Organizational Research Independent Study (Spring 2010)

Ananda Valenzuela undertook an Organizational Research Independent Study in Spring 2010.

This space will document the progress of this project, which may morph into a Division III.

Originally conceived as a complement to the Strategies for Institutional Change UMass course she is auditing, the focus is on engaging in an exploratory study of Hampshire's organizational structure. In the longterm, this could evolve into an analysis of Hampshire's present organizational systems and methods, with a plan for how Hampshire could improve, becoming more democratic, innovative, and productive, while holding true to Hampshire values.

Goals

 * Select and develop research methodology
 * Create interview guide and waiver form
 * Conduct exploratory interviews with diverse test group
 * Write reflection pieces over course of semester
 * Plan and outline how this project could be expanded into a year-long Division III

Books

 * Research Interviewing: Context and Narrative, by Elliot Mishler
 * Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership, by Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal
 * The Age of Heretics: A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management, by Art Kleiner
 * Appreciative Inquiry: Change at the Speed of Imagination, by Jane Watkins and Bernard Mohr
 * Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Dan Pink

Articles

 * A variety from Strategies for Institutional Change course
 * Person to Person: Fieldwork, Dialogue, and the Hermeneutic Method, by Barry Michrina and Cherylanne Richards