Chapter 10 Quiz

diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation The organizational development (OD) process has three steps: diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation.

True Radical (transformational) innovation creates products, services, or technologies that don't exist yet.

False Like physicians, OD managers and consultants follow a medical-like model; that is, they follow the rules of evidence-based management. They approach the organization as if it were a sick patient, using diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation: "diagnosing" its ills, "prescribing" treatment or intervention, and "monitoring" or evaluating progress.

False The first step in fostering innovation is to recognize problems and opportunities, and devise solutions.

innovative Innovative change is the introduction of a practice that is new to the organization. It is apt to trigger some fear and resistance among employees. For example, should a grocery store decide to adopt a new practice of competitors by staying open 24 hours a day, requiring employees to work flexible schedules, it may be felt as moderately threatening.

False Lots of people believe that innovation can be systematized, or made a codified and standardized process that can be designed to always yield fruitful results. Obviously, if this could be done, many companies would be doing it. The problem with innovation, however, is that there are too many challenges associated with it, which makes success unpredictable.

True Disruptive innovation is a process by which a product or service takes root initially in simple applications at the bottom of a market and then relentlessly moves up market, eventually displacing established competitors. One example is technological breakthrough such as digitalization.

False OD effectiveness is affected by cross-cultural considerations. Thus, an OD intervention that worked in one country should not be blindly applied to a similar situation in another country.

True Once you've decided how you're going to handle the problem or opportunity, start developing and communicating your vision. Among the details you'll need to communicate to gain support are the following: showing how the product or service will be made, showing how potential customers will be reached, and demonstrating how you'll beat your competitors.

faith in change agent's intentions The top reasons employees resist change are (1) individuals' low predisposition toward change; (2) surprise and fear of the unknown; (3) climate of mistrust; (4) fear of failure; (5) loss of status or job security; (6) peer pressure; (7) disruption of cultural traditions or group relationships; (8) personality conflicts; (9) lack of tact or poor timing; and (10) nonreinforcing reward systems.

change agent Often OD is put into practice by a person known as a change agent, a consultant with a background in behavioral sciences who can be a catalyst in helping organizations deal with old problems in new ways.

the change agent-employee relationship Resistance to change is an emotional/behavioral response to real or imagined threats to an established work routine. Resistance can be as subtle as passive resignation and as overt as deliberate sabotage. Resistance can be considered to be the interaction of three causes: (1) employee characteristics, (2) change agent characteristics, and (3) the change agent-employee relationship.

Prevent failure at all cost. Ways to deal with change and innovation include allowing room for failure.

unfreeze, change, and refreeze To explain how to initiate, manage, and stabilize planned change, Kurt Lewin developed a model with three stages—unfreeze, change, and refreeze.

False Adaptive change is reintroduction of a familiar practice—the implementation of a kind of change that has already been experienced within the same organization. Innovative change is the introduction of a practice that is new to the organization.

resistance to change Resistance to change is an emotional/behavioral response to real or imagined threats to an established work routine. Resistance can be as subtle as passive resignation and as overt as deliberate sabotage.

True The value of Kotter's steps is that they provide specific recommendations about behaviors that managers need to exhibit to successfully lead organizational change.

False Two myths about innovation are that it happens in a "Eureka!" moment and that it can be systematized.

unfreezing In the unfreezing stage, managers try to instill in employees the motivation to change, encouraging them to let go of attitudes and behaviors that are resistant to innovation.

issue a mandate: change or leave Four steps for fostering innovation are to (1) recognize problems and opportunities and devise solutions; (2) gain allies by communicating your vision; (3) overcome employee resistance and empower and reward them to achieve progress; and (4) execute well by effectively managing people, groups, and organizational processes and systems in the pursuit of innovation.