HUMANIZING CHANGE IN THE POLICE ORGANIZATION (FROM MANAGING THE POLICE ORGANIZATION - SELECTED READINGS, 1978, BY LARRY K GAINES AND TRUETT A RICKS - SEE NCJ-47507)

• NCJ Number: 47512
• Author(s): J FOX
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: West Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT -- THE APPLICANT OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE PROCESSES TO FACILITATE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE ADMINISTRATION ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES HAVE BEEN USED TO FACILITATE POSITIVE INTEGRATION OF PERSONNEL, TO REDUCE CONFLICT AMONG GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS, AND GENERALLY, TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN USED TO COUNTERACT STAGNATION AND RESISTANCE TO CHANGE. AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT IS ITS PURPOSEFUL DESIGN FOR A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION AT A PARTICULAR TIME. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF SIX SEQUENTIAL STAGES: DIAGNOSIS, DESIGN, INITIATION, IMPLEMENTATION, ADJUSTMENT, AND IDENTIFICATION. TECHNIQUES ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE T-GROUPS, SENSITIVITY SESSIONS, AND GRID MANAGEMENT SEMINARS. POLICE AGENCIES VARY IN THE EXTENT TO WHICH ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE FEASIBLE AND IN THE TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT IS MOST APPROPRIATE. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT, POLICE AGENCIES MUST OVERCOME OBSTACLES INHERENT IN THE NATURE OF THEIR OBJECTIVES AND IN THE TRADITIONS EMBEDDED IN PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)