Developing an Effective Organization: Intervention Method, Empirical Evidence, and Theory

Michael Beer

doi:10.1108/S0897-3016(2011)0000019004

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Research in Organizational Change and Development

ISSN: 0897-3016
Series editor(s): Richard Woodman, Professor William Pasmore, Abraham B. (Rami) Shani

Subject Area: Organization Studies

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Developing an Effective Organization: Intervention Method, Empirical Evidence, and Theory

Document Information:
Title:	Developing an Effective Organization: Intervention Method, Empirical Evidence, and Theory
Author(s):	Michael Beer
Volume:	19 Editor(s): Abraham B. (Rami) Shani, Richard W. Woodman, William A. Pasmore ISBN: 978-1-78052-022-3 eISBN: 978-1-78052-023-0
Citation:	Michael Beer (2011), Developing an Effective Organization: Intervention Method, Empirical Evidence, and Theory, in Abraham B. (Rami) Shani, Richard W. Woodman, William A. Pasmore (ed.) Research in Organizational Change and Development (Research in Organizational Change and Development, Volume 19), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.1-54
DOI:	10.1108/S0897-3016(2011)0000019004 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Article type:	Chapter Item
Abstract:	The field of organization development is fragmented and lacks a coherent and integrated theory and method for developing an effective organization. A 20-year action research program led to the development and evaluation of the Strategic Fitness Process (SFP) – a platform by which senior leaders, with the help of consultants, can have an honest, collective, and public conversation about their organization's alignment with espoused strategy and values. The research has identified a syndrome of six silent barriers to effectiveness and a dynamic theory of organizational effectiveness. Empirical evidence from the 20-year study demonstrates that SFP always enables truth to speak to power safely, and in a majority of cases enables senior teams to transform silent barriers into strengths, realign their organization's design and strategic management process with strategy and values, and in a few cases employ SFP as an ongoing learning and governance process. Implications for organization and leadership development and corporate governance are discussed.