The OD practitioner
The OD practitioner was very ineffective at determining the potential issues at the company. The consultant instead of investigating the root of the problem was more attentive at satisfying the needs of the manager. The manager did not provide sufficient information in their meetings to determine the organization development problem at the firm. The consultant failed to utilize qualitative or quantitative techniques such as questionnaires, observation, and force field analysis to diagnose the problem (Organizational Development).
When the manager was confronted with a solution that could provide information about the case the manager preferred to eliminate the solution because of the possibility of tensions rising among the staff. There could be a communication problem between the managers and the staff. Some of the questions that should have been asked included those geared towards learning more about the mind state of the employees. Are the employees happy at their work? Does the company have an absenteeism problem? What is the current employee turnover rate and how does it compare to the industry standard?
The consultant should have also asked the manager about his impression of their staff.
Trust is always an important factor in business dealings. Three factors that play a key role in organizational development are trust, collaboration, and openness (Organizational Development). The consultant asked for full control on the plan and that the general manager trust his guidance. Robert Denton liked the retreat idea and it is very possible that the consultant can help improve the organization by changing things at the upper management level.
Resistance to change can appear in this situation and affect the implementation plan of the consultant. If Mr. Denton interferes with the OD development processes being applied by the consultant other managers might lose confidence in the plan. The consultant and his team may challenge the managers in a way their superior have not. The job of the consultant is to retrieve as much information as possible from the managers to then implement changes that will alter the corporate culture of the company in a positive way.
The general manager has to instill confidence and trust in the managerial staff about the positive impact the managerial retreat can have on the organization.
The globalization movement has changed the way business entities operate. Nowadays companies have to place greater emphasis on its global consumer base due to competitiveness across practically all industries. Organizational development affects the way companies are able to deal with globalization forces.
The employees of the organization need to be properly trained to interact with other employees from different parts of the world. Diversification has become a desired attribute in the workforce composition of multinational corporations. “Trends point to an increasingly diverse workforce where OD interventions have to be adapted to a diverse set of personal preferences, needs, and lifestyle” (Organizational Development) Human resource managers have to coordinate the efforts of employees that may be working from remote locations in foreign countries.
Technological advances in the communications industry have allowed employees to enter into telecommuting agreements with their employers. Developing the skills and abilities of workers through development efforts increases the value of the firm. Some of the skills that can help employees improve their interaction with colleagues from different cultures include interpersonal skills, language skills, and teamwork.
