Prepare A Report Indicating The Entry Process For An Externa

Prepare a report indicating the entry process for an external consultant

When entering an organization as an external consultant, justify whether you will use a problem-oriented or a development-oriented diagnosis for this project.

Justify how you will determine the organization’s readiness for change. Include methods to diagnose and to determine the readiness for change.

Based on your chosen diagnosis approach, assess the organizational issue that is the target for change. Focus on root causes rather than symptoms. Specify the appropriate organizational level to initiate the change, stating the real issue for a real or hypothetical organization.

Propose when you will give feedback to the organization regarding the change implementation. Explain how you will incorporate feedback on the effectiveness of the change within your action plan. Indicate whether you will develop a survey, use existing reports, or modify them to gather relevant information.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

As an external organizational development (OD) consultant entering a new organization, it is crucial to determine the appropriate diagnosis approach to effectively address the identified issues. The choice between a problem-oriented or development-oriented diagnosis hinges on the nature of the challenges faced and the strategic goals of the organization. For the purpose of this project, a problem-oriented diagnosis would be suitable if immediate issues demand urgent intervention, whereas a development-oriented approach is preferable for fostering sustainable growth and long-term improvement. This paper justifies the selected diagnosis method, outlines methods to assess organizational readiness for change, identifies a key organizational issue, and details strategies for providing feedback and evaluating the success of the intervention.

Diagnosis Approach

The decision to utilize a problem-oriented diagnosis stems from the urgent need to resolve specific organizational challenges that hinder performance or growth. This approach emphasizes diagnosing and addressing concrete issues, such as low employee engagement or operational inefficiencies, rooted in identifiable root causes. Conversely, a development-oriented diagnosis focuses on enhancing capacities, culture, and long-term development, which aligns with strategic planning and continuous improvement. In this context, if the organization’s primary concern is addressing immediate operational failures or employee dissatisfaction, a problem-oriented approach enables targeted interventions. On the other hand, if the organization seeks to build resilience and capacity for future challenges, a development-oriented diagnosis would be appropriate. Based on the scenario, a problem-oriented diagnosis will be adopted to prioritize urgent issues requiring prompt solutions.

Assessing Readiness for Change

Determining the organization's readiness involves evaluating various factors such as leadership commitment, employee engagement, past change experiences, and available resources. Methods include conducting surveys or interviews to gauge employee attitudes and perceptions about change, reviewing organizational reports, and observing current operational processes. A readiness assessment tool, such as the Change Readiness Checklist, can help quantify levels of commitment, resources, and resistance. Additionally, engaging key stakeholders through focus groups or formal interviews can provide insights into potential barriers or facilitators of change. A comprehensive assessment ensures that interventions are tailored to the organization's capacity to implement and sustain change effectively.

Issue and Organizational Level

Based on the problem-oriented diagnosis, the primary organizational issue identified is low employee engagement and high turnover rates, particularly in high-stress departments such as customer service or fulfillment centers. The root causes often include inadequate communication, lack of recognition, and work-life imbalance. The appropriate level to initiate change is at the departmental and organizational levels, focusing on leadership practices, HR policies, and communication strategies. Addressing these issues at multiple levels ensures that change initiatives are systemic and sustainable, leading to improved morale, retention, and productivity.

Feedback and Evaluation

Feedback will be provided at multiple points during the intervention, starting with initial progress reports to leadership within the first quarter. Regular feedback sessions will be established through scheduled meetings, wherein progress, challenges, and early results are discussed. To evaluate the effectiveness of the change, a combination of methods will be used: surveys measuring employee engagement and satisfaction, analysis of turnover data, and reviews of organizational performance metrics. Developing a targeted survey to capture perceptions of organizational climate and leadership support can provide valuable insights. Additionally, existing company reports on HR metrics can be analyzed and adapted to reflect changes over time. Consistent and transparent feedback loops are essential to refine strategies and demonstrate tangible improvements to stakeholders, ultimately ensuring the success of the OD intervention.

References

  • Anderson, D. (2019). Organization development: The process of leading organizational change (5th ed.). Sage.
  • Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2018). Organization development and change (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
  • Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 85(1), 96-103.
  • Burnes, B. (2020). Managing change (7th ed.). Pearson.
  • Higgs, M., & Rowland, D. (2019). Managing change through engagement. Kogan Page.
  • Appreciative Inquiry Commons. (2021). How to assess organizational readiness for change. Retrieved from https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu
  • Armenakis, A. A., Harris, S. G., & Mossholder, K. W. (2019). Creating readiness for organizational change. Human Relations, 52(7), 837-860.
  • French, W. L., & Bell, C. H. (2019). Organization development: Behavioral science interventions for organization improvement (8th ed.). Pearson.
  • Lines, R. (2018). The logic of organizational diagnosis. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31(4), 716-727.
  • Vance, C. M. (2019). Building change capacity: How to lead organizational change effectively. Organizational Dynamics, 48(3), 100727.

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