A DIALECTICAL APPROACH TO ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY AND PLANNING:

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Change Management MGMT625

LESSON #11

A DIALECTICAL APPROACH TO ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY AND PLANNING

The dialectical approach can be defined in context of organization as: A system may be said

dialectical if it examines a situation completely and logically from two different points of view. The

dialectical approach begins by identifying the prevailing or recommended plan and the data which

were used to derive it.

The question is posed: "under what view of the world this is the optimal plan to follow" In order to

test the assumption underlying this plan a search is initiated to find another plausible and believable

alternative the counter plan. The principle theme is management must learn about the

fundamental assumption of its planning problem and observe the conflict between plan and counter

plan, and their related world-views. Now what happen in real life is that Expert approach to

planning is followed wherein consultants and economist are employed who are too much concerned

with cost-benefit and efficiencies, and by their way technical view promoted. These experts bury

assumption of their plan in trade jargon and statistics. Hence we see that this kind of traditional

approach to planning is devoid of socio-psychological cultural and political implications. Corporate

planner also operates on assumptions but are hidden assumptions in his organisational data and

recommended plan, and his method of presenting can conceal assumptions behind the plan

Devils' advocate

In this technique (usually internal consultants) managers play a deliberate role of devil's advocate

while planners present their recommendations like experts. The focus is what is wrong with the

plan and why it should not be accepted? The assumption behind this activity is that truly good plan

will survive the opposition in the form of devil's advocacy. Managers (playing Devil Advocate)

does not develop a new world view rather just criticise massively the plan. The role of managers'

behaviour is destructive rather than constructive. And this may psychologically demoralise

planners' and may result in planners psyche to develop safe plan rather than a progressive one.

Dialectical Inquiry

In this exercise each member/participant has unique information, knowledge, experience or

perspective that may be shared via discussion or interaction. The focus in this activity is consensus

seeking; therefore unlike of Devil's Advocates here consensus building behaviour is important by

resolving decisional-conflict in the group.

Steps in Dialectical inquiry process:

1. A decision making group is divided into two-sub groups, each of which will be involved

in the analysis and solution of the problem at hand.

2. One sub-group develops recommendations and supports them with all key assumptions,

facts and data all of which are provided to other sub-group

3. Now in dialectical inquiry second sub-group develops plausible/alternate assumptions

that negate those of the first, and then uses new assumptions to construct counter-

recommendations.

4. The debate continues until they agree on a set of assumptions and then unite to develop

recommendations

This is different from devil's advocacy as the second group here come up with a formal critique,

expounding flaws as why these recommendations should not be accepted but offers no alternative.

In Devil Advocacy, the first group revises its assumption and recommendations to satisfy valid

Change Management MGMT625

objections of the second group and then presents recommendation for second round of critique. The

process continues until both sub-groups accept the assumption and planning recommendations.

Hence the role of second sub-group differs in each case. Nonetheless what ever type organization

proceeds with dialectical conflict and dialectical inquiry can be used as an effective tool to evolve

corporate and strategic planning

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