Recommend an appropriate action plan to close the gap between "what is" and "what should be" based solidly on OD theory as described in the course text or other sources.

A Case Study

Ms. Georgina Munchhausen was an external OD consultant who had an extensive background in Total Quality Management in manufacturing. She was recently engaged by a multinational corporation to work at a large, but low-tech, manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Manila. Georgina had not previously visited the Philippines, and her knowledge of Filipino culture and society was limited. But Georgina has had successful consulting engagements in China, Korea, and Japan. She assumed that all Asian cultures probably have much in common.

On her first day, she visited Ralph Kurten, the U.S. manager in charge of the Philippines subsidiary. After introducing himself and chatting with Georgina, Ralph explained that he had been in the Philippines for only two weeks himself. He was still learning the local customs and assessing the manufacturing facility he had just taken charge of.

Georgina asked how much Ralph's company had prepared him for this international assignment. He responded that he "felt banished. I was sent over here without much planning, preparation, or training." (Ralph's family was still in the States. He was allowed to go home to visit every 120 days, and he would be on this assignment for two years.)

Ralph explained that he had formed some initial impressions of Filipino culture. Here is a brief summary of what he told Georgina:

I can't believe the way the workers view time. We set starting times, and they don't show up until long after the meeting has begun, if at all! They call this casual view of time "island time." The first thing I need to do is kick some butt so we can change that callous disregard they have of time.

U. S. citizens are treated as either the sacred or the profane here. What I mean is that some people really like us, and even adore us. Others hate us. Those views seem to spill over to affect the workplace. I feel this myself.

My initial impression, from what I've learned about local beliefs, is that these people are living with about the same set of morals that prevailed in the U.S. during the 1950s. The sexual revolution and women's liberation have only just started to have an impact here, though these people are by no means backward. They monitor trends in the U.S. better than some in the States do, and they quickly pick up and try every fad. But these things rarely "stick," so it really is just a matter of trying out the latest fad.

Ralph then went on to explain that "the New York office has jumped on the latest bandwagon. Top managers there seem to think that we need to install Total Quality Management (TQM) at this site right away. I'm not sure they understand the implications of trying to do that in this culture and in this industry, but that's why you're here. We need to make TQM work here. In other words, set it up for us. You're the expert, I take it. My door is always open if you have questions. Come see me when you have it going. If you run into trouble with the natives in the meantime, let me know. I'll see that they listen to you."