Three Faces of Eden: The Persistence of Competing Theories and Multiple Diagnoses in Organizational Intervention Research

Abstract

Recently, three noted scholars in the field of organizational development and action research, Edgar Schein, Peter Senge, and Chris Argyris, decided to collaborate on research at the newly formed Center for Organizational Learning at MIT. This article presents an analysis of factors impeding this collaboration, drawing from the literature and from the author's experiences as a researcher at the center. The article compares the three strategies for intervention research, and explores the theories of organizational effectiveness implied by each. Core challenges for each approach are identified, followed by theoretical and temperamental factors that may contribute to the persistence of separate approaches. Finally, options for collaborative research are reviewed, along with a recommendation for an integrative approach.