ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT

Organizational improvement

Organizational improvement

Introduction

Engaging in organizational planning and working to implement change can be a difficult process; it can be daunting and unpredictable. Managers often wonder where to begin, what to take into account, how to overcome resistance, and how to ensure the changes made will be successful. FOH's services are available to help organizational members create plans, improve processes, assess training needs, and institute change. Whether dealing with internal change to revitalize an organization or the changes associated with the merging of two different organizations, we have training programs available to help train and support members of any organization.

A Structured Approach to Organizational Improvement

The case mentioned in the paper relates to a conflict between the managing director of the company and its employees. The managing director is a rigid person who has recently fired an employee due to her strict and unjustly rigid attitude. This has de-motivated other employees working in the organization as well. To change this environment, I would be proposing a model that will be applicable to improve the current situation and environment of the company.

The model is an expansion of the Plan-Do-Check-Act model introduced by Walter Shewhart and popularized by W. Edwards Deming. It is an analytical and social process that provides structure for team discussions, which in turn fosters a collaborative climate that builds community within the organization. IMPROVE also fosters constructive discussion of multiple viewpoints, thereby enhancing creativity and innovation. This structured approach to teamwork has helped teams at Penn State to improve and redesign processes, programs and services. It has facilitated organizational community by making it easier to work together to share ideas through the use of a common framework.

Penn State's Improve Model

I - Identify and Select Process for Improvement

M - Map the Critical Process

P - Prepare Analysis of Process Performance

R - Research and Develop Possible Solutions

O - Organize and Implement Improvements

V - Verify and Document Results

E - Evaluate and Plan for Continuous Improvement

Characteristics of teams using the IMPROVE model: Like other problem solving and decision making groups, a team using the IMPROVE model goes through an evolutionary process where the decisions emerge over time. Use of the model is circular, rather than linear. This means that a team will go back and forth between the seven stages as appropriate. Part of the facilitator's job is to help the team recognize when it's time to move between the seven stages. Just like others, a team using the IMPROVE model is influenced by individual-level variables such as communication styles and personal values. The team is also influenced by group climate. The facilitator plays an important role in establishing a group climate of respect and open, balanced communication. The facilitator also models effective task and relational communication roles. The stages of the IMPROVE model lay the groundwork for taking advantage of a group's strengths through the use of tools that encourage a greater diversity of perspectives. Finally, teams are influenced by external forces including organizational goals and values, deadlines, and ...