Organizational Development (OD) is a fundamental management subject and important for an MBA degree program. One aspect of Organizational Development is Organizational Diagnosis, which is not as comprehensive as the overall development or change process. Diagnosis is often the first step in the OD process. Over the years, there have been many OD models developed. Some are better than others and some are more useful in certain situations than others. Later models were developed with Open System Theory in mind, which tends to make the models more comprehensive. ABC Company and Whole Foods Market are interested in using an OD model to diagnose Whole Foods Market’s current situation. You will need to have an understanding of some of these models in order to make a recommendation.

Required Reading

Download and read this white paper by Falletta about OD models. Salvatore Falletta, President and CEO of Leadersphere, has written a white paper that reviews several commonly used models of organizational diagnosis. You will use several of these models in conducting your integrative Case project. The relevant part of this paper in terms of this class is the first 31 pages. The last part of the paper (pp. 32-43) deals with the theoretical foundations of the Burke & Litwin model, Falletta’s Organizational Intelligence Model; this is optional reading. We are not covering Falletta’s Organizational Intelligence Model.

Falletta, S. V. (2013) Organizational diagnostic models: an integrative review & synthesis. Organizational Intelligence Institute (www.oi-institute.com).

Falletta provides an overview of Open Systems Theory (OST) in his paper (pp. 8 & 9). Keep in mind that OST is not an OD model, but rather a basis for most of the later models. For a deeper understanding, go to the following optional reading and read about systems, systems thinking, and organizations as open systems. You will see that businesses are not unlike living organisms: they depend on the environment for sustenance; they comprise multiple, mutually dependent parts; and they affect the environment in the course of their daily activities. Open Systems Theory provides valuable insights into organizations.

Optional Reading

Systems Thinking and Learning Organizations (n.d.). National Defense University. Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt1ch4.html

There are no reading assignments for the SLP.

However, if you need a refresher on various theories (product life cycle, pricing, price elasticity, market saturation, product development, etc.) there are a multitude of articles on the Internet.

Optional Review Materials

This small sample of Useful Internet Sites may help you throughout the course, and can serve as a complement to previous course materials. You are encouraged to supplement this list if you need additional refreshers.