Organizational Research Services Model

Overview

On campuses across the country, faculty and administrative staff are being asked to increase program offerings while maintaining the highest possible levels of service and effectiveness. More often than not, they are asked to respond to these heightened expectations with few, if any, additional resources. In such situations, it is essential to clarify priorities, streamline work processes, assure high standards in programs and services, and continually monitor workplace climate, morale, and leadership effectiveness.

In an effort to respond to this need, the Center for Organizational Development and Leadership has embarked on a new venture to provide the university community - academic departments, administrative units and student organizations - with a research services model that can be used to gather and interpret information on stakeholder needs, service delivery, leadership effectiveness, and organizational climate.

More detailed information about the model is available here.

The ORS model supports ODL's five program areas - Organizational Assessment, Leadership and Strategic Planning, Work Process Design, Faculty Staff Workplace Climate, and Service Excellence - and is a valuable collaborative opportunity for those members of the university actively seeking to promote service excellence and personal and professional growth.

Through ORS, academic departments, administrative units, and student organizations have access to a range of research support services, including a preliminary consultation on establishing a data collection process, post-collection consultation to analyze and interpret the findings, and "wrap-around" workshops to assist units, departments, and organizations in understanding the findings and using them in their strategic planning efforts.

Impact

ORS represents a unique and creative partnership that advances the mission and goals of both ODL and School of Communication, Information and Library Studies (SCILS). Through the ORS model, Research Associate positions have been created for graduate students in the Masters in Communication and Information Studies (MCIS) and Ph.D. programs. University departments, units, and organizations will have the benefit of organizational research support in their organizational assessment and improvement efforts, and students will have a unique opportunity to apply lessons learned in the classroom, while refining their communication, assessment and analytical skills.

Partnership

ORS represents a unique and creative partnership that advances the mission and goals of both ODL and the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies (SCILS). Through the ORS model, research associate positions have been created for graduate students in the Masters in Communication and Information Studies (MCIS) and Ph.D. programs. University departments have the benefit of organizational research support in their assessment and improvement efforts, and students have a unique opportunity to apply lessons learned in the classroom while refining their communication, assessment, and analytical skills.

The ORS is coordinated by the ODL training director and staffed by MCIS students. Each student accepting the position is trained in ODL's model of engagement through a comprehensive review of case studies compiled from past and current ODL consulting projects.

Once trained, each student is assigned to work with a client on a project and asked to make a commitment of one full academic year to ODL as a research associate.

Ideally, these students have some level of proficiency with the following:

• Basic assessment design and analytical models
• SPSS
• Microsoft Access and/or Microsoft Excel

Additional information regarding the research associate positions can be obtained by contacting Joseph Lopez, ODL training director, at 732-932-1420.