Psychology 992
Organizational Development and Change
Fall 2013
Instructor: J. Kevin Ford
315 Psychology Building
Fordjk@msu.edu
Office Hours:
Wed 11:00-12:00 or appt.
353-5006
Course Description
This course is a seminar for doctoral students in fields related to industrial and organizational psychology,
organizational behavior and human resource development. It provides an in-depth examination of the field of
organizational development (OD) from scientific, leadership, and consultative role perspectives. Substantive
issues related to organizational diagnosis and planned change are reviewed and critically analyzed. Ethical
issues and dilemmas faced by change agents are also explored. Individuals from academia, industry, and
consulting who have direct experience as change agents will describe the implementation of and impediments
to organizational change. The readings for the course offer a diversity of viewpoints about organizational
change. You should be prepared to reflect upon your own perspectives, beliefs and values and how they
affect your view of the world around you and the issues involving organizational change. You will also have
experience with specific organizational development techniques and methods.
Readings and Course Structure
Required books:
Schein, E. (2009). Helping: How to offer, give and receive help. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco,
CA.
Marshak, R.J. (2006). Covert processes at work: Managing the five hidden dimensions of organizational
change. Berrett-Koehler.
In addition, readings from journals and book chapters are assigned for each session. The guest speakers may
also assign additional readings.
Why a Class on Organizational Development and Change?
Organizational development has emerged as a unique field from its early roots in the late 1940’s and early
1950’s. One of the first fairly comprehensive change and evaluation studies was done by Coch and
French in 1948 as they examined factors that influenced resistance to change. They reported that
resistance to change could be minimized by communicating the need for change and allowing the people
affected by the change to participate in planning it. The late 40s also saw the development of the
laboratory training movement, which focused on improving interpersonal relations, increased selfunderstanding, and awareness of team dynamics by managers. Since these early works, the field has
rapidly evolved into an integrated framework of theories and practices capable of solving or helping to
solve important problems confronting the human side of organizations. It is about people and
organizations and people in organizations and how they function. OD is also about planned change -- of
getting people (individuals, teams, cross-departments) and systems (human resources, production,
research and development) to function more effectively. Planned change involves common sense, hard
work, time, goals, and the use of valid knowledge and information about the organization and how to
change it. The field has expanded from these early beginnings to include a number of intervention
strategies. These interventions include those designed to improve the effectiveness of: (1) individuals
(e.g., career planning, performance coaching, and training), (2) teams (e.g., team building, role
negotiation, self managed work teams); (3) intergroup relations (e.g., process consultation, partnering,
third-party negotiation); and (4) the total organization (e.g., sociotechnical systems, strategy planning and
visioning, continuous improvement, total quality management, and leadership development). While there
is a whole host of tools in the toolkit of OD change agents, it is the set of values and assumptions that
separate OD change agents from typical management consultants. Some key values that change agents
often espouse include concepts such as freedom, responsibility, self control, justice, human potential and
empowerment, dignity, respect, integrity, work, authenticity, openness, an acceptance of diversity. Thus,
a course on organizational development and change provides the opportunity for you to learn about
change theories and perspectives, change methodologies and strategies as well as to learn something
about your own value system and assumptions about organizational change.
Meet the Instructor/Facilitator for the Class
I am a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. My major research interests involve
improving workplace effectiveness. I am an active researcher and consultant with private industry and
the public sector on issues of continuous learning, leadership, and organizational change. I am also an
undergraduate director for the Department of Psychology and teach a variety of undergraduate and
graduate courses in Psychology. I am proud to be a Fellow of the American Psychological Association
and the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. I received my BS in psychology from the
University of Maryland and my MA and Ph.D. in psychology from The Ohio State University. Further
information about my research and consulting activities can be found at http://www.io.psy.msu.edu/jkf
My interest in change started in graduate school as I took a course on organizational development and
change. The course was intended to be a one semester introduction to the concepts of organizational
change. In addition, we, as a class, actually took on the role of change agents with a local organization.
This experience with working on identifying key organizational problems and issues as well as leading
problem solving groups was inspirational in terms of seeing how change perspectives were relevant to
what we were trying to do with this organization. The experience blended into the next semester but we
did not care as we were learning so much about organizational change. Since graduation, I have been
involved in a number of major transformational change efforts. My hope is that I can convey some of
these “stories” about change and to challenge you to think about your own perspectives, assumptions, and
values and how that might affect what you would be interested in studying about organizational change as
well as how that might affect the way you would go about helping an organization.
Course Expectations
Active participation in class discussions is expected – it is why you are here! You (and I) are expected to
come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. I will often give you questions to think about as you
are reading the material to prepare you for the class discussions or provide you with a number of pre-class
assignments. Of course, you are also expected to come to every class as we have much to learn!. Feedback
regarding participation is available upon request at any time. Do not be surprised if I come up to you at some
point to encourage you to participate even more! You can only participate in a meaningful way if you read
and actively reflect on all the material assigned before class – that is your responsibility.
Evaluation
Course evaluation is based on four criteria: (1) knowledge of assigned material – this includes being able to
describe key points in the assigned reading materials, lead discussions, and actively participate in class
discussions (30%); (2) Ten short papers on organizational change perspectives and issues of being a change
agent; (40%); (3) final questions (last three classes) on core issues, concepts, and self reflection (30%). More
information on the assignments will be given in class.
A Note on Course Flexibility
The course will include outside speakers. Therefore, the order in the syllabus may need to change to
accommodate our visitors. The presenters may also ask you to read additional material to prepare for their
talk.
Topics
August 30
Introduction to Change
Sept 04
Sept 06
Historical Perspective and Foundations
Systems Thinking and Change
Sept 11
Sept 13
Presenter 1: Beverly Seiford, Dannemiller Tyson Associates
Change Theories: Part I
Sept 18
Sept 20
Presenter 2: Terry Hauer, Kelly Services
Change Theories: Part II
Sept 25
Sept 27
Process Consultation: Part I
Process Consultation: Part II
Oct 02
Oct 04
Large Scale Change
Process Consultation: Part III
Oct 09
Oct 11
Ethics and Values of OD Change Agents
Presenter 3: Todd Sperl, Lean Fox Solutions
Oct 16
Oct 18
The Vision and Readiness for Change
Presenter 4: Darryl Wahlstrom, DAW Organization Consulting Solutions
Oct 23
Oct 25
Planning for Change: Capacity Building and Engagement
Presenter 5: Steve Gravenkemper, Plante & Moran
Oct 30
Nov 01
Resisting and Coping with Change
Implementing Change: Leading Change
Nov 06
Nov 08
Psychological Aspects of Change
Presenter 6: Larry Schultz, CEO, Great Lakes Industry
Nov 13
Nov 15
Monitoring and Revising a Change Effort
Presenter 7: Nathaniel Lake, Brannon Consulting
Nov 20
Research and Practice: Tools in the Toolkit for Change
Nov 27
Nov 29
Presenter 8: Phyllis Mellon, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Sustaining Change
Dec 04
Dec 06
Future of OD
Reflections on Change
Topics
August 30
Introduction to Change
Coch, L., & French, J. (l948). Overcoming resistance to change. Human Relations, 34, 512-536.
Ferndale Case
Sept 04
Historical Perspective and Foundations
French, W., & Bell, C. (l995). Organizational Development. 5th edition, Prentice Hall.
Foundations of Organizational Development.
Chapter 5;
Ford, J.K. and Foster-Fishman, P. (2012). Organizational development and change: Linking research from
the profit, nonprofit, and public sectors. In S. Kozlowski (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Organizational
Psychology.
Howard, C., Longue, K., Quimby, M., & Schoeneberg, J. (2009). Framing change. OD Practitioner.
Assignment 1: Analysis of the Case Bringing it all together (from Borman and Deal)
Sept 06
Systems Thinking and Change
Gharadjedaghi, J. (1999). System principles. Chapter 2. Systems Thinking: Managing chaos and complexity
Foster-Fishman, P. Nowell, BG., & Yang, H. (2007). Putting the system back into systems change: A
framework for understanding and changing organizational and community systems. American Journal of
Community Psychology, 39, 197-215
Senge, P. (2006). The fifth discipline, Chapters 5 and 6
Seligman (2005). Building a systems thinking culture at Ford Motor Company. Reflections, Volume 6, 111.
Assignment 2: What systems are embedded in the case of Brining it all Together?
Sept 11
Beverly Seiford – Change Management: Beyond the "Flavor of the Month!"
Dannemiller, K., James, S., & Tolchinsky (2002). Whole scale change.
Blixt, A., & James, S. Accelerating strategic change
Cady, S., & Dannemiller, K. (2001). Whole system transformation: the 5 truths of change. OD
Practitioner.
Preparation: How does this approach take systems into account? What do you see as possible strengths
and limitations of this approach to change?
Sept 13
Change Theories Part I
Bartunek, J., & Moch, M. (l987). First, second, and third order change and organizational development
interventions: A cognitive approach. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 23, 483 - 500.
Gersick, C. (1991). Revolutionary change theories: A multi-level exploration of the punctuated
equilibrium paradigm. Academy of Management Review, 16, 10-36.
Brown and Eisenhardt (1997). The art of continuous change: Linking complexity theory and time paced
evolution in relentlessly shifting organizations. ASQ, 42, 1-34.
Assignment 3: Develop a table describing a theory of change
Sept 18
Terry Hauer, Kelly Services: Changing a Performance Management
System: Lessons Learned
Juncaj, T. (2002). Do performance appraisals work? Quality Progress.
Silverman, R.E. (2011). Work reviews losing steam. Wall Street Journal, December 19, 2011.
Preparation: What underlying assumptions and beliefs might be challenged by moving to this new type of
performance management system? What roadblocks are predictable given this attempt at change?
Sept 20
Change Theories Part II
Huy, Q. (2001). Time, temporal capability, and planned change. Academy of management Review, 26, 601623.
Amis, J., Slack, T., & Hinngs, C. (2004). The pace, sequence, and linearity of radical change. Academy of
Management Journal, 47, 15-39.
Hodge, B., & Coronado, G. (2007). Understanding change in organizations in a far from
equilibrium world. Emergence: Complexity & Organization, 9, 3-15.
Assignment 4: Perspective on change – which change theory makes the most sense to you and why?
Sept 25
Process Consultation: Helping Part I
Schein, Helping: How to offer, give, and receive help, chapters 1 to 4.
Marshak, R.J. Covert processes at work, chapters 1 and 2
Meyerson, D. (2001). Radical change the quiet way. Harvard Business Review.
Sept 27
Process Consultation: Helping Part II
Schein, E. Helping, Chapters 5 and 6
Marshak, R.J. Hidden processes at work – Chapters 3 to 6
Kahn, W. (2004). Facilitating and undermining organizational change. Journal of Applied Behavioral
Science, 40, 7-30.
Assignment 5: Analysis of your own helping behaviors – what happened and what could you be a better
helper?
Oct 02
Large Scale Change Strategies
Cameron, K., & Quinn, R. (1999). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture. Chapters 1, 3, & 5
Bunker, B., & Alaban, B. (2002). Understanding and using large system interventions. In J. Waclawski, & A.
Church (Eds.). Organizational Development. Jossey-Bass.
Weisbord, M., & Janoff, S. (2005). Faster, shorter, cheaper may be simple; It’s never easy. The Journal of
Applied Behavioral Science, 41, 70-82.
Mirvis, P.H. (2005). Large group interventions: Change as theater. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science,
41, 122-138.
Oct 04
Process Consultation: Part III
Schein, E. Helping, Chapters 7, 8 and 9
Marshark, R.J. (2006). Hidden processes at work. Chapters 7 to 10
Assignment 6: Apply key principles from Schein or Marshark to a large scale change strategy form
October 2nd – what principle(s) are critical to large scale change and why?
Oct 09
Ethics and Values of OD Change Agents
French and Bell (1999). Organizational Development: Chapter 4
McLean, G.N., & DeVogel, S.H. (2002). Organizational development ethics. In J. Waclawski & A. Church
(Eds.). Organizational Development: A data-driven approach to organizational change. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Levinson, H. (2002). Organizational assessment. Chapter 2: Ethical problems and consultant roles.
Washington D.C.: APA.
Assignment 7: Analysis of ethical case – what are the key ethical issues in this case and how would you
proceed and why?
Oct 11
Todd Sperl; Quality and Lean Management
Readings to be assigned
Preparation: What does it mean to be a lean organization? How would one introduce a move to learn
management?
Oct 16
The Vision and the Readiness for Change
Zaccaro, S. & Banks, D. (2001). Leadership, vision, and organizational effectiveness.
Brunninge, O. (2009). Using history in organizations. Journal of Change Management, 22, 8-26.
Austin (2009). Initiating controversial strategic change in organizations. OD
Cunningham, C., Woodward, C., Shannon, H., MacIntosh, J., Lendrum, B., Cunningham et al (2002).
Readiness for organizational change: A longitudinal study of workplace, psychological and behavioral
correlates, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 75, 377-392.
Oct 18
Darryl Wahlstrom, DAW Organization Consulting Solutions
Diagnosing and Organizational Change
Gregory, B., Armenakis, A., Moates, K., Albritoon, M., & Harris, S. (2007). Achieving scientific rigor in
organizational diagnosis: An application of the diagnostic funnel, 59, 79-90.
Ford, J.K., & Davis, C. (2002). Using assessment tools to jump-start the move to community policing. In
Morrash & Ford (Eds.). The move to community policing
Preparation: What are the strengths and limitations of the organizational diagnosis approach by Gregory
et al? What are some the tradeoffs of trying to achieve scientific rigor in organizational diagnosis?
Oct 23
Planning for Change: Capacity Building
Foster-Fishman, P.G., Berkowitz, S., Loundsbury, D. Jacobson, S., & Allen, N. (2001). Building
collaborative capacity in community coalitions: A review and integrative framework. American Journal
of Community Psychology, 29, 241-261.
Gravenhorst, K., Werkman, R., & Boonstra, J. (2003). The change capacity of organizations: General
assessment and five configurations. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 52, 83-105.
Ford, J.K. (2007). Building Capability throughout a Change Effort: Leading the Transformation of a
Police Agency to Community Policing. American Journal of Community Psychology.
Mohrman, S., Tenkasi, R., & Mohrman, A. (2003). The role of networks in fundamental organizational
change. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 39, 301-323.
Assignment 8: Empowerment case – what are key issues of capacity building that are relevant to this
case? What is missing in this organization? Given this class, what suggestions would you give Martin on
how to get empowerment back on track for this company?
Oct 25
Steve Gravenkemper: After the Deal is done is done: Building a High
Performance Organization
Rafferty, A. & Restubog, S. (2010). The impact of change process and context on change reactions and
turnover during a merger. Journal of Management, 36, 2010.
Gravenkemper, S. (2007). Building community in organizations: Principles of engagement. Consulting
Psychology Journal.
Other Reading materials to may be assigned
Preparation: Reexamine the Cameron and Quinn model of organizational culture. How do you define
culture? What key issues would you see in merging two companies that have different cultures?
Oct 30
Resisting and Coping with Change
Ford, J., Ford, L., & D’Amelio, A. (2008). Resistance to change: The rest of the story. Academy of
Management Review, 33, 362-377.
Rafferty, A., & Griffin, M. (2006). Perceptions of organizational change: a stress and coping perspective.
JAP, 91, 1154-1162.
Fugate, M. Kinicki, A., & Prussia, G. (2008). Employee coping with organizational change: An examination
of alternative theoretical perspectives and models. Personnel Psychology, 61, 1-36.
Assignment 9: Resistance to change – Analysis of the arguments made by Ford et al.
Nov 01
Implementing Change: Leading a Change Effort
Huy, Q. (2002). Emotional balancing of organizational continuity and radical change: The contribution of
middle managers. ASQ, 47, 31-69.
Luscher, L, & Lewis, M. (2008) Organizational change and managerial sensemaking: Working through
the paradox. Academy of Management Journal, 51, 221-240.
Warrick, D. (2009). Developing organizational change champions. OD Practitioner
Beech, N., Burns, H., Caestecker, L., MacIntosh, R. & MacLean, D. (2004). Paradox as invitation to act in
problematic situations. Human Relations, 57, 1313-1332.
Nov 06
Psychological Aspects of Change
Bordia, P. Jones, E., Gallois, C., Callan, V., & Difonzo, N. (2006). Management are aliens! Rumors and
stress during organizational change. Group and Organizational Management, 31, 601-621..
Furst, S., & Cable, D. (2008). Employee resistance to organizational change: Managerial influence tactics
and leader-member exchange. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 453-462.
Bartunek, J., Rousseau, D., Rundolph, J., & DePalma, J. (2006). On the receiving end: Sensemaking,
emotion, and assessments of an organizational change initiated by others. Journal of Applied Behavioral
Science, 42, 182-206.
Zell, D. (2003). Organizational change as a process of death, dying and rebirth. Journal of Applied
Behavioral Science, 39, 73-96.
Nov 08
Larry Schultz, CEO, Great Lakes Industry, Change Over Time
Readings to be assigned
Preparation: How do organizations prepare people for the need of continuous improvement and change?
Nov 13
Monitoring and Revising a Change Efforts: A Learning Perspective
Foster-Fishman, P. and Ford, J.K. (2010). Improving service delivery and effectiveness: Taking an
organizational learning approach to consulting. In J. Viola ands. McMahon Consulting and evaluation with
nonprofit and community based organizations.
Vera, D., & Crosssan, M. (2004). Strategic leadership and organizational learning. Academy of Management
Review, 29, 222-240.
Kleiner, A., & Roth, E. (1997). How to make experience your company’s best teacher. Harvard Business
Review
Tsang, E., & Zahra (2008) Organizational unlearning. Human Relations.
Assignment 10: Clarify the meaning of organizational unlearning, distinguish it from organizational
learning, articulate its dimensions and then to discuss ways organizations can unlearn.
Nov 15
Nathaniel Lake, Pros and Cons of Implementing a 360 multi-rater system
in a large governmental Organization
Readings to be assigned
Preparation: What are the assumptions you have to make in order for a 360 multi-rater system work
effectively? Given these assumptions, what are three things that must happen to implement such a system?
Nov 20
Research and Practice Considerations in Studying Change
Cassell, C. & Johnson, P. (2006). Action research: Explaining the diversity. Human Relations, 59, 783-814.
Blumberg, M., & Pringle, C. (1983). How control groups can cause loss of control in action research: The
case of Rushton Coal Mine. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 19, 409-425.
Nye, C., Brummel, B., & Drasgow, F. (2010). Too good to be true? Understanding change in organizational
outcomes. Journal of Management, 20, 1-23.
Cooperrider, D., & Whitney, D. (1999). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. In P.
Holman & T. Devane (Eds.). The Change Handbook, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Nov 22
Thanksgiving!
No Readings!
Nov 27
Phyllis Mellon, Good Government
Readings to be assigned
Preparation: Good government includes performance management, service/process optimization,
employee engagement, and change management. What can be done to make this effort more than an
improvement program that might come and then go?
Nov 29
Sustaining Change
Buchanan, D., Fitzgerald, L., Ketley, D. Et al (2005). Not going back: A review of the literature on sustaining
organizational change. International Review of Management Reviews, 7, 189-205.
Sackmann, S.A., Effenhofer-Rehart, P.M., & Friesl, M. (2009). Sustainable change: Long-term
efforts toward developing a learning organization, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 45,
521-549.
Prokesch, S. (2009). How GE teaches teams to lead change. Harvard Business Review.
Final Question1: Reanalysis of the case Bringing it all Together (from Borman and Deal)
Dec 04
Reflections on the Future of OD
Roberts, J., & Armitage, J. (2006). From organization to hypermodern organization: On the accelerated
appearance and disappearance of Enron. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 19, 558-573.
Worley, C.G., & Feyerherm, A.E. (2003). Reflections on the future of organizational development. Journal
of Applied Behavioral Science, 39, 97-115.
Pettigrew, A. Woodman, R., & Cameron, K. (2001). Studying organizational change and development:
Challenges for future research. Academy of Management, 44, 697-713.
Final Question 2: What presenter had the most impact on you and your understanding of change?
Dec 06
Reflections on Change
Andrews, J., Cameron, H., & Harris, M. (2008). All change? Managers’ experience of organizational change
in theory and practice. JOCM.
Coleman, M. (2009). Self reflection and the OD practitioner. OD Practitioner.
Senge, P., Scharmer, C., Jaworski, J., & Flowers, S. (2005). Awakening faith in an alternative future. SoL.
Armenakis, A., & harris, S. (2009). Reflectiosn: Our journey in organizational change research and practice.
Journal of Change Management, 9, 127-142.
Final Question3: How has your view of change “changed” as a function of this class? What concept(s) will
you take from this class and apply to your career and why?
.