Organizational Analysis, What, How, Why

By Vincent Pellettiere

This book was created to share the learnings, materials, communications, and ideas realized over the last 10 years when I developed and facilitated a Ph.D. course on Organizational Analysis attended by Ph.D. candidates in Social Work and Education. The course focused on knowing and understand their client, student, and organization to help them survive, sustain themselves, grow, develop and thwart toxins and risks that can cause harm.  The course objective was to discuss major theoretical perspectives, theories, and issues and apply the learnings to practical situations. The course provided discussions thought-provoking ideas on what is Organizational Analysis, models developed on how it can be done, and why it is an important process. As an HR practitioner and consultant, I envisioned that the course learnings and materials have an application for organizations. The course demonstrated the ability to identify, assess, evaluate, diagnose, and synthesize internal and external factors interrelated to an organization. This learned ability was then applied to perform an organizational analysis which was demonstrated on two written projects. The two written projects utilized were to apply theory to practice by performing an organizational written analysis on the HBO documentary General Magic and on one's current or past employer.

The course used two assessment models one involving the usage of a visual model to identify and discuss an organization's internal and external factors and the other a worksheet used for assessments, evaluations, diagnosis, and synthesis. The visual model used the depiction of an organism which like an organization, strives to survive, grow, and develop and adapt to its external environment. The worksheet used micro and macro analysis to assess the strengths and weaknesses of identified internal and factors and the influence and impact external factors can have on an organization. Evaluations were made to discuss the intra and interrelationships of the internal factors within and external to the organization as well as the interrelationships of the external factors with other external factors and the organization. A diagnosis was conducted using macro analysis to determine what are the opportunities and threats that exist at a point in time for an organization. The course emphasized what is diagnosed at a point in time becomes irrelevant based on the level of organizational change and chaos. A cooptation approach was applied to identify what resources are needed to be absorbed for the benefit of an organization's existence, what resources needed to develop its capabilities and buffer risks and toxins. The summary and conclusion points out how an organizational analysis can be expanded,  and why it should be used. Three main reasons why it should be used are knowing and understanding an organization increases the probability of effective decision making. Second, how can an organization survive, sustain itself, grow, develop, and identify toxins and risks if you don't know and understand your organization?  An exercise was used to summarize the course using a spider web metaphor. The third main reason is that organizational analysis is needed to create an organizational development plan which seeks effectiveness and efficiencies leading to organizational strategy and implementation which impacts organizational performance. The conclusion provided an outlook on the creation of an Organizational Analyst role in applying the course's concepts and activities for the growth and sustainability of an organization.  The conclusion also focused on the future outlook of integrating artificial intelligence to the organizational analysis process. The book ends with an overview of what is Organizational Analysis, how it can be done, and why do it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vincent Pellettiere
• Release date: Oct 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393298083

Book preview

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS—WHAT, HOW, WHY

Book Synopsis

This book was created to share the learnings, materials, communications, and ideas realized over the last 10 years when I developed and facilitated a PhD course on Organizational Analysis attended by PhD candidates in Social Work and Education. The course was designed and developed to match up with the main roles and responsibilities of a social worker/ educator to a key player of an organization. Both are responsible to know and understand their client, student, and organization to help them survive, sustain oneself, grow, develop, and thwart toxins and risks that can cause harm. The course objective was to discuss major theoretical perspectives, theories and issues and apply the learnings to practical situations. The course provided discussions, thought provoking ideas on what is Organizational Analysis, models developed on how it can be done, and why it is important process. As a HR practitioner and consultant, I envisioned that the course learnings and materials have an application for organizations. The course demonstrated the ability to identify, assess, evaluate, diagnose and synthesis internal and external factors interrelated to an organization. This learned ability was then applied to perform an organizational analysis which was demonstrated on two written projects. The two written projects utilized were  to apply theory to practice by performing an organizational written analyses on the HBO documentary General Magic  and on one’s current or past employer.

The course used two assessment models one involving the usage of a visual  model to identify and discuss an organization’s internal and external factors and the other a worksheet used for assessments, evaluations, diagnose and synthesis. The visual model used the depiction of an organism which like an organization, strives to survive, grow, and develop and adapt to its external environment. The worksheet used micro and macro analysis to assess the strengths and weaknesses of  identified internal and factors and the influence and impact external factors can have on an organization. Evaluations were made to discuss the intra and interrelationships of the internal factors within and external to the organization as well as the interrelationships of the external factors with other external factors and the organization. A diagnosis was conducted using macro analysis to determine what are the opportunities and threats that exist at a point in time for an organization. The course emphasized what is diagnosed at a point in time becomes irrelevant based on the level of organizational change and chaos. A cooptation approach was applied identifying what resources are needed to be absorbed for the benefit of an organization’s existence, what resources needed to develop its capabilities and buffer risks and toxins. The summary and conclusion points out how an organizational analysis can be expanded,  and why it should be used. Three main reasons why it should be used are knowing and understanding an organization increases the probability of effective decision making. Second, how can an organization survive, sustain itself, grow, develop, and identify toxins and risks if you do not know and understand your organization? An exercise was used to summarize the course using a spider web metaphor. The third main reason is that organizational analysis is needed to create an organizational development plan which seeks effectiveness and efficiencies leading to organizational strategy and implementation which impacts organizational performance. The conclusion provided an outlook on the creation of an Organizational Analyst role applying the course’s concepts and activities for the growth and sustainability of an organization. The conclusion also focused on the outlook of integrating artificial intelligence to the organizational analysis process. The book ends with an overview of what is Organizational Analysis, how it can be done and why do it.

Organization Theory, Contingency Theory, Systems Theory, Resource Allocation Theory, Resource Based Value of the Firm, Complex Adaptive System, Reductionism, Institutional Theory.

PURPOSE

Why Did I Write It?

The purpose in writing this book was to share my knowledge, experiences, and learnings from my creation, development and facilitation of an Organizational Analysis course that has value for those who have stakeholder interests for organizations. This book involves ten years of work in creating, facilitating and learning about organizational analysis where the quality of the material generated in the classroom setting has practicable application outside of the classroom. The value in using these practical applications can have significant benefits for organizations.

Who Is The Attended Audience?

The types of professionals that may derive a benefit from this reading book are organizational leaders, managers and key talent responsible for organizational performance, managing their operation, initiating and managing organizational change, training and development, strategic planning, identifying and assessing internal strengths, weaknesses and external threats and opportunities, contingency planning, scenario analysis, risk analysis, systems development, internal consultancy, organizational development, culture development, and strategic partnerships.

Colleges, and Universities could benefit by reviewing the Organizational Analysis course that was developed in this book  and assess if it would add value to their current curriculum. In addition, techniques and materials used in the class may have value for those academia members teaching, planning, and developing course materials and deliveries.

External consultants could benefit by evaluating the book materials and techniques to determine if this could be a potential need for their current or future client base. An additional value for the external consultant is expanding their knowledge base on organizational analysis.

Researchers in the field of organizational analysis or similar disciplines could benefit by exploring and evaluating what additional knowledge this book has added to the existing field of knowledge, and evaluating the limitations mentioned for future research.

Investors, entrepreneurs, strategic partners, and networks seeking ways on how to conduct an organizational analysis pending future commitments, ownership, partnerships, and relationship development of an organization.

Systems developers looking for opportunities on how it can apply an organizational analysis model to develop an artificial intelligence product that helps organizations acquire more real time impact results when conditions change.

Individuals interested in organizational analysis and view it as a potential endeavor to pursue working  for or with an organization as a professional member or internal consultant . Also, for individuals interested in expanding their capabilities, competencies, and knowledge about organizational analysis in their current and future professional role.

Why Buy This Book?

This book provides several valuable practical applications which has the potential of adding value for an organization and developing the capabilities and competencies for those responsible for organizational analysis and performance. The book illustrates an organizational analysis approach using two models to help facilitate the learning process in identifying organizational internal and external factors, assessing their strengths, weaknesses, their interconnections, interrelationships, and interdependencies, and need to absorb needed resources, develop existing internal factors to improve organizational capabilities and help improve output. The approach helps in identifying those internal and external factors deemed key and critical for organizational success, their influence and dependency relationships of other factors, how change impacts those relationships. Lastly, organizational analysis provides the learning and development identifying, assessing, and evaluating an organization’s strengths, factors needing development and/or change, what resources needed to develop its capability to provide outputs for their customer/clients and the capability to buffer and prevent elements that can cause harm for the organization. Knowing and understanding an organization increases the probability of effective decision making leading to organizational development plans for effectiveness and efficiencies which can impact organizational performance.

What is Special About The Book?

My research revealed that there is a  gap of available materials and knowledge in the organizational analysis discipline to transform its theory into practical applications. Barney(2013) wrote we need theories of organization and strategy that properly deal with the fact that aggregate capability development is happening within an organization. There are very few theories that explicitly deal with both the aggregate and contextual factors in an organization. We need theories not just of behavior, but the behavior both in and of organizations. An organizational analysis provides that level of analysis that can add to the body of knowledge and bridge the gap understanding more about organizations.

My professional experience as a HR practitioner, consultant and in academia provides an insight on the potential value organizational analysis can have as a learning and development tool and for improved organizational performance. The Organizational Analysis has demonstrated applications where the course concepts can have direct practical applications. My research has not revealed a similar academia course or materials that this course provides to its participants or readers. The course context and situation were conducted with a small participant sample in a classroom setting over a ten-year period. Each succeeding class was able to expand and grow the course’s knowledge base enriching the participant’s capability to research, obtain, understand, and then transform their acquired knowledge into practical exercises which had applications to their current or former organizations. This author has designed and developed this book where the reader experiences oneself as a class participant going through the  same learning process as the student. This book and its materials were developed and created on its own and would be a unique text in the Organizational Analysis field. The book was written in an easy to understand format applying visual, written, and kinesthetic approaches to assist in the participant’s learning process. The