Core Values and Ethics of Organization Development Chapter 3

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Questions and Answers

What was published in 1990 to guide ethics for organization development (OD) professionals?

A management culture document

A financial report

A technology manual

A statement of ethical guidelines (correct)

Which term distinguishes organizational development (OD) from other consulting methods?

Profitability

Competition

Participation (correct)

Efficiency

What are some of the essential values of organizational development (OD) according to the text?

Competition and secrecy

Learning and growth (correct)

Isolation and rigidity

Authority and control

What do organizational development (OD) values help practitioners do?

Clarify thinking Signup and view all the answers

What aspect has been added to humanistic concerns in organizational development (OD)?

Business effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following may lead to neglecting the values underpinning organizational development (OD) techniques?

Economic and cultural forces Signup and view all the answers

What purpose do organizational development (OD) values serve for practitioners?

Establish dialogue with clients Signup and view all the answers

What was lacking in the early 1980s regarding ethics for organization development and human resources professionals?

Statement of ethical guidelines Signup and view all the answers

Which values are emphasized in organizational development (OD) practices?

Authenticity and openness Signup and view all the answers

What do OD values guide practitioners in doing?

Evaluating work Signup and view all the answers

In what year was a statement of ethical guidelines published for OD professionals?

1990 Signup and view all the answers

What may lead to conflicts for OD professionals according to the text?

Cultural and economic forces Signup and view all the answers

How do OD values distinguish practitioners from other consulting methods?

By emphasizing trust, growth, and learning Signup and view all the answers

What is added to humanistic concerns in organizational development (OD)?

Business effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

What do OD values provide for practitioners in addition to guiding intervention choices?

Evaluate work effectively Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of OD values may conflict with traditional values due to economic and cultural pressures?

Quality and productivity Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Defining Values

Values are enduring beliefs that guide our thinking and behavior, and are relatively stable and enduring from situation to situation.
Values express what a person believes should happen or ought to happen, and are organized into a person's value system, which is a learned organization of rules for making choices and for resolving conflicts.

Importance of Values to the OD Practitioner

Values are significant for organization development because they are the underlying beliefs that are enduring and broader than any single consulting engagement or intervention.
Values have been a part of the field since its founding, and have held such an important place in the practice of OD that the field has been somewhat derisively referred to as a "religious movement".
Values guide choices about how to proceed and provide a larger vision that extends beyond any individual intervention.

Core Values of Organization Development

Humanistic assumptions underlie the core values of the field, including respect, trust, and a belief in personal growth and satisfaction.
Humanistic values also include a belief in the equity and equality of people, democratic principles, and a belief in human dignity and worth.
The core values of OD include:
- Providing opportunities for people to function as human beings rather than as resources in the productive process.
- Providing opportunities for each organization member to develop to their full potential.
- Seeking to increase the effectiveness of the organization in terms of all of its goals.
- Attempting to create an environment in which it is possible to find exciting and challenging work.
- Providing opportunities for people in organizations to influence the way in which they relate to work, the organization, and the environment.
- Treating each human being as a person with a complex set of needs, all of which are important in their work and in their life.

Group and Team Values

Groups are the fundamental components of an organization, and are often the primary focus of interventions.
Members of organizations often belong to interdependent teams, organized by function or level.
Group effectiveness depends on the group taking on major tasks and maintenance responsibilities of the leader.
Successful team functioning is crucial for system-wide success.

Growth, Development, and Learning

OD emphasizes growth, development, and learning, which differentiates it from most other management and consulting work.
OD values include a focus on personal effectiveness, challenge, learning, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

Authenticity, Openness, and Trust

Authenticity means being straightforward, genuine, honest, and truthful about one's plans, opinions, and motivations.
Authentic leadership demands consistency in words and actions as followers look to leaders' behavior to assess whether their talk is forthright and can be trusted.
Leaders demonstrate trust by giving employees information.

Changes to Values Over Time and the Value Debate

The humanistic roots of organization development began with its foundation as a field interested in individual growth and self-awareness.
Recently, there has been a shift towards organization effectiveness, with a greater emphasis on business results and bottom-line outcomes.
However, values related to the external environment, such as caring for the natural environment and enhancing corporate citizenship, have ranked lower in importance.

Statement of Organization Development Ethics

Ethics guide practitioners in implementing and enacting values, based on underlying values.
A statement of ethical guidelines for OD professionals was published in 1990, which includes client-centered values.
However, ethical conflicts do occur for OD professionals, which will be explored in later chapters.

Summary

OD values are crucial for practitioners, distinguishing it from other consulting methods.
OD values include participation, empowerment, growth, learning, and trust.
OD values emphasize dialogue, collaboration, authenticity, openness, and trust in organizational members.
Business effectiveness has been added to humanistic concerns, including quality, productivity, and efficiency.
However, this may conflict with OD's traditional values, as practitioners must navigate economic and cultural forces that may lead to neglecting the values underpinning these techniques.

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Explore the concept of values and their impact on behavior according to psychological research. Learn about Rokeach's definition of values and how they influence personal and social preferences.