Introduction to Organization Development (OD)

15 August 2013, Singapore: On August 08, I decided to join the famous OD Network, USA - for the next 30 days I need to bush-up my OD knowledge. I was able to access their online OD articles. Noted that their OD definitions were less academic and very applicable to my current project.

 

What is Organization Development?

Moving away from the classical definition, some of the leaders in OD Network defined it as:

 

"OD is a field directed at interventions in the processes of human systems (formal and informal groups, organizations, communities, and societies) in order to increase their effectiveness and health using a variety of disciplines, principally applied behavioral sciences. OD requires practitioners to be conscious about the values guiding their practice and focuses on achieving its results through people."

Arnold Minors, Toronto, Canada

 

"Organization Development is a body of knowledge and practice that enhances organizational performance and individual development, viewing the organization as a complex system of systems that exist within a larger system, each of which has its own attributes and degrees of alignment. OD interventions in these systems are inclusive methodologies and approaches to strategic planning, organization design, leadership development, change management, performance management, coaching, diversity, and work/life balance."

Matt Minahan, Silver Spring, Maryland

 

Dr. Binghay in his lecture notes, stated the following ...

Nature of Organization Development

• Is a planned, organization-wide effort to increase organization’s effectiveness & viability
• A response to change
• A complex organizational strategy to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, & structure of organization
• A change process designed to bring about a particular kind of end result
• Can involve interventions in the organizations processes
• Uses behavioural science as well as organizational reflection, system improvement, planning, and self analysis

Organization Development is aimed at:

• Enhancing congruence among organization structure, process, strategy, people, & culture
• Developing new & creative organizational solutions
• Developing the organization’s self-renewing capacity

Emergence of OD

• The need for organizational reforms
• The focus on cultural change
• The increase in social awareness

Reason for Undergoing OD

• The need for organizational reforms
• The focus on cultural change
• The increase in social awareness

OD Values

• Respect for People
• Trust & Support
• Power Equalization
• Confrontation
• Participation