for them to actively
embrace it. All the teams should also assess the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed
changes so that proper measures are put in place to control unforeseen circumstances that may
negatively impact the proposed changes.
After the plan has been set and the necessary resources gathered, the organization
embarks on implementing the program. This should be an interactive process, and everyone is
told what is expected with the required training taking place. Everyone involved in the OD
process should be trained to understand the whole process so that the necessary skills and
attitude are imparted to them so that they actively take part in driving change (Cheng, 2015).
Training teams will clear outlined objectives, and leadership schemes should also be defined.
Proper and efficient communication mechanisms should also be put in place. Adequate
communication mechanisms are useful in coordinating all activities within the organizations.
Intra and interdepartmental communication should be efficiently structured so that various ideas
and issues can be addressed timely to enhance success.
The implementation should also take place in phases. The plan should be categorized into
different stages which should take place sequentially (Lunenburg, 2010). The management and
project consultants should set up a clear timeline within which all activities should be completed.
Since this is a continuous process, follow up actions should be put in place to evaluate the
success of the entire process. Issues that pop up within the implementation process should be
addressed following proper communication strategies to boost achievement.
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ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Application in an organization
The model above has various benefits to the organization in the long term. Companies
which have incorporated quality OD techniques have reaped significant from their actions. This
success is anchored on various improvements brought by Organizational Development which
make companies competitive and more productive thus coping with the changing environment
and factors (Lunenburg, 2010). Numerous benefits ranging from gaining competitive advantages
to profit maximization are attributed to the integration of sound OD models and theories which
are relevant to their field of application.
Integration of this OD means constant improvement. Institutions are ever engaged in
devising and restructuring their activities with the aim of continuous improvement. The fact that
OD is a continual cycle has also made learning and improvement a constant process that does not
seize. Planned and implemented strategies are reviewed continuously and restructured to cope
with dynamism. Setbacks and potential hurdles are ever analyzed and aligned with the
company's goals and visions (Caley, 2016). This is because every action taken is centered on
what a company projects. Every modification is underpinned by the set objectives to ensure that
the activities do not deviate from their main course.
Employee development and increased communication is another pillar entrenched in OD.
Implemented strategies and functions are continuously reviewed as feedback is mandatory.
Through continuous interaction and review, different levels of communication within a company
are improved and crafted thus leading to better results. Enhancement of employee abilities is also
made possible by OD thus the workforce can steer the organization to the right direction, a
direction of success and attainment of desired goals.
Innovation is another pillar anchored on OD. Constant evaluation of the market, products,
and workforce triggers changes aimed at bettering service and product delivery. Different
employees are engaged and motivated continuously thus boosting their morale and attitudes. In
turn, employees become more creative and innovative due to the appealing working environment
thus further promoting the services and products offered (Caley, 2016). All the benefits brought
by OD further lead to massive profits as institutions can adequately compete and outshine their
competitors. Their market also becomes diversified and secure thus massive profits are reaped
from the venture.
Conclusion
Organizational development is a critical strategy in the contemporary business
environment. The models and theories are aimed at reaping maximum results from a company's
investment. Individual employees, departmental teams and the organization, in general, are the
key participants in driving positive change. Institutions should adopt better and efficient
techniques to make a difference and gain competitive advantages that will enable them to survive
in the modern dynamic world.
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ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
References
Caley, N. (2016). Using organization development techniques for effective change management.
Accounts Payable & Procedure to Pay APP2P Conference. Las Vegas: IOFM Institute of
Finance and Management.
Cheng, L. (2015). Enablers that positively impact implementation of organizational change.
GSTF Journal on Business Review.
Lotich, P. (2017). 8 steps to implementing successful organizational change. Thriving Small
Business Vision Strategy Growth.
Lunenburg, F. (2010). Organizational development: Implementing planned change. International
Journal of Management, Business, and Administration.
4
Running head: WALMART COMPANY
1
Walmart Company
Student’s Name
Institution
Date
WALMART COMPANY
2
Introduction
Walmart is one of the largest retailing companies with numerous branches across the
globe. The company was founded in the year 1962 by Sam Walton. Walton family largely owns
the company. It has various operations which include grocery stores, hypermarkets and
departmental discount stores. According to research, Walmart is one of the largest companies
regarding revenue. Since the company is family owned, each member has a certain percentage of
ownership. However, the company has been facing a few challenges in its supply chain
management. Also, the company has a culture whereby employees face a lot of pressure while
performing their routine operations.
Engaging the problem using swot analysis
Supply chain management is one of the critical areas in every type of organization. It
mainly focuses on service delivery within the shortest time possible. Walmart has been
experiencing instances whereby some of its products are either lost while or in transit or the
customer receives them when they are of poor quality (Anderson, 2013). Some of the strengths
of the company include the ability to meet all customer needs. Walmart has sound customer
relations department which all customer preferences are tracked through. It involves evaluating
feedbacks from online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter among others. Through the feedback
obtained the company can make constant improvements.
Incorporating change in Walmart
To improve the company’s efficiency, Walmart is considering automation of services
within supply chain management. It will involve the use of the latest technological devices which
can be able to track commodities even when in transit (Dickinson, 2013). However, adoption of
the new technology will require a change from the current system. Before incorporating the new
system, the organization will first educate the employees on the need for the change. The process
will involve highlighting faulty areas in the recent past. After educating all stakeholders on the
need for change, Walmart will then inquire for ideas on the new technology including
suggestions on improving its efficiency. The suggestions should be from all parties which
include customers, investors, and other related parties.
The third step involves explaining how the new system will improve the efficiency of
operations. The process involves the use of simulation techniques whereby a model on the new
system is displayed before all the audience. After approval, the incorporation of the new
technology into the system is essential. Walmart will have to source the services of IT
companies. Moreover, the company should ensure that frequent evaluation to detect any faulty
areas within the new system. Feedback from all stakeholders regarding the new system is also
important to ensure improvements are made in the respective areas (Freeman et al., 2010).
In conclusion, it is important to note that change in an organization is inevitable. It affects
people psychologically hence measures must be in place before incorporation of a new ideology.
However, organizations should develop strategies which incorporate change. Through the
various techniques like knotters change plan, resistance can be avoided since the respective
education on the necessity for change is addressed to every individual within an organization.
WALMART COMPANY
3
References
Anderson, D. L. (2013).Organization Development: The Process of Leading Organizational
Change.
Dickinson, J. G. ( 2013).Walmart’s War Against Unions — and the U.S. Laws That Make It
Possible. Union-Side Law Firm Bush, Gottlieb.HuffingtonPost.Retrieved from:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-b-gutman/walm...
Freeman, R. E., Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C., Parmar B. L., & Colle, S. (2010).Stakeholder
theory: The state of the art.(p. 46). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Graziadio Business Review. (Nov. 17, 2004).Managing Resistance to Change: Effective leaders
need to manage the logical consistency of change in
an organization.The Associated Press.Retrieved from: https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08
/managing-resistance-to-change/
Massengill, R. P. (2013).Wal-Mart wars: Moral populism in the twenty-first century.
Anderson, D. L. (2013).Organization Development: The Process of Leading Organizational
Change.
Freeman, R. E., Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C., Parmar B. L., & Colle, S. (2010).Stakeholder
theory: The state of the art.(p. 46). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Graziadio Business Review. (Nov. 17, 2004).Managing Resistance to Change: Effective leaders
need to manage the logical consistency of change in
an organization.The Associated Press.Retrieved from: Managing Resistance to Change A Peer-Reviewed Academic Articles | GBR
https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/managing-resist...
The OD Model
Anticipating a need
for change
11
Self-Renewal
Mobilizing and
Stabilizing
1
II
Developing Consultant-
Client Relationship
VI
Continuous
Improvement
Process
IV
=
Action Plans,
Strategies And
Techniques
III
The Diagnostic
Process
Organizational Development Design Model
Organization
Structure
Strategy
and
Goals
Direction.com
Learning
Information
Leadership
Organization
Mission
and
Vision
Processes
Processes
Performance
Measures
and
Rewards
People
Systems
Culture
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