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Organizational Development Quiz: Test Your Knowledge Now!

Think you know OD concepts? Take the Organizational Development Quiz!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration with stylized gears network on coral background inviting users to test OD knowledge and history.

Calling all HR pros, team leaders, and curious learners: Ever wondered which statement is true about organizational development? Our free organizational development quiz is designed to test your knowledge of organizational development, challenge you with our OD concepts quiz, and reveal which statement about organizational development is true. Dive into real-world scenarios, strengthen your organizational development test skills, and sharpen your strategic insight. Ready to prove your expertise and have fun? Start now and unlock your full potential!

Who is widely recognized as a founding figure in the field of organizational development?
Edgar Schein
Kurt Lewin
Margaret Mead
Chris Argyris
Kurt Lewin is widely regarded as the founder of organizational development due to his pioneering work in group dynamics and planned change. His three-step model laid the foundation for modern OD practice, and his research in social psychology emphasizes the importance of field theory in understanding behavior within organizations. Alternative figures like Argyris, Mead, and Schein contributed later to theory and practice. Source
What is the primary focus of organizational development (OD)?
Improving financial reporting processes
Recruiting and onboarding new employees
Implementing planned change to enhance organizational effectiveness
Designing product features for market fit
Organizational development's primary focus is managing planned, long-term change to improve organizational effectiveness and health. It emphasizes change processes, human interactions, and cultural transformation rather than financial reporting, recruitment, or product features. Through interventions like team building and leadership development, OD aims to align people, processes, and strategy. Source
Which term best describes an OD intervention where practitioners and clients collaborate to diagnose and solve problems iteratively?
Performance management
Action research
Job rotation
Succession planning
Action research is an OD methodology where practitioners and clients collaborate to diagnose issues and implement solutions iteratively. Unlike job rotation or performance management, it directly involves stakeholders in problem-solving. This collaborative approach fosters ownership of change and continuous learning. Source
In Lewin's three-step change model, what is the first stage?
Changing
Refreezing
Unfreezing
Forming
In Lewin's three-step change model, the first stage is Unfreezing, which involves preparing an organization to accept that change is necessary. It includes challenging current beliefs and behaviors to reduce resistance. Changing (or movement) and Refreezing follow to implement and solidify new behaviors. Source
In the action research cycle, which step follows data collection?
Evaluating outcomes
Implementing solutions
Planning interventions
Joint diagnosis and feedback
In action research cycles, data collection is followed by diagnostic feedback and collaborative analysis of the data. This stage enables stakeholders to understand underlying issues before planning interventions. Without accurate diagnosis, interventions may be misaligned with actual needs. Source
Which of these is NOT typically considered an organizational development intervention?
Coaching
Downsizing
Leadership development
Team building
Downsizing is typically a restructuring strategy rather than an OD intervention, which focuses on planned cultural and behavioral change. OD interventions include coaching, team building, and leadership development to enhance capabilities. While downsizing may affect culture, it does not follow the collaborative, developmental ethos of OD. Source
What is the purpose of a force field analysis in organizational development?
To balance budgets for change initiatives
To rate employee performance
To design new organizational charts
To identify driving and restraining forces for a change
Force field analysis is used to identify and weigh the driving and restraining forces affecting a change initiative. This helps organizations strategize on strengthening drivers and reducing restraints to facilitate successful change. It is a central OD diagnostic tool. Source
In OD terminology, a 'change agent' typically refers to:
A competitor benchmarking practices
An investor influencing board decisions
A regular employee unaffected by change
A consultant facilitating the change process
A change agent in OD is any internal or external consultant who facilitates the change process by guiding, coaching, and managing interventions. They help diagnose problems, plan interventions, and support implementation. Employees, managers, or investors may play roles, but the term typically refers to consultants. Source
According to Edgar Schein, how many levels are there in organizational culture?
Five
Two
Three
Four
Edgar Schein's model of organizational culture describes three levels: artifacts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions. This framework helps practitioners understand visible elements and deeper cultural drivers. Other models may vary, but Schein's remains foundational. Source
Which theory emphasizes continuous adaptation and knowledge sharing through a 'learning organization' approach?
Learning organization theory
Lewin's three-step change model
Kotter's 8-step process
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
The concept of a learning organization emphasizes continuous adaptation and knowledge sharing, as championed by Peter Senge. It focuses on systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning. While Lewin and Kotter address change process, the learning organization theory is distinct in emphasizing ongoing learning. Source
What does 'T-group' refer to in OD practice?
Transactional leadership team
Technical skills training cohort
Temporary project task force
Training group for sensitivity and interpersonal feedback
T-groups, or training groups, are experiential learning labs where participants explore interpersonal dynamics and feedback. Originating in the 1940s, they focus on group processes rather than technical training or transactional tasks. This method enhances self-awareness and communication. Source
In OD, what is meant by 'organizational diagnosis'?
Assessing current state of culture, processes, and effectiveness
Evaluating employee performance scores
Implementing training programs
Designing new organizational charts
Organizational diagnosis in OD refers to the systematic assessment of organizational effectiveness, culture, and processes. It involves collecting data to identify strengths and areas for improvement before designing interventions. This foundational step ensures tailored, impactful change. Source
Which OD intervention is based on socio-technical systems theory?
Socio-technical system design
Benchmarking
Quality circles
Job enrichment
Sociotechnical system design is an OD intervention that acknowledges the interdependence of social and technical aspects of work. It seeks to optimize both for employee satisfaction and performance. Quality circles, while participative, do not fully integrate system design principles. Source
According to the Burke-Litwin model, which transformational factor directly influences organizational performance?
Formal policies
Information technology
Transactional systems
Leadership
In the Burke-Litwin model, transformational factors like leadership directly influence organizational performance by shaping culture, motivation, and strategy. While transactional factors affect day-to-day operations, leadership drives deeper change and organizational effectiveness. Source
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Core OD Concepts -

    Define fundamental organizational development theories and terminology to establish a solid foundation for recognizing effective change practices.

  2. Identify Key Historical Milestones -

    Outline major events and influencers in OD history to appreciate how the field has evolved over time.

  3. Analyze Statement Accuracy -

    Apply your knowledge in this organizational development quiz to determine which statement about organizational development is true.

  4. Evaluate Real-World Applications -

    Assess case scenarios to distinguish valid OD interventions from ineffective or outdated approaches.

  5. Apply OD Theory to Practice -

    Use core OD models to design basic organizational interventions and predict potential outcomes.

  6. Differentiate Accurate from Inaccurate Claims -

    Sharpen critical thinking skills to spot common misconceptions and reinforce correct OD principles.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Lewin's Three-Step Change Model -

    Kurt Lewin's seminal framework (Unfreeze”Change”Refreeze) provides the foundation for most OD interventions. Use the mnemonic "UCR" to recall each phase - Unfreeze existing mindsets, execute Change strategies, then Refreeze to solidify new behaviors - highlighted in Harvard Business Review. Spotting this cycle helps you answer which statement about organizational development is true on any OD concepts quiz.

  2. Action Research Cycle -

    Developed by Kurt Lewin and expanded by university researchers, the Action Research Cycle (Diagnose”Plan”Act”Evaluate) drives continuous improvement. Think "DPAE" to remember each step: Diagnose issues, Plan interventions, Act on solutions, Evaluate outcomes. When you test your knowledge of organizational development, pinpoint statements that reflect this iterative, data”driven process.

  3. OD Intervention Categories -

    OD interventions fall into three main types: Human Process (e.g., team”building), Tech”Structural (e.g., job redesign), and Strategic (e.g., vision alignment). A simple way to recall them is "HTS" (Human, Tech, Strategic) as outlined by the OD Network and OD journal articles. Recognizing these categories ensures you can choose the true statement about organizational development interventions on a quiz.

  4. Organizational Culture Assessment -

    The Denison Model evaluates culture across four traits: Involvement, Consistency, Adaptability, and Mission - remember "ICAM." Ohio State University and the Denison Consulting Group validate this tool for linking culture to performance. When tackling an OD concepts quiz, look for questions about culture diagnostics and the ICAM framework.

  5. Evaluating OD Effectiveness with Kirkpatrick's Model -

    Donald Kirkpatrick's Four Levels (Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results) guide OD evaluation by moving from participant feedback to business impact. Use the simple equation "R²BL" (Reaction², Behavior, Learning) as a memory hack. Spotting this model helps you test your knowledge of organizational development and pick the correct evaluation approach.

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