CONSTRUCTING HUMANIZED ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The rationales of this study are the practical problems in organization development (OD) scholar and practice, and the philosophical challenge. First, OD practical problems include OD undefined and unclear boundary with a significant declined trend, and the unalignment collaboration between OD academic and practitioner. Second, the OD philosophical challenge involves the influential power of Newtonian science. Thus, this dissertation aimed to revitalize OD discipline and rebalance the humanistic value by integrating the neglected paradigm of postmodernism and human's spiritual dimension into OD field, intending to propose the construction of Humanized Organization Development (HOD).

Three research questions overarching this dissertation were RQ#1) What is HOD? RQ#2) What are the core processes of HOD intervention (HODI), and how are they implemented? RQ#3) What are the impacts of HODI at individual, interpersonal, and context (team, group, organization) levels? This dissertation combined two research studies; one was a theory building research to theorize the theory of HOD for answering RQ#1, and the other was action research, in alignment with the organizational ethnography methodology and paradigm, for answering RQ#2 and RQ#3.

To answer RQ#1 on theorizing the theory of HOD, this dissertation adopted two phases of Lynham's General Method on Conceptualize and Operationalize integrated with Van de Ven's Engaged Scholarship (Van de Ven, 2007). The conceptual framework of HOD consisted of paradigm of complexity, Dialogic OD, and workplace spirituality. Finally, emerging constructs and conceptualization of HOD was proposed that included the HOD foundation and HOD process and practice. HOD foundation comprised of 1) trustful and safe environment 2) positive core and 3) egalitarian spirit. HOD process and practice included three wisdom bases of head, heart, hand and HOD six dimensions, which were 1) emergence 2) dialogue 3) generativity (experiential) 4) mindfulness 5) interconnectedness and 6) community of practice.

To answer RQ#2 and RQ#3, this dissertation employed the output from Operationalize phase to further study in the Confirm phase. The inputs for this Confirm phase were HOD emerging constructs and the plausible conjecture; incorporating spiritual essence into Dialogic OD to offer more holistic intervention that could provide the required impact on individual, interpersonal, and context levels. For RQ#2, HODI process followed the cycle of action research. The design of each intervention phase had a specific purpose i.e., mindfulness, communication practice, and whole system inquiry for phase I, II, III, respectively. HOD foundation and HOD process and practice were integrated throughout the HODI program.

To answer RQ#3, the impact of HODI was considered the human's three reconnections to self, other persons, and context (Scharmer, 2009, 2018). Narrative analysis revealed that HODI provided benefits on increasing mindfulness/awareness through the capacity of observing own self, which brought upon other beneficial consequences for individual development, interpersonal relationship development, and work system improvement.

Further discussion was done in several aspects; the general system theory perspectives on HOD, and the originality and positionality of HOD. Finally, due to its nature of holistic development, HOD requires continual implementation as lifelong learning, thus, creating and sustaining community of practice might be challenging for the organization. Future research should be done to comprehend, expand, strengthen, or improve HOD conceptualization and constructs, as well as to study HOD outcome on profound variables such as employee engagement.

-