Organizational Development: Environmental Pressures, the Military Setting, and the Ultimate Test
Abstract
Many on-going actions are in progress to maintain an effective military establishment. One such action has been in the area of Organizational Development (OD). The three major services, the Air Force, Navy, and Army have generated programs which, in theory employ the technology of Organizational Development. The goals of these OD efforts all purport to improve organizational functioning in the areas of efficiency, effectiveness, and in total combat readiness. These military OD programs are in various stages of institutionalization. Because of their growing size and influence, it is felt to be an appropriate time to evaluate their usefulness. The ultimate test for the effectiveness of a military unit is, of course, under combat conditions. Unfortunately, there is little precedent to say that OD in the military is good or bad under the stress of combat. This thesis provides a context for looking at OD in the military by analyzing the environmental pressures, the current OD effort, and considers the use of OD under combat conditions. It identifies the likely benefits, the potential dangers of using such a change approach, and makes recommendations on how to accomplish the goal of improving organizational functioning using OD consultants under combat conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA057908
Entities
People
- William D. Langford
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School