Perceived benefits of an open space event in a protestant church
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Authors
Sullens, Robert
Issue Date
2008
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Psychology
Alternative Title
Abstract
Open Space Technology is promoted as an effective technique for organizing meetings that will result in significant benefits to organizations. This study seeks to identify the benefits that resulted from an Open Space Event held in one protestant church in East Oakland, California on June 9, 2007. By identifying the events from a specific event, the study will provide prospective future users of Open Space Technology with an example of the results that could be expected from using Open Space in a meeting. The study contributes to a growing body of literature examining the effectiveness of Open Space Technology in a variety of organizational settings.
This study takes an ethnographic approach to a particular Open Space Event. The author worked with the church to plan and facilitate the event. Six ethnographic interviews were conducted with participants in the event. The interviews were coded to identify themes that captured the impact of the event on the individual participants and the sponsoring organization.
The study found that participation in the OS event changed the way the participants perceived and related to each other. There was an increased sense of community among the participants. Individuals reported both experiencing and observing an increase in energy and commitment to church programs. Participants credited the structure of Open Space as a key source of the outcomes.
Examination of other Open Space events and the literature about Open Space illustrate how the structure promotes feelings of safety that permit the participants to engage with each other in conversation. The reliance on self-organization in an Open Space event gives the group permission to do whatever is needed to address the issues with which they are concerned.