An Organization Development Effort to Improve Group Dynamics in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Planning Process

摘要

This study examines the application of an Organization Development (OD) intergroup intervention to reduce tension, conflict and dysfunction between the two groups responsible for setting priorities and developing new initiatives related with Blood Diseases and Blood Resources, one of the program areas of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It is not uncommon for a significant amount of dysfunctional energy to be spent in competition, misunderstanding, miscommunication, and misperception between groups. This OD intervention focuses on the collaborative inquiry feature of the action research model - a databased, problem-solving model that replicates the steps involved in the scientific method of inquiry. The rationale, design and application of the action research model is examined in this report, and the overall effectiveness of the approach is discussed.