This paper describes some important considerations for planning and performing evaluation research in organizational change interventions. The author suggests that the very process of planning for evaluation can improve interventions through specific emphasis on clarification of problems, program objectives, intervention procedures, and expected outcomes. Some methodological problems of evaluating organizational change interventions are reviewed, along with suggestions for how these issues might be reasonably approached. Suggested is the use of a pre-evaluation framework to aid practitioners in planning effective evaluation designs. Key considerations include involvement of organizational decision makers, development of a situation change model, and use of evaluative methods and measures that corroborate evidence of outcomes. The references and examples, drawn from the literature on evaluation research and organizational change, should be useful for practitioners and decision makers interested in evaluating planned organizational change efforts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Angrist, S. S.Evaluation research: Possibilities and limitations. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1975, 11 (1), 75-91.
2.
Argyris, C.Intervention theory and method: A behavioral science view. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1970.
3.
Armenakis, A., & Smith, L.A practical alternative to comparison group designs in OD evaluations: The abbreviated time series design. Academy of Management Journal, 1978, 21 (3), 499-507.
4.
Berkowitz, N.Audiences and their implications for evaluation research. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1969, 5 (3), 411-428.
5.
Bolman, L.Laboratory versus lecture in training executives. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1970, 6 (3), 323-335.
6.
Brooks, M. P.The community action program as a setting for applied research. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 53-62.
7.
Campbell, D. T.Prospective: Artifact and control. In R. Rosenthal and R. L. Rosnow (Eds.), Artifact in behavioral research. New York: Academic Press, 1969. Pp. 351-382.
8.
Campbell, D. T.Reforms as experiments. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 233-261.
9.
Campbell, D. T.Qualitative knowing in action research. Kurt Lewin Award address, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, meeting with the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, September 1974.
10.
Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C.Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1963.
11.
Campbell, J. P., Dunnette, M. D., Lawler, E. E., & Weick, K. E.Managerial behavior, performance, and effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970.
12.
Caro, F. G. (Ed.) Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971.
13.
Coleman, J. S.Evaluating educational programs. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 281-284.
14.
Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T.The design and conduct of quasi-experiments and true experiments in field settings. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1975.
15.
Denzin, N. K. (Ed.). Sociological methods: A sourcebook. Chicago: Aldine, 1970.
16.
Ettlie, J. E.Real-time studies in organizational research. Academy of Management Review, April 1977, 2 (2), 298-302.
Evans, M. G.Opportunistic organizational research: The role of patch-up designs. Academy of Management Joumal, 1975, 18 (1), 98-108.
19.
Freeman, H. E., & Sherwood, C. C.Research in large-scale intervention programs. In F. G. Caro (Ed.) Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 262-276.
20.
French, W. L.Organization development: Objectives, assumptions, and strategies. California Management Review, Winter 1969, 12 (2), 23-34.
21.
Golembiewski, R. T., Billingsley, K., & Yeager, S.Measuring change and persistence in human affairs: Types of change generated by OD designs. Joumal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1976, 12 (2), 133-157.
22.
Horst, P., Nay, J. N., Scanlon, J. W., & Wholey, J. S.Program management and the federal evaluator. Public Administration Review, July/August 1974, 34, 300-308.
23.
Harvey, J. B., & Boettger, C. R.Improving communication within a managerial workgroup. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 1972, 7 (2), 164-179.
24.
Huse, E. F.Organization development and change. St. Paul: West Publishing, 1975.
25.
Hutchinson, G.Evaluation of preventative services. In H. C. Schulberg, A. Alan, & F. Baker (Eds.), Program evaluation in the health fields. New York: Behavioral Publications, 1969. Pp. 59-72.
26.
Kimberly, J. R., & Nielson, W. R.Organizational development and change in organizational performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, June 1975, 20, 191-206.
27.
Kish, L.Some statistical problems in research design. In E. R. Tufte (Ed.), The quantitative analysis of social problems. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1970. Pp. 391-406.
28.
Lawler, E. E.Adaptive experiments: An approach to organizational behavior research. Academy of Management Review, October 1977, 2 (4), 576-585.
29.
Lewin, K.Feedback problems in social diagnosis and action. In W. Buckley (Ed.), Modern systems research for the behavioral scientist. Chicago: Aldine, 1968. Pp. 441-444.
30.
Lippitt, R., Watson, J., & Westley, B.The dynamics of planned change. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958.
31.
Mann, J.Technical and social difficulties in the conduct of evaluative research. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 175-184.
32.
Martin, H. O.The assessment of training. Personnel Management, 1957,39,88-93.
33.
Miles, M. B.Changes during and following laboratory training. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1965, 1 (3), 215-242.
34.
Nadler, D. A.Feedback and organization development: Using data-based methods. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1977.
35.
Nicholas, J. M.A systems analysis approach for planning evaluations of OD interventions. Academy of Management Proceedings, Thirty-seventh annual meeting, Orlando, August 1977. Pp. 358-362.
36.
Pederson, K. M.A proposed model for evaluation studies. Administrative Science Quarterly, June 1977, 22, 306-317.
37.
Popper, K. R.Conjectures and refutations: The growth of scientific knowledge. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1963.
38.
Popper, K. R.Objective knowledge: An evolutionary approach. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972.
39.
Reicken, H. W., & Boruch, R. F. (Eds.). Social experimentation: A method for planning and evaluating social intervention. New York: Academic Press, 1974.
40.
Rossi, P. H.Evaluating social action programs. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 97-99.
41.
Schulberg, H. C., & Baker, F.Program evaluation models and the implementation of research. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 72-80.
42.
Stake, R.The countenance of educational evaluation. Teachers College Record, 1967, 68,523-540.
43.
Stufflebeam, D. L.Evaluation as enlightenment for decision making. Monograph of Evaluation Center, College of Education. Columbus, Ohio State University, 1968.
44.
Stufflebeam, D. L., Foley, W. J., Gephart, W. J., Guba, E. E., Hammond, R. I., Merriman, H. O., & Provus, M. M.Educational evaluation and decision making. Itasca, Ill.: F. E. Peacock, 1971.
45.
Suchman, E. A.Evaluative research. New York: Russell Sage, 1967.
46.
Thompson, C. W. N.Implementation: A question of hanging together or hanging separately. Defense and Transportation Journal, January/February 1974, 30-31.
47.
Thompson, C. W. N., & Rath, G. J.The administrative experiment: A special case of field testing or evaluation. Human Factors, June 1974, 16 (3), 238-252.
48.
Trow, M.Methodological problems in the evaluation of innovation. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 81-94.
49.
Ulshak, F. L. Organization development: A case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Northwestem University, 1975.
50.
Valiquet, M. I.Individual change in a management development program. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1968, 3 (3), 313-325.
51.
Vroom, V. H.A comparison of static and dynamic correlation methods in the study of organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 1966, 1, 55-70.
52.
Webb, E. J.Unconventionality, triangulation, and inference. In N. K. Denzin (Ed.), Sociological methods: A sourcebook. Chicago: Aldine, 1970. Pp. 449-457.
53.
Webb, E. J., Campbell, D. T., Schwartz, R. D., & Sechrest, L.Unobtrusive measures: Nonreactive research in the social sciences. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1966.
54.
Weiss, C. H.Utilization of evaluation: Toward comparative study. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 136-142.
55.
Weiss, C. H. (Ed.). Evaluating action programs: Readings in social science and education. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1972.
56.
Weiss, R. S., & Rein, M.The evaluation of broad aim programs: A cautionary case and a moral. In F. G. Caro (Ed.), Readings in evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage, 1971. Pp. 287-296.
57.
Zeira, Y.Sequential evaluation of management development. Business Horizons, April 1974,27-33.
