It is argued that employees' perceived ideal organizational conditions are important to change agents because this information provides an indication of organizational members' preferences. Arguments for using the ideal in conjunction with existing organizational conditions are made. This may suggest coordinating different interventions within an…

Tested differences in values between 60 managers and 51 organizational development consultants, using the Management Values Inventory (MVI). Results revealed that the differences between the two groups were modest, even when statistically significant. Often-stated differences between these groups were not present on the MVI. (Author/WAS)

Describes an organization development program for educational systems and reviews an experiment conducted to assess its impact on elementary schools and their teaching staffs. Results indicate that the program was generally successful in establishing collective structures and increasing the perceived adequacy of collective decision processes in…

Surveyed 107 college faculty members to study their involvement in consultation activities. Results suggested professors consulted most often with large businesses and did more training than organizational development. Respondents reported courses in research methods and professional association workshops were helpful to their consulting work.…

Determined differences between supervisor's self-perception of leadership style and subordinate's perception of that style. A significant difference was found between the magnitude with which supervisors perceived themselves as using the high task/high relationship style and the degree to which subordinates perceived their supervisors as using it.…

In planning for University Associates' organization development conference, OD '80, a Delphi study was conducted to predict trends and problems in this field for the coming decade. Included are preliminary results as well as comparative data from a group of OD practitioners. (Author)

Explored the effectiveness of an intergroup development organization development (OD) intervention at different stages of an organization's life cycle through four simulated organizations. Results suggest intergroup development interventions can be effective at any life stage, but impacts will be felt in different outcome measures and perceptual…

Studied differences in job satisfaction between professionals and administrators. Administrators (N=44) and health-care professionals (N=105) completed questionnaires addressing organizational climate, role conflict, role ambiguity, functional influence, and job satisfaction. Results found several differences and suggest that differential…

Assessed comparatively the state of the art of evaluation of four major organization development (OD) intervention types--laboratory training, survey feedback, team-building and process consultation. Analyzed 67 studies along the following dimensions: evaluator characteristics, subject characteristics, and methodology/design characteristics.…

Provides relevant data on the field of organizational development (OD) from a sample survey of Organizational Development Network members. The 165 respondents described their careers, satisfactions, stresses, training, and education. The survey suggested that OD may be an amorphous field with many transitory participants, not a profession. (JAC)

Analyzes the strains that result from an intensive community renewal and development project that was accompanied by intensive process-and-outcome evaluation research. The case study, which took place in an Israeli kibbutz, illustrates a dynamic development of an alternative interaction model with split-role differentiation. (Author)

Reports a team development intervention with a squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Results indicated that the intervention positively influenced both climate and performance variables. Discusses results in the context of current skepticism about the utility of process interventions for effecting lasting improvement in organizational…

Studied the implications of being involved in either the design of changes or the application of a Quality of Work Life (QWL) change for four aspects of experienced influence. Results indicated the people who experienced the most increase in influence were those who helped design the change. (Author/RC)

Examines the role of the internal organizational development consultant from the consultant's viewpoint. This special section presents an article in diary form attempting to derive learnings from a consultation project and a comment on that report which includes an action model. Three data-based case studies follow. (JAC)

Strategies were based on a low-key consultative technique designed to build community-college ownership of the program. The project resulted in staff-development activities at each college, including resource handbooks for part-time faculty, meetings with full-time personnel, and greater access to existing services. (Author)