Organizing for Change: An Assessment of Organization Development Activities of Training Consultants

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine and analyze the background and training of consultants involved in organization development activities, the client organizations served by these professionals, the types of organization development interventions most commonly employed by the training consultants, and the resources utilized by internal and external consultants conducting organization development activities. The data were collected from a review and analysis of organization development research literature and from a descriptive survey questionnaire utilized to obtain information from a sample of 102 practicing consultants from a variety of institutional settings throughout the United States. Both qualitative and quantitative information from the training consultants was collected through the survey questionnaire. The descriptive information gathered by the survey was used to identify commonalities and patterns with regard to the background and professional preparation of organization development consultants, client organizations, interventions of choice, and professional resources. The data obtained by the close questionnaire items were analyzed to determine the number and percentage of total response group selection. Tables and charts with numerical summaries were used to augment the written description of the results. The findings of the study demonstrate that the field of organization development must come to grips with its fragmented rather than integrated identity and the overriding issue of organization development's productivity and cost effectiveness. The training consultants, themselves, come from diverse educational backgrounds, with the majority possessing advanced degrees in fields related to the practice of organization development. They employ a wide variety of interventions with teambuilding and survey feedback being highly favored as the interventions of choice for a multitude of organizational problems. Coursework in organization development theory and practice, human relations, and leadership development are helpful for entering into practice as a consultant and for remaining abreast of developments in the field. Organization development trainers also find professional association workshops helpful for these purposes. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will benefit corporate executives employing the services of organization development consultants, academicians developing curricula designed to train organization development practitioners, graduate students contemplating careers as organization development specialists, and finally, organization development consultants engaged in organization development activities. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)