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Organizational Power and Politics: More Than Meets the Eye in Program Planning Susan Shaver National-Louis University

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Organizational Power and Politics: More Than Meets the Eye in Program Planning Susan Shaver National-Louis University National Louis University Digital Commons@NLU Dissertations 6-2003 Organizational Power and Politics: More Than Meets the Eye in Program Planning Susan Shaver National-Louis University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss Part of the Other Education Commons Recommended Citation Shaver, Susan, "Organizational Power and Politics: More Than Meets the Eye in Program Planning" (2003). Dissertations. 11. https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/11 This Dissertation - Public Access is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons@NLU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@NLU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NATIONAL-LOUIS UNIVERSITY ORGANIZATIONAL POWER AND POLITICS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE IN PROGRAM PLANNING A CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF ADULT & CONTINUING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BY SUSAN SHAVER STOUFFVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA JUNE 2003 ABSTRACT Organizational power and politics influence corporate training in ways not often discussed. This study explores the effects of organizational power and politics on program planning and how planning, with its inherent power and politics (see Cervero & Wilson, 1994a), influences the daily practices of corporate trainers. This study was informed by the literature of systems theory and constructivism. Von Bertalanffy’s (1968) general systems theory, in which the whole of a system is considered to be greater than the sum of its parts, Senge’s (1990) systems view that interrelationships within organizational structures, (not events), underlie complex situations, and Lincoln & Guba’s (1985) constructivist theory were used to explore ways in which trainers construct and modify knowledge and experiences as they plan training programs. The intent was to examine how multiple influences — which are at the heart of systems thinking and include areas such as internal and external environmental factors and corporate culture — cause trainers to understand, take action, and manage day-to-day training practices. A single case study design provided intense description and analysis of a specific group of trainers from a Canadian manufacturing company. Nine trainers and eight members of the senior management i team were direct sources of the data which were gathered in focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and document reviews of company materials. A few of the conclusions that emerged from the findings include: (a) multiple influences affecting program planning are not limited to companies practicing Senge’s (1990) systems thinking approach to business; (b) management and staff share an understanding that “training” is primarily a process of facilitation which ignores additional, strategic elements of program planning (such as needs assessment, learning outcomes, program design, and evaluation); (c) perceptions of management and trainers vary on the role of trainers, leading trainers to question how training aligns with strategic goals; and (d) although rapid company growth, corporate culture, and organizational systems present traditional challenges to training, power and political factors are less obvious, influencing program planning and trainers in ways not often discussed. This study informs adult educators, organizational development practitioners, and human resources development staff about program planning from the perspectives of trainers rather than learners. It informs trainers of how practice fits into a broader organizational context in which power and political influences affect their organizations, program planning, and themselves. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Will the real Shirl (Atwell), Wilma (Backus), Darlene (Boliver), Sue (Fabrizio), Allison (Goldstein), Mike (Goldstein), Tony (Kennedy), Rebecca (Lemaich), Av (Lieberman), Lynda (Matthies), Bill (Shaver), and Norbert (Woerns) please stand up? I used your first names as pseudonyms throughout my thesis for two reasons. First, I was intent on preserving the identities of the individuals who participated in my study and who so kindly shared their thoughts and ideas with me. Second, what better way to ensure that each of you played an active role in my learning journey? Each time I read or typed your names, I thought about you and kept you in my heart and mind even as I crossed the line of moderation into obsession while working on my research. Thank you; thank you to all of you for your support and interest during the three years of this wonderful journey. For those of you who cannot be with me — my Mom Lillian and my Dad Maurie — my research is dedicated to you, for without you my success would not have been possible. How I wish you could be here in person to share in my celebration and to model your senses of humour, loyalty, ethics, integrity, compassion, patience and love you instilled in me and by which I try to live my life and guide my practice. iii Thank you to the organization at the heart of this case study. I continue to marvel at the amount of staff time — and the delicious lunches — provided for our meetings. Your generosity, collaboration on inviting staff to participate, and patience with my unending questions over the last year have given me a much deeper understanding of the industry and diverse challenges your business and staff face beyond day-to-day operations. Sincerest thanks to each staff member who spent so much time in focus groups or interviews sharing her or his thoughts with me on often-sensitive issues. As a qualitative researcher, I really value your trust in me and continue to view myself as a guest in the “private spaces of your world” (Stake, 1998, p. 103). To all faculty who gently guided this third National-Louis University Doctoral Cohort (a.k.a.“Doc 3”), Dr. Scipio Colin III, Dr. Stephen Brookfield, Dr. Thomas Heaney, Dr. Randee Lawrence, Dr. Gabriele Strohschen (for our late night e-mails of profound insights!), and Dr. Libby Tisdell, thank you all for treating me as a peer rather than as a “student”. Warmest gratitude goes to Tom Heaney and Randee Lawrence as my advisory committee. Tom, your sense of urgency in answering my questions is only surpassed by your faith in me that I too would soon be “analysing with iv the best of them.’’ Remember in first year when you had to explain to me what a social movement was? Thanks to you I have moved beyond my previously rigid, learning outcomes mindset to critically examining the broader social and political contexts of my life and adult education practice. Randee, thanks to you, I now pursue excellence rather than perfection as I give myself space to develop my ideas rather than fixating on process. You inspire me to honour the role of collaboration in my personal and professional lives. Thanks to you, I am a better listener open to new ideas as I try to focus less on my own beliefs and more on the strengths of what other people have to say. Thank you to John Reigle, my thesis editor from St. F. X. University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada and honorary member of my advisory committee. I have been twice privileged to have you John as thesis editor in my Masters and Doctoral programs. I would like to pay the same, heartfelt tribute now as I did in my Masters’ thesis — thank you for your patience and perceptive editing skills — and simply add my sincerest appreciation for your responsiveness and insightful suggestions. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................ i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................... iii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................ 1 Background and Experience ................................... 1 Origin of the Study ............................................... 6 Purpose of the Study ............................................ 10 Organization of the Thesis ..................................... 11 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................... 13 Systems Theory ................................................... 15 Definition .................................................... 16 Tracing Its Evolution..................................... 16 Perspectives from a Variety of Disciplines........ 19 Power and Politics................................................. 26 Definition .................................................... 27 As A Resource; As A Force............................. 29 Influences of Power and Politics ..................... 31 Program Planning ................................................. 34 Congruent Views .......................................... 35 Where are the Challengers?........................... 36 Power and Politics in Program Planning ........... 37 Program Models — Critique and Support ......... 38 Training Excellence ............................................... 42 Attempt at a Definition.................................. 42 Systemic Approach to Training Excellence ....... 43 Training Excellence and Change ..................... 45 Critical Reflection ......................................... 46 Summary of the Literature..................................... 47 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................ 48 Parameters of Qualitative Research......................... 50 Participant Selection ............................................
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