Organization Development - Research Paper Example

? A Topic in Organization Development Contents Contents 2 Introduction 3 Literature Review 4 Analysis and Evaluation 10 Analysis 10 Case of Retail Organizations 10 Case of Information Technology and Consulting Firms 12 Evaluation 13 Organizational Development of a Diverse Workforce in Wal-Mart 13 Organization Development in the Face of Diversity at IBM 14 Organization Development Programs Focusing on Workforce Diversity in Ernst and Young 15 Conclusion 16 References 18 Introduction With internationalization on the cards several business organizations are incorporating people from diverse backgrounds as they are expanding their networks across international borders. The business organizations in their stride to incorporate people from diverse nations need to design their recruitment and training policies accordingly to help meet the needs of the diverse population and regions. Moreover the organization also needs to work along different policies to help condemn discrimination against such regional minorities. The organizations also need to work along the social sphere to design several community programs to promote the development of the different regional and other underrepresented people in the concern. Organizational managers need to design several benefit programs focused on such regional and diverse minorities to help in their development and promotion in the concern. The business development managers need to design organizational development models to help the people thrive in an open atmosphere free from coercion and individual or group autonomy. In fact the organization should let the people perform in an environment filled with positive competition and thereby gain promotion based on performance and not undue influence. The organizational managers must endeavor to engage the people belonging to diverse nationalities in a team or group network so as to enhance the collaboration mechanism. This process would help the people belonging to diverse countries effectively communicate and enhance mutual relationships to work for meeting the common objectives of the concern. Moreover the organizational managers can work for the creation of open forums where people pertaining to different departments can be brought together to help discuss the problems and issues faced by them. Effective solutions can be brought about through proper discussion mechanisms incorporated in such open discussion forums. Such organizational development frameworks must be effectively designed by the organizational managers to help in the development of the organizational people as a whole and not divided by class or groups (Murphy and Willmott, 2010, p.469). Similarly the organizational managers need to identify different stakeholders when issues of organizational diversity are to be discussed in the open forums held in the business organization. Herein the different stakeholders to the issue are to be identified based on diverse groups depending on parameters like race, gender, cultural variances, sexually oriented groups or also suffering from permanent or temporary disability and other old age organizational people. The issues relating to these diverse groups need to be discussed openly to help arrive at potent solutions. Similarly organizations embracing people along different nationalities also need to devise methods to help cover the linguistic barriers so as to help the regional people understand the organizational objectives effectively (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p.280). The paper in this connection endeavors to highlight on such organizational development models that would help address the issues emerging from incorporating diverse individuals or groups in the concern. It would present a thesis on the literatures pertaining to the same and reflect on some practical situations pertaining to business organizations incorporating diverse groups and mode of solving their problems. Literature Review Jones and Brazel (2006) identify a multicultural organization as that which incorporates a large amount of diversity in both its cultural and social settings. The cultural diversity is thereby reflected in the operational, missionary and visionary parameters of the concern. The main objective of a multicultural setting in any organizational context is to help in ceasing the emergence of social and cultural oppressive forces in the concern. Thereby the people hailing from different cultural and social settings in a multicultural organization are empowered with the decision making capacity for the betterment of the concern as a whole. Organizational development process in a multicultural setting thus tends to work through incorporating four different parameters that can be highlighted as follows. Firstly the development process needs to identify the needs for bringing about a change in the concern. Secondly the development process tends to identify the points of justice relating to issues of diversity and matters relating to lack of social justice in the organizational context. Thirdly the development process focuses on the creation of adequate benchmarks that would help in assessing the level of justice offered in regards to issues of diversity and social justice. Finally the organizational development is required to bring out solutions on the basis of the above findings and consider the process for its effective implementation (Jones and Brazzel, 2006, p.146-147). Lubin, Lubin and Goldstein (1979) observe in this respect that the managers in the organization need to effectively plan and design the process of intervention in the organization to bring about harmony among the several departments and units or groups in the organization. However the process of intervention should be planned in such manner that benefits accruing to one group does not aim to render harm to another departmental group or unit. Thus the process of intervention should be adequately planned keeping in focus the need of the different groups and also on the amount of intervention required. Henceforth the intervention planners are required to understand as to which what type of intervention is required for each of the different groups and thereby plan the intervention programs accordingly. The intervention strategies that would be planned tend to focus either on reforming the policies and organizational structures or can tend to focus on developing the productivity of the people through training and education mechanisms (Lubin, Lubin and Goldstein, 1979, p.211-212). Landy and Conte (2007) in regards to aspect of organizational diversity has stated some potential strategies that would help in managing issues arising from such in the organizational context. A diverse organization earns success in that it would tend to reflect diversity starting from the entry or recruitment level to the different business or department levels. Diversity strategies also incorporate reflecting such both in regards to formal organizational networks but also in regards to informal social or organizational groups. Strategies must also be taken by the business concern to help eliminate discriminatory and other such policies enhancing bias in the organization. The business managers are required to understand and honor cultural differences that exit in the organizational setting and thereby make adequate policies to help minimize the rising of interpersonal tensions in the concern. Different models for incorporating diversity in the organization are recommended by theorists like the model tending to assimilate people coming from diverse groups in each of the organizational activities pertaining to recruitment, training , and also in regards to development and motivating them to enhance productivity. This model gains importance in that it would help the people to embrace the same or uniform organizational culture without any further conflict. Again another model incorporating a protective ideology is conceptualized by theorists in that it would help focus on the underrepresented or the minority groups pertaining to diverse cultures or races such that to render justice and equality to all. Another set of strategies focusing on organizational development pertaining to diverse work groups involves making the people understand how much they are valued in regards to the concern. This fact would thereby help in enhancement of the motivation level of the people and thereby would help in making them all the more productive and committed to help in meeting the business objective (Landy and Conte, 2007, p.491-492). Cox (1994) states in this regard the existence of diversity in an organization stems out from several complicated relationships that individuals or groups of certain people share with the organization as a whole. In regards to the emergence of separate and diverse relationships the organizational managers need to treat such individuals or organizational groups through separate development models. Different set of strategies need to be formulated to incorporate diversity both in formal as well as informal modes of communication in the organization. Development of the minority groups brought about in such organization works as the main objective of the organizational development process. The organizational development activities conducted focusing on the theme of organizational diversity mainly revolves along three standpoints like ethical or moral, legislative and also helps the organization gain on productivity and revenue. Thus models of organization development should endeavor to reduce diversity in regards to both individual and group settings and thereby in regards to the organization as a whole. These diverse individuals or groups tend to create barriers emanating from prejudice and difference in perception level and thus tend to create conflicting roles working in individual or group situations. Herein the organizational development model works in reducing such perception differences and conflicts. Henceforth this model is considered successful in reducing the emergence of different outcomes pertaining to absenteeism, reduction in employee morale and also in interdepartmental conflicts thereby helping the concern gain on productivity, revenue and increase in market shares (Cox, 1994, Ch. 1). Again, Brief (2008) tends to identify different diversity management techniques in regards to the existence of different organizational settings. It is viewed that organizations that tend to incorporate diverse working groups pertaining to different nationalities and cultural settings need to start working from the beginning of recruiting and then moving further to educate and train the employees to meet organizational objectives. Again another organization that is more inclined in reducing diversity among people pertaining to different departments seeks to enhance the level of communication flows between the people both in formal and informal settings thereby letting the people coordinate with each other to accomplish organizational objectives. Organizational development strategies can also incorporate reward systems in the model of organizational development focusing on diversity. Such reward systems can work on rewarding such organizational units that would be found tolerant to organizational diversity and punishing those unit managers that tend to reflect discrimination to people based on racial, national or other forms of diversity (Brief, 2008, p.298). Biga (2007) further shows an enhanced relationship between the elements of organizational diversity with the total functioning of the organization. It is found that if issues emerging from diversity are not managed effectively then that may happen to disturb the organizational performance, cohesion and bond between the different organizational units or groups and also largely reduces the zeal of the people in the concern. Thus organization development initiatives need to be taken in regards to management of organizational diversity that firstly tends to identify the diverse work groups as important assets to the concern. Training focuses on organizational development through incorporating the views and skills of the diverse work groups in the concern. This helps in enhancing the competency of the concern to counter different challenges while tending to expand to new markets. Moreover the training also focuses in helping the organizational people rightly embrace the views of the diverse population within the organization. This helps in creating a more tolerant understanding of the organizational diversity and thereby tends to reduce the potency of conflicts and thereby disruption in the work atmosphere. Further the training programs also focuses on development of interactive skills of the organizational people with the diverse working groups in the concern thereby helping in the development of cohesion among different units in the organization (Biga, 2007, p.9-15). Wilson (2007) herein also states that the organizational managers in order to develop effective organizational development theories focusing on diversity need to work on a separate model in order to gauge the effectiveness of the action taken on the diverse population. The model basically focuses on the culture of the organization and thereby tends to assess the individual cultural and personal preferences. These preferences and cultural parameter of the individual are then matched to the organization’s characteristics to understand the level of fitness of the person in the concern. Thus this model becomes very helpful in assessing organizational fitness for diverse population in that it endeavors to match the personal preferences and characteristics with the values and cultural features and characteristics of the organization. It would thereby help the organizational managers in devising separate strategies for the diverse working groups in the concern in an effective manner which in turn would help the concern gain on productivity and profitability (Wilson, 2007, p.5). Kreitner and Kinicki (2008) focuses on development of organizational workforce based on two different parameters. The two different parameters in turn focus on two different processes pertaining to the development of interpersonal and work related characteristics. Employee diversity in the organization can be analyzed along two fronts- surface and at the deep level. The surface level diversity features among the employees emanate from different features pertaining to age, race, nationality, gender, and performance ability differences. On the other hand the diversity of the work groups at the deepest level works out from the perceptual and prejudicial differences relevant to the personality traits of the diverse individual groups. The development process thus works out in development both the interpersonal skills of the different employee groups in the concern and also in regards to enhancing the decision making ability of the people in the concern. Enhancement of such interpersonal skills and decision making ability of the diverse workforce in the concern helps in enhancement of individual morale and productivity of the people working in the concern. The attitudes of the people towards the concern being changed would thereby help in enhancing the performance and productivity of people in the concern. Thus the organizational managers through the above incorporation models can work to reinforce the attitudes of the diverse population in the concern to help in the effective meeting of organizational objectives (Kreitner and Kinicki, 2008, p.50). Analysis and Evaluation Analysis The analysis would tend to focus on the management of organizational diversity in the workforce pertaining to retail and information technology organizations. Case of Retail Organizations In large scale retail organizations working to expand into foreign markets the managers of such concerns focus on working to address the needs of diverse cultures both in regards to both consumers and employees. The management body in such retail organizations works to generate the best practices policy for the people belonging to diverse backgrounds pertaining to race, ethnicity, disability and other such parameters. Best practices policies aimed at focusing on such people emanating from diverse backgrounds helps in incorporating their decision making abilities in solving specific business problems along with the core management group of the concern. Moreover the managers of such retail organizations also needs to sustain the diverse workforce in their concerns for the creativity and decision making abilities of those people help the retail concern to gain the advantage of operating in the local markets. Again the management body of such retail firms also focuses on gaining fresh blood from the local markets the views of which can be combined with the existing expertise of the management body to help the concern gain new heights (Dychtwald, Erickson and Morison, 2006, p.30-31). Again the managers working in large retail firms aiming to expand into foreign markets and thereby taking into hold of diverse workforce from different regions need to enhance on the communication and interpersonal relationship aspects. The managers of such retail firms are required to conduct both formal and informal meetings with the members of diverse workgroups along a day to help understand their problems and thereby render potential solutions. Working to discuss the problems with the people belonging to diverse workgroups in turn happens to increase the morale of the employees in the concern. These people with improved employee morale can work to enhance the productivity of the organization by reflecting skills and taking potential decisions helping the concern to gain a strong foothold in the foreign markets (Klarsfeld, 2010, p.259). The management body of retail firms focusing on incorporating workforce diversity is required to design their organizational policies accordingly. Design of organizational policies should be made adequately to reflect respect and honor for workforce diversity at possibly all levels in the concern. Thus human resource activities must be well drafted to help in the recruitment and selection of diverse work groups in the concern. The higher level management body of the concern is required to render such organizational policies as to help in the enhancement of the value of the diverse workgroups working in the concern. Further the recruitment and training functions of the organization focusing on encouraging applications from minority workforce groups in relation to ethnic and racial diversity must also be enhanced by effective training programs conducted by the management body. Such training programs should inevitably be focused on development of the skills and efficiency of the minority workgroups in the concern. Thus the retail organization aiming to incorporate people from diverse communities needs to design its programs accordingly to help in the development of such people both professionally and personally (Berman and Evans, 2007, p.341). Case of Information Technology and Consulting Firms In case of companies operating in the sector of information technology and consulting it is found that workplace diversity tends to be rendered a lower priority. Thus in such organizations the people belonging to Hispanic groups and other African American population and also the female class continues to be highly underrepresented. The work of such organizations being classified as white collar jobs only focus on the higher social strata rather than on the underrepresented people. However these firms in order to expand into foreign markets need to redesign their business and human resource policies to help in the inclusion of diverse workforces in the concern. Thus starting from recruitment and selection the information technology and consulting firms must focus on the gaining of diverse population with enhanced skill sets. These people on being recruited should be rendered potential training and mentorship by the human resource managers of such firms aiming at using the skill sets and competencies of the diverse population for meeting of organizational objectives. Further the organizational managers should also work on encouraging the people to gain newer opportunities in the concern. The activity and intervention rendered in such roles focus on enhancing the interpersonal and communication aspects with the managers of the information technology and consulting firms with the diverse workgroups. Such enhancement of interpersonal relationships with the diverse workgroups would thereby help in instilling confidence and enhancement of skill-sets and productivity of such recruits (WetFeet, 2009, p.61). Again the information technology and consulting firms can address the needs for recruiting and sustaining workforce diversity through the generation of workshops. Such workshops should also focus on enhancing the mindset of the people to also honor and value the systems of workforce diversity. Creation of adequate benchmarks is required for the concern to help in the enhancement of communication and creativity in the workplace. Thus these type of concerns are required to formulate new rules and policies rather than depend on existing stereotype rules to help in enhancing the development of such diverse population (Benardin, 2008, p.261). Evaluation The evaluation mechanism based on the analysis part would tend to focus on sectors like retail, information technology and consulting by specifically hinting on cases where firms like Wal-Mart, IBM and Ernst and Young have gained access of diverse population while tending to operate in the international markets. Organizational Development of a Diverse Workforce in Wal-Mart The retail giant Wal-Mart operating along a host of countries round the globe is found to incorporate diverse workgroups operating in its several departments. The company takes into count a huge population of people emanating from different countries and thereby endeavors to honor the ideology and preferences of the diverse work groups operating in the concern. Human resource managers at Wal-Mart work to enhance the interpersonal skills of the people of the concern by encouraging them to work in groups or teams and also in actively providing them training to help develop their skills and productivity while dealing with diverse customers. Similarly the management team at Wal-Mart also works in the development of minority groups in the concern like women and disabled people by also incorporating the views of other external social groups operating in the region. The organization development activities in Wal-Mart pertaining to organizational diversity gains priority starting from the recruitment level where the company tends to gain a diverse workforce from colleges and universities. Similarly the organization also works to help in the development of Hispanic people working in the concern. The management team at Wal-Mart focuses on the development of diversity leaders in the concern that would work at rendering facility and benefits to the diverse and minority work groups working in the concern. Such facility or benefit rewarding managers are accountable to the diversity oriented people of the concern in helping them grow both professionally and personally with the concern. Thus through the developmental activities the company aims at enhancing the productivity of the organizational people as a whole to help the concern gain a better social image and larger market share (Vault Editors, 2006, p.694). Organization Development in the Face of Diversity at IBM The workforce culture at IBM is also found to embrace large scale diversity by recruiting employees from different profiles and pertaining to different nations. The large scale diversity incorporated in the organization is held to be a competitive advantage by the managers in that the company becomes able to gain salient expertise and knowledge from the people belonging to diverse profiles. Herein the concern works at continuously developing the skills of the people through encouraging people from diverse communities to work in effective teams and thereby share in knowledge contributing to organizational productivity. Further the organization also works in working to sustain the skills and potencies of the diverse work groups through reward and compensation systems and also in rendering an atmosphere of equal opportunity in the concern. Thus people from diverse communities working in the concern can effectively perform to gain to new heights without a fear from being discriminated. Moreover the organization also works in enhancing the feeling of respect among the diverse and minority groups working in the concern. This fact helps in reducing the chances of discrimination pertaining to work groups belonging to sexually oriented, disability and other ethnic profiles thereby creating a positive and vibrant work atmosphere in the concern (Reece, Brandt and Howie, 2010, p.325). Again, IBM working for the development of the workforce pertaining to the Asia-Pacific communities is also found to have devised a program of five days that would help in the professional upliftment of the people in such areas. This organization thus works effectively in both recruiting and sustaining the skills and competencies emerging from the diverse workforce and thereby enhancing its own competitive advantage in foreign markets (Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2011, p.211). Organization Development Programs Focusing on Workforce Diversity in Ernst and Young The consulting firm Ernst and Young also work tirelessly for the incorporation of workforce diversity where a large amount of the concern’s workforce is comprised of blacks. The organizational managers herein not only train the existing workforce to honor and respect the diverse population but also aim in creating an educational and professional opportunity for the people to adequately grow with the concern. The organization also aims at furthering its relationships with other colleges and institutions where they can gain hold of black and Hispanic people. Thus the concern reflects a large amount of awareness in selecting, retaining and developing diverse workgroups from the community areas. Henceforth, Ernst and Young become able to gain the advantage of recruiting such diverse workgroups in the concern by training the people to meet organizational objectives in an effective manner (Ernst and Young, 2000, p.130). Conclusion Organizations in order to thrive in the new millennium must focus on incorporating diversity both pertaining to the workplace and also in regards to the consumers. Incorporating people from diverse areas tends to reflect that such people can either belong to different racial and ethnic tribes or are disabled or also can be classified based on differences of gender, age and or religious backgrounds. The organizations tending to incorporate such people from diverse groups need to design their policies accordingly to help in the growth of the people both along their professional and personal lifestyles with that of the organization as a whole. Separate human resource policies needs to be created by the organization whether operating in the retail sector, the information technology and other consulting sectors to help the diverse population render their skill and efficiency to help the organization gain new heights. The organization in turn is required to train the people to make them understand the needs of the concern and is also required to make the existing people respect and honor them in the concern. Further the higher level managers are required to cease all types of discrimination aimed at these people by the existing organizational population through the development of adequate policies and guidelines. Again the organizational managers are required to render a mentor like attitude to the underrepresented people and encourage them to take active part in organizational decision making activities. This fact would help them gain a large amount of encouragement in participating in organizational activities aimed at enhancing the profitability and productivity of the units. Moreover interpersonal and interdepartmental communication must be enhanced in the organization and especially in regard to the diverse and underrepresented population to help them gain confidence while communicating with the superiors in the concern. In total the business organizations working in the international sphere must encourage the taking of diverse workgroups in the concern and thereby training and developing such people for the betterment of the concern in terms of gaining on productivity and a further competitive edge in the international business markets. References Benardin, H. (2008). 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