Write a Scholarly Essay Identifying a Personal Research Focus



PERSONAL RESEARCH ESSAY

Focus of study leading to

Doctor of Philosophy

in

WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Cavil S Anderson

1609 Cobble Court

New Cumberland, PA 17070

717 877 0144

csa140@psu.edu

“Organizations have an overwhelming desire to own and control. Even within organizations, each unit or department is constantly trying to prove that it is important” (Giraffe Forum, 2007, ¶ 1)

Organizations of all sizes often suffer the consequences caused when different departments act in isolation or even in conflict with each other. Departments, directors, managers, teams, or staff may be high performers individually but incapable of replicating operations to create peak performance for the organization. Assessing the organization’s performance would show clear and somewhat predictable patterns of disconnect between departments of the same organization. The patterns of disconnect according to Oshry (1995) are identifiable through: poor communication, duplication of work, internal competition, lack of synergy, and shortsighted solutions (p. 1).

The situation is further complicated by the focus of current management knowledge on optimizing the performance of the component parts of an organization, such as processes, people, and technology within functional units. Bryan and Joyce (2007) in their “one company governance model” professed that many organizations are hamstringed focused on functional units which make it very difficult to mobilize mind power, labor, and capital on an enterprise-wide basis (p. 63).

Over the years, organizational structures have embraced a variety of organizational forms and management structures to enhance communication, reduce risk, and control uncertainty. Unfortunately, most of these systems have had unintended effects on organizational design, the job itself, various human resources planning, control and development systems, things such as physical barriers, offices, and also organizational culture (Cavaleri & Fearon, 1996, p. 154). In addition, organizations competing in today’s fast moving markets are confronted with dynamic change, competition, and organizational transformation, where they must do more with less and where everything is faster and smarter.

Considering the above and what has been written in available literature, very few attempts have been made to change the current management system in higher education. The walls between departments continue to exist, decisions continue to be made at the top of the organization, and the structure of the organization and divisions within remain hierarchical. Leaders continue to place emphasis on top-down planning and control and by doing this, repress innovation and significantly reduce the chances for an institution becoming a learning organization. The concept of a boundaryless organization – an institution without divisions or walls in higher education – is, according to Alfred and Rosevear (2000), a “fantasy” (p. 5). The permanency of these walls has led to the coining of the phrase silos or silo mentality, which for the purpose of this paper refers to “where inside an organization there are separate departments which do not communicate with each other and are also actively trying to sabotage each other” (Garland, 2000, p. 1). These conditions are also thought of as the creation and function of an individual or of an organizational structure.

Trying to change the trajectory of the organization through organizational design is very hard due to the size and complexities of today’s organizations. With a problem so widespread and often accepted as inevitable, it is not surprising that most leaders opt for tweaking their organizations rather than transforming them (Bryan & Joyce, 2007, p. 42-43). However, the real cause of this dysfunction is systemic and predictable, and a resolution according to Gharajedaghi (2006) will require a dual shift in paradigm.

Put simply, there is a growing demand for organizations to become more joined-up. My research intends to focus on the phenomenon of silos, or as it is also referred to as, departmental politics, divisional rivalry, or turf warfare (Lencione, 2006, p. 175) in the administration of higher education. The paragraphs that follow will: first, describe the career to which I aspire after receiving my degree; second, describe the disciplines and field of practice to which I anticipate making a contribution; third, explain the knowledge and skills I will need to succeed; fourth, propose a plan for acquiring those skills; and finally, discuss my experience and qualifications as a fit for this doctoral program.

The next paragraph will focus on my desired career goals.

1. Desired career role

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing” (Abraham Lincoln).

Until now, there has been relatively little knowledge about improving the effectiveness of the connections between the various parts of an organization. There is substantial hidden potential for creating improvements that can lead to a competitive advantage amongst institutions of learning. These advantages according to Parker (1994) will be speed, complexity, customer service, creativity, organizational learning, an integrated service approach, and cost reduction, among others. I intend to become a scholar in the field of Education Management Systems, specializing in the design and development of management systems focusing on strategy, technology and practices, and the connection of various parts of an organization to improve services and create a learning environment.

The following paragraphs will focus on the knowledge and skills I will have to acquire to achieve these objectives.

2. The disciplines and field of practice to which I anticipate making a contribution

“If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true there would be little hope of advance” (Orville Wright).

In the past, organizations were primarily designed to exercise control from the top and achieve compliance and conformity at the bottom. Today’s organizations are increasingly designed to maximize customer service (Sadler, 2001, p. 3). The fields of practice to which I hope to contribute will be Organizational Transformation and Systems Theories. Oshry (1999) speaks of Systems Power as the “ability to act in ways that fundamentally transform whole systems, elevating them to new possibilities. Coupled with Systems Leadership, it radically transforms the system’s mission and direction, traditions, and culture, elevating the system to higher levels of performance (p. 7).

Originating from Systems Theory is the practice of Process Redesign. As such, my focus will be on the strategy, technology, and practices applied in the execution of the university’s administrative strategic objectives. Process Redesign introduces a new way of thinking about the organization. It focuses on external requirement rather than on management structure and functions and considers how the organization can best be structured, equipped, and managed to meet the customer needs (Oden, 1999, p. 112).

The discipline through which I view this practice, Organization Development, can be supported by Beckhard’s (1999) definition as “a systemic and systematic effort, using behavioral science knowledge and skill, to change or transform the organization.” Bradford, Burke, Seashore, and Worley (1982) furthermore view “organization development as a systems-wide and value-based collaborative process of applying behavioral science knowledge to the adaptive development, improvement, and reinforcement of organizational features such as the strategies, structures, processes, people, and cultures that lead to organization effectiveness” (Rothwell & Sullivan, 2005, p. 167). In short, I hope to make a contribution to Organization Development, and specifically to Organizational Transformation and Systems Theory.

The following paragraph identifies the skills and knowledge requirements to be successful in this field of study.

3. Knowledge and skills I will have to acquire

Knowledge and skills of Organization Development and Systems Theory will be fundamental to my study. In addition, I will need to develop a cognitive frame of reference on educational and in specific administrative issues and challenges in higher education. An historic overview of higher education and the operational culture that defines these institutions will also be essential. An action plan with motivation follows:

4. Action plan for acquiring knowledge/skills

The following courses in addition to the required curriculum for Human Resources Development/Organization Development will form the foundation of my research:

• Higher Education in the U.S.A.: an understanding of organizational structure by looking at the foundation of the administration, policy imperative and cultural aspect in higher education.

• Employment Labor Law: an understanding of the organization and administration of higher education, as well as the context of collective bargaining in American universities.

• Organizational Leadership: an understanding of the types of leadership practices in higher education and the impact it has on organizational development and change.

• Evaluating Collegiate Administrators: how information is used to improve processes, personnel reviews, and policy. What happens with information of internal evaluations?

• Higher Education Management in Practice: theories of management and their implications for practice.

• The Financing/Economics of Higher Education: an understanding of the cost of higher education and the effect changing economics will have on it.

• Internship 1: in a university office of planning and development

• Internship 2: in an internal evaluation office

In addition to my core courses I will also focus on the following:

• process consultation

• organizational leadership

• systems theory

• evaluating OD for trainer

• OD interventions

• OD evaluation

• OD for industrial trainer

• ethics in workforce education

• needs assessment

• appreciative inquiry

• HR management for industrial trainer

• research in workforce education

• project management

The next paragraph will describe what I bring to the program and will be followed by concluding remarks.

5. Personal fit

My current qualifications are in Education Management in the field of Organization Development. I have been working as an education program development specialist for the past fourteen years and have had the opportunity to study abroad. My international scholarship has focused on education and management systems in the United States and the Netherlands compared to those of South Africa.

Having occupied various management positions, my experience includes training and development as well as system design and development of governmental and not-for- profit programs, structures, processes, and procedures. I have also performed program and performance evaluations of individuals and systems.

I have participated in and consulted independently and in teams on various national and international development programs, where too often an organizational diagnosis indicated “very limited or no cross functional relations” between the component parts of organizations. This situation was also reported as a critical area for research and improvement. The institutional mergers of higher education and training in post-apartheid South Africa also brought forth this phenomenon. Attempts to address this issue created even bigger challenges. Reflecting on this experience, I have come to realize that the phenomenon of silos exists widely. It is for this reason that I have decided to research within this area of operations.

Conclusion

Questions like “Do colleges and universities think broadly about the interdependence of staff, customers, and beneficiaries? To what extent do institutions search for solutions to break down traditional barriers that divide staff and distance the enterprise from customers? How can the speed and efficiency of services between departments be improved?” are frequently posed questions to which we need to find solutions.

For now, reports from corporate America demonstrate how much leverage organizations can get from the flow of ideas among and between business units and customers. Boundaryless institutions become laboratories for ideas and best practices.

It is for this reason that it has become essential to look at the strategy, technology and practices in operation within the administration of higher education. How best can the system be transformed to deliver effective and efficient services for all its customers?

References

Alfred, R., & Rosevear S. (2000). Organizational structure, management, and leadership for the future. In A.M. Hoffmann & R. W. Summers (Eds.), Managing colleges and universities: Issues for leadership (pp. 1-28). West Port, CT: Greenwood.

Bryan, L. L., & Joyce, C. J. (2007). Creating wealth from talent in the 21st – Century organization, mobilizing minds. New York: McKinsey.

Cavaleri, S., & Fearon, D. (1996). Managing in organizations that learn. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

Gharajedaghi, J. (2006). Systems thinking: Managing chaos and complexity: A platform for designing business architecture. London: Elsevier.

Garland, H. P. (2009, August 28). Retrieve September 12, 2009 from .

Giraffe Forum. (2008). Retrieve September 20, 2009 from wordpress/2007/11/18/web-customer- rejects-silo-mentality/#comment-16873.

Lencione, P. (2006). Silos, politics and turf wars. San Francisco: Jossy Bass.

Oden, H.W. (1999). Transforming the organization: A social –technical approach. West port, CT: Quorum Books.

Oshry, B. (1995). Seeing systems. San Francisco: Berrett Koehler.

Oshry, B. (1999). Leading systems: Lessons from the power lab. San Francisco: Koehler.

Parker, G. M. (1994). Cross functional teams: Working with allies, enemies & other strangers. Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Quotations page. (n.d.) Retrieved November 20, 2009 from http:quotes/Abraham _Lincoln

Quotations page. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2009 from

Rothwell, W. J. Sullivan, R. (2005). Practicing organization development: A guide for consultants. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Sadler, P. (2001). The seamless organization: Building the company of tomorrow. Milford, CT: Kogan Page.

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