An Assessment of Team Development at the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory.

Abstract : The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a team building organization development (OD) intervention currently underway at the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory (AFFDL). Effectiveness was determined by analyzing the longitudinal change from 1978 to 1979 on eleven criterion variables: employee job satisfaction; job motivation; absenteeism; five factor dimensions of organizational climate; and for Scientists and Engineers (S and Es), three productivity factors. All variables except absenteeism were measured with a questionnaire. Absenteeism data was obtained from laboratory records. OD was found to have had some positive effect on AFFDL, but only for two (at most) of the eleven criteria. However, there was some evidence that the process of OD-induced change within the laboratory was still occurring despite the fact that the program was over three years old at the time of the second measurement. The apparent languid pace associated with organizational change observed in this study was attributed to two causes: the lack of an internal OD facilitator to lend some continuity to the program and the low-key emphasis and support for the program.