This study reports the results of a 4-year organization development project in the Metro County Sheriff's Department. Interventions included confiontation team-building sessions, management training, process consultation, survey feedback, thirdparty consultation, technological interventions, methods of increasing accountability, and changes in the organization structure, the physical setting, and the policy formulation procedures. Results include considerable improvement in organization climate and leader effectiveness, a marked decrease in employee turnover and jail breaks, a significant improvement in the managerial ability of the Department administrators, and a substantial increase in resources allocated to the organization.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alderfer, C. P., & Ferniss, R.Understanding the impact of survey feedback. In W. W. Burke & H. A. Homstein (Eds.), The social technology of organization development. Fairfax, Va.: NTL Learning Resources Corp., Inc., 1972.
2.
Argyris, C.Intervention theory and method. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1970.
3.
Argyris, C.The CEO's behavior: Key to organizational development. Harvard Business Review, 1973, 51(2), 55-64.
4.
Beckhard, R.Organization development: Strategies and models. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1969.
5.
Beckhard, R.ABS in health care systems. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1974, 10(1), 93-106.
6.
Bennis, W.Organization development: Its nature, origins, and prospects. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1969.
7.
Blake, R. R., Shepard, H. A., & Mouton, J. S.Managing intergroup conflict in industry. Houston, Tex.: Gulf Publishing Company, 1954.
8.
Boss, R. W.The effects of leader absence on a confrontation team-building design. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1978, 14(4), 469-478. (a)
9.
Boss, R. W.The essentials for successful change efforts in criminal justice agencies. Paper presented at the meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, New Orleans, La., March 1978. (b)
10.
Boss, R. W.The personal management interview. Paper presented at the International Conference on Work Humanization in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, April 1978. (c)
11.
Boss, R. W.Trust and managerial problem solving revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 1978, 3 (3), 331-342. (d)
12.
Boss, R. W., Gouws, D. J., & Nagai, T.The cross-cultural effects of an OD intervention: A conflict-confrontation design. Southern Review of Public Administration, 1 (March 1978), 485-502.
13.
Dalton, G. W.Influence and organizational change. In J. B. Ritchie & P. Thompson (Eds.). Organization and people: Readings, cases, and exercises in organizational behavior. St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Company, 1976.
14.
Eddy, W. B., & Murphy. Applying behavioral science to urban management. In C. H. Levine (Ed.). Managing human resources. Beverly Hills. Calif.: Sage Publications, 1977.
15.
Friedlander, F.A comparative study of consulting processes and group development. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1968, 4, 377-399.
16.
Freedman, A. M.Organization development in a state mental health setting. In J. J. Partin (Ed.), Current perspectives in organization development. Reading. Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1973.
17.
Golembiewski, R. MARTA, Unpublished manuscript, University of Georgia, 1972.
18.
Golembiewski, R. T., & Blumberg, A.The laboratory approach to organization change: Confrontation design. Journal of the Academy of Management, 1968, 11, 199-210.
19.
Golembiewski, R. T., & Kiepper, A.MARTA: Toward an effective open giant. Public Administration Review, 1976, 33, 46-60.
20.
Likert, R.The human organization: Its management and value. New York: McGrawHill Book Company, Inc., 1967.
21.
Manley, R., & McNichols, C. W.OD at a major government research laboratory. Public Personnel Management, 1977, 6, 51-60.
22.
Mann, F. C.Studying and creating change: A means to understanding social organizations. In C. M. Arensburg (Ed.), Research in industrial human relations. New York: Harper, 1957.
23.
Schein, E.Process consultation: Its role in organization developmentReading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1969.
24.
Schmuck, R. A., & Miles, M.Organization development in schools. Palo Alto, Calif.: National Press Books, 1971.
25.
Steele, F.Physical settings and organization development. Reading, Mass.: AddisonWesley, 1973.
26.
Walton, R. E.Interpersonal peacemaking: Confrontations and third party consultation. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1969.
27.
Warrick, D. D.Applying OD to the public sector. Public Personnel Management, 1976, 5(3), 186-190.
28.
Weisbord, M. E., Lamb, H., & Drexler, A.Improving police department management through problem solving task forces: A case study in organization development. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1974.
29.
Zand, D. E.Trust and managerial problem solving. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1972, 17(2), 222-239.
