The Hexadecimal Company

The Hexadecimal family I. Problems A. Macro 1. Company resistance to change. 2. Us versus them view of practitioners forms companys viewpoint. B. Micro 1. Professor/external practitioner finish too soon did not provide direction or continuity. 2. In-group image perpetuated by OD group. 3. electric chair too manifold in details at beginning. 4. Internal consulting group was mostly outsiders and not real by the company at large. 5. OD group had little familiarity with nature of firm (except maybe George Kessler). 6.OD schedule too ostentatious and too costly for company. 7. Lack of unity in purpose and techniques within OD group. 8. Kay and Indars isolation from others and closeness to president had negative effects in OD group. 9. Budgeting not slender at beginning. 10. Evaluation late 1 year later and then almost a do or die evaluation. II. Causes 1. Group too cohesive and creates images of in-group. 2. Fancy atmosphere perpetrated. 3. President too involved at first. 4. Com pany not prepared for OD and its needs and purposes. . OD groups consisted almost entirely of outsiders. III. Systems unnatural 1. Structural changing whom the OD group reports to will only confuse purpose and goals Blake is not prepared. 2. Psychosocial the OD group has caused at least as much antagonism as it has good results. 3. Technical no reference to OD groups effectiveness. 4. Managerial too top-down thus far. 5. Goals and values No indication that the company including top attention (other than the OD group) knew or bought-in to the OD program.It was just a management training program. IV. Alternatives 1. Keep as is. 2. Put under Blake. 3. Have professor help organize and cipher for OD. V. Recommendations Alternative three with central contact person and clear budget. If size of Hexadecimal allows, make OD a separate department with its own vice president. Keep reporting to president but mention him personally removed from specific decisions. Also, make reports to the executive committee and gain their support. Bring several musical note employees into OD.