2014.12.

05- HRDM 108

Designing Interventions
- An intervention is a set of sequenced & planned
actions or events intended to help the
organization increase its effectiveness.
- Also called: Capacity Building Activities
- Interventions purposely disrupt the status quo
Characteristics of Effective Interventions
Is it relevant to the needs of the organization?
Valid information
Free & informed choice
Internal commitment
Is it based on casual knowledge of intended
outcomes?
Does it transfer competence to manage change
to organization members?
2 Contingencies that can affect Success of
OD Intervention:
1. Contingencies Related to the Change Situation
Readiness for change
Capability to change
Knowledge, Resources & Experiences
Cultural context
Capabilities of the change agent
2. Contingencies Related to the Target of Change
Strategic Issues
Technology & Structure Issues
Human Resources Issues
Human Process Issues
Organizational Level
Group Level
Individual Level
Intervention Overview
- These interventions are classified based on the
organizational issues intended to be resolved &
the organizational level expected to have a
primary impact
Human Process Interventions
Focus: Interaction & interrelationships of people
w/in the organization, to accomplish their goals
Process Consultation & Team Building
Third-Party Interventions (Conflict
Resolution)
Organization Confrontation Meeting
Intergroup Relationships
Large-Group Interventions

Examples: Companies w/new employees, mix

cultures, conflicts, low morale, ineffective
teams
Techno-Structural Interventions
Focus: Organizations technology & structure to
bring productivity & organizational
effectiveness
Structural Design
Downsizing
Reengineering (BPE)
Parallel Structures
High Involvement Organizations
Total Quality Management (TQM)
Work Design
Example: systems not sufficient to sustain rapid
growth in the organization; lots of customer
complaints
Human Resources Management (HRM)
Interventions
Focus: Integrating, developing & supporting
people to enhance their organizational
performance
Goal Setting
Performance Appraisal
Reward Systems
Coaching & Mentoring
Career Planning & Development
Management & Leadership
Managing Workforce Diversity
Employee Wellness Programs
Strategic Interventions
Focus: Linking organization to external
environment & overall changing competitive
conditions
(global recession, mergers, acquisitions, market
expansions)
Transformational Change
o Integrated Strategic Change
o Organization Design
o Culture Change
Continuous Change
o Mergers & Acquisitions
o Alliances & Networks
Transorganizational Change
o Self-designing Organizations
o Organization Learning & Knowledge
Management
o Built to Change Organizations
You need to know the lens through which you
view your organization
this creates your intervention bias.