Organization Development Methods in the Management of the Information Systems Function
Authors: Loftin, R.D.; Moosbruker, J.M.
Journal: MIS Quarterly (1982)
DOI: 10.2307/248653
<jats:p>The work presented in this article relates directly to perhaps the most serious problem facing the Information Systems manager in a large, complex organization today, namely how to plan and manage in a rapidly changing, high-demand, resource-limited environment. The article describes an organizational change effort undertaken within a major data processing organization to seek improvements in four broad areas: data center production performance, responsiveness of the systems development activity, management control and decision making, and long range and operational planning processes.</jats:p> <jats:p>Much of the change effort involved activities and tasks which were defined and implemented using Organization Development (OD) methods. OD involves the application of behavioral science knowledge in a collaborative and participative process in response to some perceived need within the organization. It is a planned and systematic way to alter patterns of organizational behavior.</jats:p> <jats:p>The general change strategy utilized is described along with specific examples of particular OD techniques, those which worked well and those which did not.</jats:p> <jats:p>Finally…