Human Resources Organizational Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a structural OD intervention?
- Executive coaching sessions
- Sensitivity training workshops
- Redesigning reporting hierarchies and job roles (Correct answer)
- Conducting an employee engagement survey
Correct answer: Redesigning reporting hierarchies and job roles
Structural interventions target the formal organization — its design, hierarchy, job definitions, and reporting relationships.
Question 2: The 'appreciative inquiry' approach in OD differs from traditional problem-solving because it:
- Focuses on identifying and eliminating weaknesses and deficiencies
- Focuses on discovering and amplifying what is already working well (Correct answer)
- Relies on quantitative data analysis to drive decisions
- Requires external consultants to lead all sessions
Correct answer: Focuses on discovering and amplifying what is already working well
Appreciative Inquiry shifts the focus from deficit-based problem-solving to strength-based discovery of what gives an organization life and energy.
Question 3: Which stage of Kotter's 8-Step Change Model involves communicating the change vision broadly throughout the organization?
- Step 2 – Form a Powerful Coalition
- Step 4 – Communicate the Vision (Correct answer)
- Step 6 – Generate Short-Term Wins
- Step 8 – Anchor the Change
Correct answer: Step 4 – Communicate the Vision
Kotter's Step 4 explicitly focuses on broadly and repeatedly communicating the change vision to all stakeholders.
Question 4: Which OD concept refers to an employee's unwritten expectations about their obligations to the employer and what they will receive in return?
- Employment contract
- Psychological contract (Correct answer)
- Collective bargaining agreement
- Job specification
Correct answer: Psychological contract
The psychological contract captures the informal, unwritten mutual expectations between employee and employer beyond the formal employment agreement.
Question 5: Large Group Interventions (LGIs) such as 'Future Search' or 'Open Space Technology' are primarily used to:
- Conduct individual performance appraisals
- Engage the entire organization or large stakeholder groups in shaping the future direction (Correct answer)
- Audit HR policies for legal compliance
- Train managers in coaching skills
Correct answer: Engage the entire organization or large stakeholder groups in shaping the future direction
LGIs bring together large, diverse groups to collectively envision and plan systemic organizational change, accelerating alignment and commitment.
Question 6: Which metric is most directly used to evaluate the effectiveness of an OD culture change initiative?
- Revenue per employee
- Employee engagement survey scores over time (Correct answer)
- Number of patents filed
- Accounts receivable turnover ratio
Correct answer: Employee engagement survey scores over time
Employee engagement surveys measure cultural attitudes and perceptions, making trend data the most direct indicator of a culture change initiative's impact.
Question 7: In OD, 'systems thinking' suggests that organizational problems should be viewed as:
- Isolated issues caused by individual performance failures
- Interconnected patterns within a larger whole (Correct answer)
- Purely financial challenges requiring cost-cutting
- Legal risks requiring compliance interventions
Correct answer: Interconnected patterns within a larger whole
Systems thinking recognizes that organizations are complex, interdependent systems where changes in one part affect all other parts.
Human Resources Organizational Development 2
Which of the following is an example of a structural OD intervention?