What is organization development? What is the philosophy behind OD? How does it work and why is it important?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Organization development (OD) differs from the previously discussed models of change. And while its origins are in Lewin's approach, it does not entail a structured sequence as proposed by Lewin and Kotter. OD does, however, possess the same diagnostic focus associated with the system model of change. That said, OD is much broader in orientation than any of the previously discussed models. Many OD experts and practitioners argue that employee empowerment is central to this approach to change.

Throughout its history OD has combined academic rigor with practical application, which has led some experts to say it is the most common approach to organizational change today. Three fundamental aspects have helped it earn this distinction:

1. OD is about planned change aimed at increasing "an organization's ability to improve itself as a humane and effective system." 
2. OD takes theories and results from the laboratory and applies them to the real-life work settings. 
3. OD takes a distinctly democratic and participative approach to solving conflict and problems. This means that an organizational development approach to organizational change is not simply a top-down approach where senior leaders prescribe changes or directives to be followed by employees. Instead, OD advocates the involvement of all players in identifying needed changes, planning how to make such changes, and then the ultimate implementation and evaluation of change efforts. 

One way to think of OD is to follow a medical metaphor and approach the organization as if it were a "sick" patient, "diagnose" its ills, prescribe and implement an "intervention," and "evaluate" progress. If the evaluation reveals that positive change has not occurred, this information provides feedback that is used to refine the diagnosis and/or consider the extent to which the intervention was effectively implemented (see Figure 16.7).

1. Diagnosis: What are the problem and its causes? 
2. Intervention: What can be done to solve the problem? 
3. Evaluation: Is the intervention working? 
4. Feedback: What does the evaluation suggest about the diagnosis and the effectiveness of how the intervention was implemented?