An Organizational Development Program for Academic Departments and Divisions at Community and Junior Colleges
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Ml 48106 18 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON WC1R 4EJ, ENGLAND 8118782 POETZINGER, JOHN FREDERICK, JR. AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS AT COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES The University of North Carolina at Greensboro ED.D. 1981 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Copyright 1981 by POETZINGER, JOHN FREDERICK, JR. All Rights Reserved AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS AT COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES by John F. Poetzinger, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Greensboro 1981 Approved by Dissertation Adviser POETZINGER, JOHN F., JR. An Organizational Development Program for Academic Departments and Divisions at Community and Junior Colleges. (1981) Directed by: Dr. Chiranji Lai Sharma. pp. 184. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for a comprehensive organizational development (OD) program to improve administrative and organizational functioning of academic departments and divisions at community and junior colleges. The basic approach employed in designing the OD program was to synthesize data obtained by surveying educators at community and junior colleges with data obtained through a review of the literature con cerning OD. A questionnaire, Organizational Development Survey Instrument for Academic Departments/Divisions (ODSIADD), was administered to the membership of the National Council for Staff, Program, and Organizational Development (NCSPOD), an Affiliate Council of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges. Two hundred ninety-one of 681 survey instruments were returned, representing a response rate of 42.7 percent. Respondents indicated a preference for an OD program for academic depart ments and divisions which would: (a) enhance the uti1ization of human resources; (b) reflect a normative value system encouraging humanistic treatment of individuals; (c) be action research oriented; (d) involve upper-level administrative units in conjunction with academic depart ments/divisions; (e) be continuous and ongoing; (f) use the services of an internal change agent (consultant); (g) select external change agents, if employed, from outside the college, rather than merely external to the academic department or division. The design of the OD program consisted of a survey-research and feedback process to effect organizational changes over two academic years. It was recommended that an internal and an external change agent assist college personnel in the direction and coordination of the OD program consisting of several phases: (a) participation of college personnel from all administrative units in the design of a survey instrument; (b) administration of the survey instrument to all administrative units; (c) feedback of the data to administrators and faculty in a series of interlocking sessions to facilitate interpre tation of the data and identification of problems; (d) formulation of intervention strategies (action plans) to address identified problems and weaknesses; and (e) readministration of the survey instrument to produce comparison measures of longitudinal changes in characteristics of organizational functioning. The OD program utilizes a model of organizational functioning which should be collaboratively developed by the external change agent and college personnel. When formulating the model, participants identify those operating characteristics which contribute to improvement in administrative and organizational functioning. The model represents the ideal condition toward which members of the college wish to move by improving designated characteristics of organizational functioning over time. As such,the model serves as a conceptual road map as well as a motivating force toward the objectives of the OD program. College personnel are motivated to strive for improvement as the inferior nature of the present condition, indicated by the survey findings, is compared to the ideal condition depicted by the model. A time frame for the entire survey-research and feedback process and detailed discussion of ten sequential steps for implementation are presented as part of the comprehensive OD program. The study includes an extensive bibliography of the literature concerning OD as well as for the related topic of staff development. APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Commi ttee Members nuv-l ,n, mi Date of Acceptance by Committee hlAC'C Mil Date of Final Oral Examination ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The investigator is sincerely grateful to many persons for their encouragement and assistance throughout the doctoral program that culminated with the writing of this dissertation. I am especially appreciative to Dr. C. L. Sharma, chairman of my committee, and to the other members of my committee, Dr. Richard H. Weller, Dr. J. Gary Hoover, Dr. Joseph E. Bryson, and Dr. E. William Noland, for their guidance and support. Sincere appreciation is also expressed to my wife, Becky, my daughter, Susan, and sons, James and Robert, whose patience, under standing, and support were a source of strength. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page APPROVAL PAGE ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii i LIST OF TABLES . LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of Problem 3 Definition of Terms 4 Significance of the Study 5 Organization of the Dissertation 7 II. REVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LITERATURE: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS 8 Evolution of Organizational Development .... 9 Definition of Organizational Development .... 18 Essential Elements of the Process of Organizational Development 22 The Role of the Change Agent 44 Implementing Organizational Development Programs 51 Ethical Considerations 54 Other Criticisms, Problems, and Issues 57 III. REVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LITERATURE: APPLICATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION 62 Relationship Between Organizational Development and Staff Development 62 Organizational Development Programs in Higher Education 68 Organizational Development Programs for Academic Departments/Divisions 74 iv CHAPTER Page IV. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES 81 The Pilot Study 81 Selection of the Sample 84 Final Survey Instrument . 85 V. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA 86 Current Utilization of Organizational Development 86 Problems Addressed by Organizational Development Within Academic Departments/ Divisions 92 A Conceptual Framework for Organizational Development 99 VI. AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONS 112 Purposes of the Organizational Development Program 112 Objectives for the Design of a Program .... 113 Summary of the Data from the Study 114 Conceptual Framework for a Program 115 Design for the Process and Implementation . 126 VII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS .... 137 Summary 137 Conclusions 139 Recommendations 142 BIBLIOGRAPHY 145 APPENDIXES 168 A. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SURVEY INSTRUMENT FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS (ODSIAD) 169 B. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SURVEY INSTRUMENT FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONS (ODSIADD) . 176 C. LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT 182 D. TRANSMITTAL LETTER 183 E. FOLLOW-UP LETTER 184 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Responses to Statements in Part I of the ODSIADD 88 2. Frequency of Responses Indicating Length of Time Required to Complete a Successful Organizational Development Program 92 3. Rank Order, Frequency, and Percentage