Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT)

Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT)

UDT is a breakthrough theory which offers a single 7-Level operationalizable model of Development, Habituation, Degradation and Recovery for People, Organizations and Economies as micro-, meso- and macro-socio-economic systems. Peer-reviewed and published in a series of Volumes from November 2022 through the leading humanities publisher Routledge, it addresses the root causes for the average 70% failure rates for interventions across each of these 3 domains, and corrects related paradigmatic deficit by e.g., graphically revealing the relative shortcomings of existing models and concepts due to their particular paradigmatic biases. With diagnostic and developmental applications, it arguably leads the way in Developmentalism insofar as it offers completion to existing models across each domain; models maturity in terms of levels of functionality; operationalizes otherwise nebulous concepts such as Self-Actualization and Culture, both Organizational and National; gives structure, completion and theoretical depth to recent emergent Dialogue approaches in Mental-Health Recovery and OD; models maturity in systems where immaturity fractures society and the world at large; and offers an improved working model of human nature to disciplines such as Economics.

UDT and Individuals (Volume 1)

UDT offers a complete normative model for psychological development across the Life-Span and Mental-Health Recovery. For the various Psychotherapies which are specialized for particular conditions, it acts as a Meta-Theory from which therapists can complete their process and bolster their structures and discipline. In non-clinical applications, its modelling will offer people graphic diagnostic representations of their life-systems as well as remediation guidance. UDT also transforms a number of Psychological concepts such as Linear, Lateral and Integrative Mindsets, showing how each shapes all types of systems and behaviours for better and for worse, and for the first time gives theoretical grounding for the Clustering of Personality Disorders which had relied on statistical analysis of co-morbidity. It also uniquely accounts for the effects that different levels of maturity in organizational and economic systems have on individuals.

UDT and Organizations (Volume 2)

Many question the Failure Rates in OD/CM but they are comprehensively validated in the Bible of Change Management called Managing Change by Burnes (2017, pp x-xiv), and UDT literally offers science where there is Dark-Age practice. E.g., Culture which is cited as the main cause of failure, is pathetically defined as “the way we do things around here”, whereas UDT – with clinical validity – defines Culture as Habituated Maturational Stage, and Culture Change becomes just another OD exercise. Agility (with its average 30% premium returns but only achieved by 25% of organizations) is clinically re-defined according to UDT’s 3 highest Levels culminating in Regenerative Eco-System, and Resilience is shown to increase with maturation through the Phases.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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
3. CULTURE CHANGE as discussed above
4. 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.

UDT and Society (Volume 3 in preparation)

Vol. 3 is titled UDT and Actualization of Self and Society. It directly answers the challenge posed by Nobel Economist Joe Stiglitz who, in his book entitled Learning Society, argues that his aspiration is the only viable Government Strategy. Self-Actualization is re-purposed particularly in relation to Emotional and Spiritual Maturity which are transformed, and a modelling of mature relationship is offered. Societal systems which can be antagonistic are also given the Maturization treatment. E.g., Education, Politics, Religion, Justice are examined and alternative modelling is offered where one practitioner commented that “through UDT, Criminal Rehabilitation can put lives back on tracks that nobody knew existed”. Also transformed are the appreciation of the Arts such as Literature and History which can now show how systems of different Maturational forces have shaped our world and how Inversive forces such as Authoritarianism which is at best a Level (2a) system should be addressed.

UDT and Economics (Volume 4 in preparation)

The main deficits which UDT directly addresses in Economics are related to e.g., providing an Integrative modelling of human nature rather than the Linear version on which it is based (as called for by e.g., Jeffrey Sachs); bringing the same completion to models of Economic Diagnosis and Development that it brings to Psychology and Organizational Science; offering a comprehensive modelling of Policy Design and Implementation as aspired to by Mullainathan whose efforts are restricted to using tactics derived from Consumer Behaviour studies; adding value to market profiling; transforming Regional-Development strategies such as Clustering and Regional Branding; and offering a comprehensive modelling of Regenerative Economics which the discipline aspires to model but is only achieving e.g., Circular Economy.

The new way for Organization Change & Development

About the Author

Myles Sweeney, BA (Psychol.), MBS (Finance), Ph.D (Business/ Economic Psychol.) is a Psychologist and Organization-Development Practitioner who has used his expertise across the three domains of Psychology, Organization Development and Economic Development, and other fields such as History where he has enabled heritage revival in his native Ireland, to research and develop Unitary Developmental Theory (UDT) to redress both poor outcomes to developmental interventions and related paradigmatic deficit across each domain.