Of Definitions, Demarcation, and Disaggregation: Some Comments on the Dynamic Application of Diagnostic and Dialogic Organization Development

Hastings and Schwarz (2022) provide a lucid account of how change is affected by the choice to engage in diagnostic or dialogic processes of organization development. More specifically, based upon their analysis of 79 cases, they assert that the likelihood of change success is increased in instances where “leaders choose to oscillate between these two processes [i.e. diagnostic and dialogic processes] as change unfolds” (Hastings & Schwarz, 2022:5). Their argument is persuasive and we find ourselves in broad agreement with the conclusions they draw. However, we want to take this opportunity to elaborate on what we see as some further implications and possible entailments of their contribution. In particular, we want to offer some brief comments on two issues. First, we consider how we describe the two contrasting processes (i.e., a definitional issue) and how we distinguish between them (i.e., a demarcation issue). Second, and based upon the challenges of establishing boundaries and drawing meaningful distinctions, how we “oscillate” between the processes (i.e., an issue of dynamics).