DRIVING CHANGE IN
STABLE ORGANIZATIONS
DR.
COLLEGE
OF
SUSAN C. HANLON
ASSI STANT DEAN
BUSI NESS ADMI NISTRATION – THE UNIVERSITY OF
AKRON
FORCES FOR CHANGE
“CAPITALISM AT RISK”
Pandemics
Inequality
Environmental
Damage
Migration
TRENDS CREATING A FLAT WORLD
Freedom
Access to
information
Education
Connectivity
Digitalization
APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
• To appreciate means to value - to understand
those things of value worth valuing.
• To inquire means to study, to ask questions, to
search.
• AI is a collaborative search to identify and
understand the organization’s strengths, its
potentials, the greatest opportunities, and people’s
hopes for the future.
Why Appreciative Inquiry?
• AI Allows People to:
– Envision new opportunities
– Build consensus around ideas
– Create vision through dialogue
• Which Results in:
– The creation of momentum, energy and
passion to construct and propel the
organization to the ideal future through
collaboration, innovation, and action.
• Identify Problem
• Conduct Root Cause
Analysis
• Brainstorm Solutions and
Analyze
• Develop Action Plans
• Metaphor:
Organizations are
problems to be solved.
• Appreciate “What is” (What
gives life?)
• Imagine “What Might Be”
• Determine “What Should Be”
• Create “What Will Be”
• Metaphor: Organizations are a
solution / mystery to be
embraced.
THE SUMMIT
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Foundation of AI methodology
Entire system in the room
3-4 days
100 participants to 10,000 (typical = 200-300)
Facilitators
Planning
Task statement
By invitation
UA CBA CURRICULUM SUMMIT
• Faculty, employers, administrators, staff, students,
advisors
• ½ day
• Two identical sessions
• 120 people
• Mandate for change
• 2 major pieces of curriculum revised first time in 20+
years
• 1 year from beginning to end
The University of Akron College of Business Administration
Appreciative Inquiry Summit on Curriculum
Building Generation “A”
The CBA Summit on Curriculum: Building Generation “A” will be held on Friday, January 22, 2010. You are a key stakeholder in the
success of the CBA as we move forward to improve our MBA and CBA undergraduate core curriculum. Your input is valuable and significant
to this process and we hope you will make every effort to attend the Summit.
The Appreciative Inquiry Summit will be a three hour interactive event focused on the positive core of our faculty, staff, and business
community partners. The work conducted at our Summit will be based upon the assumption that our success does not “just happen”. We need
to harness the positive energy and ideas of our stakeholders to co-create our future.
OUR TOPIC STATEMENT FOR THE SUMMIT IS:
The CBA is a recognized provider of quality business programs as evidenced by recent rankings. We will sustain this in the future through an
innovative, applied and cross disciplinary approach to learning. In addition to the learning outcomes already embedded in our programs and
co-curricular student experiences, we will focus on “Generation A” competencies. These competencies are overarching and will transcend all
programs. They have been selected based on input from the CBA strategic planning focus groups, strategic priorities of The University of
Akron and the University System of Ohio.
“Generation A” competencies include: Innovative Thinking, Global Awareness, STEMM Integration, and
Collaborative Relationships. How can we best develop these competencies among our students? A
differentiating strength for the CBA is its strong and vibrant relationship with the business
community. How can we best capitalize on this relationship to emphasize the “Generation A”
competencies?
The morning session will be from 9:00 am to noon and the afternoon session will be from 1:00 pm to 4:00 with a buffet lunch available
beginning at noon. The Summit will take place at the Taylor Institute (Polsky 507) Dress is business casual. We are fortunate to have two
experienced Appreciative Inquiry facilitators from YRC designing and conducting our Summit and anticipate a productive and unique work
session.
We are looking forward to your participation!
Discovery
•Positive Core
•What we value most
Destiny
•Teams
•Implementation
Winning teams and successful organizations win because
every individual, functional unit, or department is focused on
the same goal. The CBA is a recognized provider of quality
business programs as evidenced by recent rankings. We will
sustain this in the future through an innovative, applied and
cross disciplinary approach to learning. We will complement
and enhance our current learning outcomes and co-curricular
student experiences with a new focus on “Generation A”
competencies. These competencies are overarching and will
transcend all programs and serve as a guide as we coconstruct the CBA curriculum of the future. The CBA will
continue to grow and capitalize on our strong and vibrant
relationship with the business community in new and
innovative ways.
Design
•Goals & Actions
Dream
•Images of the
Future
COMPLETE INTERVIEW GUIDE
• Answer Questions 1 through 3
• Write your answers in your handout
• 15 minutes
OUR ORGANIZATION AT ITS BEST
• Think back to when you first decided to join our
organization. What attracted you?
• Reflect on you entire time with the organization –
high points and low points. Tell me the story of a
time when you felt the most alive, most engaged,
and the most proud of yourself and our
organization.
• What was it about you, others, and the organization
that made your high-point experience possible?
Starting AI Interview
• A-->B (15 min)
• B-->A (15 min)
• Spirit of discovery
• Take notes
• At the end.. summary & thanks
13
GROUP TASK
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14
Introduce your interview partner to the group
Share stories and highlights from your interview
Select one story to share
Identify common themes as a group
Record your themes
GROUP TASK
SELF MANAGE AT TABLES:
• Appoint (see page 6) :
Discussion Leader
Timekeeper
Recorder
Reporter
15
THE DREAM – THE DESIGN
• Create a map of themes from high-point stories
• Arrive at common commitment to values for
curriculum changes and learning outcomes
• Mandate for change from participants
• Design and Destiny took place outside the Summit
3 Stickers from the center of the table
Vote with your stickers on what is most important to
you.
Thank you
FACTORS FOR SUMMIT SUCCESS
• “100 Voices” (Bank of Scotland) vs 5
• Commitment to AI from top leadership –
unconditional focus on positive
• Whole system in the room the whole time
• Commitment to follow-through
• Planning, planning, planning
• Create a narrative of Summit; repeat it often and
loudly
• Minimal and mindful facilitation
• Healthy physical and relational space
CBA IMAGES OF THE FUTURE
• Collaboration – alumni; UA; faculty; course design
• Business and community involvement
• Innovative curriculum – real world mirror; team
teaching; business teaching partners; ethics; sales;
leadership
• Global integration
• Educational approach – share success; learn how
to learn; engaged students; increase standards;
disciplined