PA 632 Seminar in Organizational Development in the Public Sector
Fall Online 2014
Instructor Contact Information:
Professor: Kelley Crockett PhD.
Phone: 619.730.9658
Email: Skype kelley.crockett or E-Mail: kcrockett@mail.sdsu.edu
Office hours: Online via email or M 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm on Skype by appointment
Course description:
This course examines the major components of organization development: the evolution of
organization development, the nature of change, and how change agents can effectively
manage and implement change in organizations.
Today’s organizations face constant pressures to change -- the need for groups to change is one
of the hallmarks of contemporary organizations, whether the organization is a government
entity, a private business, a not-for-profit, or an educational institution. For organizational
members and managers, the ability to effectively facilitate organizational change often
distinguishes the implementation of a mediocre solution from an extraordinary one that makes
a difference. In this class we will examine how to facilitate change effectively. We will explore
the issues and practices of organization development, team building and process consultation
skills while developing an understanding of what kinds of interventions are useful in what
situations.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Review and synthesize the history of organizational development as a field of study
Understand the process of organizational change as led by an OD practitioner
Examine the types of OD interventions and identify when and why they are applied
Be able to structure and propose an OD intervention
Apply OD principles and concepts to specified case studies
1
Course Materials:
Anderson, D. L. (2015). Organization development: The process of leading organizational change. (3rd
Ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Supplemental readings (provided in BB):
Fernandez, S, Rainey, H.G. (2006). Managing Successful Organizational Change in the Public Sector in
PAR 22;2 pp 168-176
Friedlander, F., Brown, L.D. (1974). Organization Development in Annual Review Psychology 25:313-341
George J.M. & Jones, G.R. (2001). Towards a Process Model of Individual change in Organizations in
Human Relations Journal 54, 419-444
Gioia, D.A., Nag R. & Corley, K.G. (2012). Visionary Ambiguity and Strategic Change: the Virtue of
Vagueness in Launching Major Organizational Change in Journal of Management Inquiry 21:364
Golembiewski, R. (1981). Success of Organizational Development Applications in the Public Sector in PAR
41, 6 pp 679-682
Kahn, W.A. (2004) Facilitating and Understanding Org Change in Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
40, 7-30
Assessment and Grading:
Quizzes:
40% of Final Grade
The four quizzes are spread out through the semester and only cover the section they
designate. Once we cover that section, we move on. You will have 12 hours to access the quiz
and one hour to take it. There are 10 multiple choice and true/false questions. Although these
are open book, open note, collaboration is not allowed and would be considered
unprofessional with serious consequences.
Discussion Responses:
20% of Final Grade
This is a 600 level seminar course and as such the expectation for the discussions on the
supplementary readings is that you integrate learning from your coursework and your
professional experiences so far in the MPA program. Two to three paragraphs should do it
provided they are insightful and provide an impetus for your classmates to make follow-up
comments (two is fine). Each discussion (6 total) will begin with observations that you are
welcome to follow up on or extend your own insights of the article while making connections
with prior learning.
2
Case Study Analysis:
40% of Final Grade
You will be responsible for 4, four to five pages each, analysis papers of the referenced case
study in the Anderson textbook. You will be provided with suggestions how to approach the
analysis on each in the appropriate module.
Grading Scale:
93-100=A
73-76=C
90-92=A70-72=C-
87-89=B+
67-69=D+
83-86=B
63-66=D
80-82=B60-62=D-
77-79=C+
Below 60=F
Plagiarism and cheating:
There should not be any ambiguity as to what constitutes plagiarism or cheating with the
consequence of assignment and possibly course failure but if you have questions please refer to
SDSU’s site http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/htc/plagiarism.pdf.
Student Services:
If you have a disability and need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to
contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible at (760) 768 5509. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot
be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from
Student Disability Services.
Course Schedule
Section 1: History of OD
Module 1: August 25 to September 1 What is Organization Development?
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
Read Anderson Chapter 1
Read Friedlander, F., Brown, L.D. (1974). Organization Development
Discussion #1 Due September 1
View Professor Lecture
Module 2: September 2 to September 9 History of Organizational Development Part 1




Read Anderson Chapter 2
Read Golembiewski, R. (1981) Success of Organizational Development Applications in the Public
Sector
Discussion #2 Due September 8
View Professor Lecture
3
Module 3: September 10 to September 17 History of Organizational Development Part 2



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
Read Anderson Chapter 2
Read Fernandez, S, Rainey, H.G. (2006) Managing Successful Organizational Change in the Public
Sector
Discussion #3 Due September 16
View Professor Lecture
Quiz #1 September 17
Section II: Organizational Change
Module 4: September 18 to September 25 Organizational Environment and Culture
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Read Anderson Chapter 3
View Professor Lecture
Paper #1: Analysis Case Study 1 in Anderson text p. 62; Opportunities for OD, Due September 25
Module 5: September 26 to October 3 Organizational Change: Working Within a System


Read Anderson Chapter 4
View Professor Lecture
Module 6: October 4 to October 11 Organizational Change: Conflict

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Read Anderson Chapter 4
Read Gioia, D.A., Nag R. & Corley, K.G. (2012). Visionary Ambiguity and Strategic Change: the
Virtue of Vagueness in Launching Major Organizational Change
Discussion #4 Due October 10
View Professor Lecture
Quiz #2 October 11
Section III: Tools for the Practitioner
Module 7: October 12 to October 19 Organizational Development Practitioner: Consulting and
Contracting
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
Read Anderson Chapter 5
View Professor Lecture
Module 8: October 20 to October 27 Organizational Technology and Data Gathering

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Read Anderson Chapters 6 and 7
Read Kahn (2004) Facilitating and Understanding Org Change Journal of Applied Behavioral
Science
Discussion #5 Due October 27
View Professor Lecture
Module 9: October 28 to November 4 Data Analysis

Read Anderson Chapter 8
4
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

View Professor Lecture
Paper #2 Analysis Case Study 3 in Anderson Text p. 184; Internal Interviews Due November 3
Quiz #3 November 4
Section IV: Intervention Strategies
Module 10: November 5 to November 12 Interventions
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Read Anderson Chapters 9 and 10
Read George J.M. & Jones, G.R. (2001). Towards a Process Model of Individual change in
Organizations
Discussion #6 Due November 12
View Professor Lecture
Module 11: November 13 to November 20 Teams


Read Anderson Chapter 11
View Professor Lecture
Module 12: November 21 to December 5 Organizational Physical Structure and Inter-org
Development
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Read Anderson Chapters 12 and 13
View Professor Lecture
Paper #3 Analysis Case Study 6 in Anderson Text p. 333: Team Building Interventions Due
December 4
Quiz #4 December 5
Section V: Future Issues in OD
Module 13: December 6 to December 13 Future of OD


Read Anderson Chapter 15
Paper #4: Analysis Case Study #7 in Anderson Text p. 339: Scenario Planning Due December 13
5