Organizational Development Flashcards

Which OD strategy involves redefining the basic mission and values of the organization, often during a crisis?

Answer: Transformational change

Transformational change involves fundamental shifts in the organization's strategy, culture, and core identity.

A 360-degree feedback program in an OD context is primarily used to:

Answer: Provide multi-source developmental feedback to individuals

360-degree feedback collects input from peers, subordinates, and supervisors to give a well-rounded view for development.

Which organizational design principle suggests that units facing high environmental uncertainty should have more decentralized decision-making?

Answer: Contingency theory

Contingency theory holds that the optimal organizational structure depends on environmental conditions, with uncertainty favoring decentralization.

In succession planning within OD, a 'talent pipeline' refers to:

Answer: A pool of employees being developed to fill future leadership roles

A talent pipeline is a group of identified employees who are systematically developed to step into critical roles as they open.

When applying Open Systems Theory to a marketing organization, 'throughput' refers to:

Answer: The transformation processes that convert inputs into outputs

In open systems, throughput is the internal process by which inputs (people, data, budget) are transformed into outputs (campaigns, leads).

Which resistance-to-change tactic involves involving employees in designing the change to reduce opposition?

Answer: Participation and involvement

Participation and involvement reduce resistance because people support what they help create.

A Chief Marketing Officer benchmarks her department's capabilities against industry best practices. This OD activity is called:

Answer: Benchmarking

Benchmarking compares current organizational practices to best-in-class standards to identify improvement opportunities.