Changing Organizations: Practicing Action Training and Research / Edition 1

by Raymon Bruce, Sherman Wyman

Overview

The ‘Action Training and Research' method of organizational development, pioneered by Neely Gardner in the 1960's, has become a classic methodology in public administration. The authors have presented the power of Gardner's work in the form of a training manual that takes account of modern practice and scholarly thought.

Changing Organizations addresses key current concerns including: how to change hierarchically structured public organizations whose management is rigidly vested in the status quo; the changeover to participative management; and the devolution of management power in the organization to promote innovation, adaptation to customers' changing needs, efficiency as well as clear-headed and practical

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761910053
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/10/1998
Series:	Sage
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Foreword - Frank Sherwood
PART ONE: HISTORY AND THEORY OF ACTION TRAINING AND RESEARCH
Background on Development
Action Research in the Study of Organization and Management
The Action Training and Research Cycle for Changing Organizations
PART TWO: AT&R AS A METHOD FOR DEVELOPING CHANGING ORGANIZATIONS: A GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS AND PARTICIPANTS
Stage 1
Orientation
Stage 2
Contract Setting
Stage 3
Reconnaissance, Exploring the Issues
Stage 4
Identifying Problems and Opportunities
Stage 5
Aspirations
Stage 6
Action Options
Stage 7
Experimentation
Stage 8
Experiment Results Analysis
Stage 9
Program Design
Stage 10
Implementation
Stage 11
Program Evaluation
Stage 12
Re-Cycle

Editorial Reviews

Applying Neely Gardner's 12-stage Action Training and Research Approach, Bruce (Office of Comprehensive Planning, Fairfax County, Virginia) and Wyman (Center for Economic Development Research and Service, U. of Texas, Arlington) aim to develop organizations that reengineer themselves on an ongoing basis<-->rather than offering the traditional external focus on how to change them. Re-cycling is the last AT&R stage. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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