Organizational diagnosis: frameworks and approaches

Organizational Diagnosis

Burke & Litwin Model

There is a linkage that has been suggested by the Burke & Litwin Model or the Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change. Hypothesis has been given by this link on how the external and the internal factors can and do effect the performance. A framework has been provided by this model which helps in the assessment of environmental and organizational dimensions which are very important in order to being about a successful change. This framework also helps in understanding how these environmental and organizational dimensions should be linked together in a casual manner that would enable a change in the performance as well.

The things that have been found and understood from research and theory have been linked through the casual model to what has been understood with the help of practice. Not only the relationship of the various dimensions and their links with each other are discussed by the model but it also help in understanding how the different dimensions within an organization are affected by the external environment.

The main focus of the model is on guiding the managed organization change as well as the organizational diagnosis, something that will be able to portray the cause-and-effect relationship in a successful manner.

Outline of the Approach

There are a total of 12 organizational dimensions that the model basically revolves around:

Mission and strategy

Organizational culture

External environment

Leadership

Individual needs and values

Systems

Individual and organizational performance

Management practices

Motivation

Work unit climate

Task and individual skills

Structure

The Congruence Model for Organization Analysis

The reason for the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model being considered to be a more comprehensive is that it specifies the inputs, throughputs and the outputs and this is in accordance with the open systems theory (Katz & Kahn, 1978). There are a lot of similarities between this and the Leavitt's model. However, the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model also retains the informal and formal systems of Weisbord six-box model.

There are a number of assumptions that the model is based upon and most of these assumptions are similar to the assumptions of modern organizational diagnostic models. Following are the assumptions:

1. It is within the larger environments that the organizations act as the open social systems.

2. Organizations are the dynamic entities, which means that change is not only possible but it takes place as well.

3. There are three particular levels that the organizational behavior occurs upon: the individual level, the group level and the system level.

4. Interactions take place in the organizational behavior among the individual, group and the system levels.

Factors like resources, history and environment have been used as inputs factors in the Nadler-Tushman Congruence model. Nadler and Tushman were very clear when they were conceptualizing each and every one of these factors, such as; the resources that were available to the organization were called by them as the human resources, information, technology, capital and many of the other resources that were less tangible. Although, in the model strategy is used as an input but it is the only most essential input incase of the organization and is also shown by an arrow pointing towards the organization from the input box.

The system components that make up the transformational process of the whole organization are formal organizational arrangements, informal organizational arrangements, individual components and tasks. Also, the things included in the output of the models are group, individual, system outputs like performance, products and services as well as effectiveness.

The total level of low or high system congruence seen by the whole organization can be diagnosed by analyzing the congruence among the system parts. It is also important to consider the link between the system outputs and the "paired fits." It has been explained by Nadler and Tushman (1980) that "there are consequences of the fits or the lack of fits in the key components." For example, the behavior that is seen in the system like the stress, conflict or the performance can be related to the fits or the lack of fits.

McKinsey 7S Framework

It was the consulting company McKinsey and Company that the McKinsey 7S Framework was named after. This company had conducted applied research in the field of industry and business (Pascale & Athos, 1981; Peters & Waterman, 1982). The main purpose behind the creation of McKinsey 7S Framework was to create a model that could be easily remembered and recognized in the business world. The seven variables that have been termed as "levers" by the authors all start with the letter 'S'.

Following are the things included in the seven variables:

-Strategy

-Systems

-Staff

-Skills

-Structure

-Shared values and -Style.

Structure is explained as the skeleton of the organizational chart or an organization. Strategy has been identified by the authors as the path or plan of action that is taken in order to achieve some goals and target over a period of time. Systems are defined as the routine process and procedures that are carried out within the firms. Staff is further divided into the personal categories within the firms (e.g., engineers). The skills refer to the capabilities possessed by the staff that is working within an organization. Style is defined as the way in which the managers behave or act in order to achieve the organizational goals. Shared value variable basically comprises of the concepts or the principles that the members working in an organization share.

In the McKinsey 7S Framework the external environment has not been mentioned.

Synopsis of the Situation at Whole Food Market

When we talk about natural and organic foods the name of Whole Food Market has to come up. It is a food store chain that has over 100 stores but its goals is to be one large store instead of many smaller stores. It is the vision of Whole Foods to make the next generation aware of the healthy foods by making it available to them and being known for their quality products. They want the customers to think of their homes when they come to shop at the Whole Foods.

The biggest concern of the Whole Foods at the moment is to be able to kepp up with the increasing demand of the healthy food by the people as people now-a-days are becoming more and more health conscious. Also, with the increasing customer base it is essential for the Whole Foods to be able to have fresh food in stock. However, the growth opportunity seems to be promising as more and more people are now entering the consumer market (Harasta and Hoffman, 2007).