Unitary Developmental Theory and Organization Development, Volume 2

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A Model of Developmental Learning for Change, Agility and Resilience

By Myles Sweeney

Edition: 1st Edition

First Published: 2022

eBook Published: 29 November 2022

Pub. Location: London

Imprint: Routledge

Pages: 264

eBook ISBN: 9781003333135

Subjects: Behavioral Sciences, Economics, Finance, Business & Industry

ABSTRACT

This book introduces Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT) to the field of organization development. The second of two volumes, it introduces the UDT model and examines its application to organization development and change management.

The book presents UDT comprising of 7 developmental levels, showing how using its methodical progression can help to avoid issues such as unsustainable growth and change failure while examining how the model improves collaboration, digital transformation, change management, and team development. It shows how the model clinically transforms concepts such as culture which is often cited as the cause of failure for change, re-defining it as habituated maturation stage and simplifying culture change accordingly. This book is designed to accompany volume 1 which details the psychology of the model and its equal applicability to mental-health recovery.

Showing how UDT can be used as an overarching model to optimize organization development, this book will be of great interest to researchers, scholars, and postgraduate students from the fields of organizational psychology, organization development, and change management.

Theory in Practice

How UDT transforms Change Management/Organization Development (CM/OD) There are 4 different ways in which the UDT model can facilitate CM/OD, and Vol. 2 offers historical case studies of each:

The Model itself can become a CATALYST when simply used in discussion about the functionality of any part of the organization or the organization itself. When prevailing performance and behaviour is graphically shown to be far from where it should be, it can trigger the Disorienting Dilemma that is required for all substantial change.
The Phases of the Model provide a process that can be applied to a discrete CHANGE-MANAGEMENT PROCESS that addresses a particular problem for the organization. For all types of change and mindset, it is good to have a step-by-step process that chimes with how human systems actually learn
CULTURE CHANGE as discussed above
ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT of either the full system, any sub-system or activity through Formal Diagnosis of Critical CAPABILITIES and implementation of resultant Prescriptive Developmental Process. Apart from the typical internal cause of failure which is Culture, interventions fail because they either overshoot the Learning Capacity of the system, or their process misses phases of the normative developmental process. Diagnosis through UDT determines the Level of functionality for each critical dimension (Capability) of organizational functioning. These Levels determine the scope of intervention required. E.g., if diagnosed in the bottom half of the model, then no Traction will occur, so Radical Process is required which means starting with Phase 1a. However, if a Capability is diagnosed in the upper half such as Level 5a, then a Next-Step intervention will suffice starting with Phase 5b. Apart from a full-system application which covers Capabilities from Physical Resources to Macro-Environment, specialist applications are devised for Team Development and Digital Transformation. Each are in modular format that can be customized to suit requirements. Training programs and support are provided through ODTI for each type of implementation and use Vol. 2 as a reference text which is provided in online format to each participant.

Organization Development / Change Management and the Problems that UDT addresses: An Introduction
UDT: An introduction to the Psychology behind the Model
The UDT model of Organization Development
Culture Analysis and Development: a sample UDT breakthrough
Some Points on Applying the Model
Construct Validation through Correspondence with Prevailing Models of OD and Maturity, Historical Case Studies, etc.
UDT bolstering OD/CM Theory and Practice
Disconnecting from the old Paradigm and leading the way: UDT and Agile
Ultimate UDT Maturity with Agility and Resilience: The Regenerative Eco-System.

Glossary.

References

Application of Theory

Dynamic Systems Maturity Theory (DSMT) has evolved and renamed to UDT following research, peer review and this related publication.

The Organization Capability Maturity Framework (OrgCMF™) and its three Reference Models are underpinned by the UDT Model and Theory, and provide a real-world basis for organizations's to improve performance and change management.

OrgCMF™ online Resources (for each reference model)