By Michael J. Vandermark, PhD
Hand in hand with the broad discipline of Human Resources, the practice of Organization
Development (OD) has emerged over the past several decades and has been instrumental in the
successful transformation of countless organizations worldwide. As a subset of Industrial and
Organizational Psychology, OD has been defined by many. Here is a popular definition from
Warner Burke, a pioneer theorist and practitioner in the field:
"Most people in the field agree that OD involves consultants who try to help clients
improve their organizations by applying knowledge from the behavior sciences = ,
sociology, cultural anthropology, and certain related disciplines. Most would also agree that
OD implies change and, if we accept that improvement in organizational functioning means that
change has occurred, then, broadly defined, OD means organizational change." (Burke)
For Human Resources individuals desiring to work
in the field of organization development, the skills outlined below are crucial for one’s
success in the field:
- Managing the Consulting Process in OD
- Diagnosis and Analysis in OD
- Designing/Choosing the Appropriate/Relevant OD Intervention
- Facilitation and Process Consultation in OD
- Developing Client Capability
- Evaluating Organization Change
As OD practitioners contribute to their organizations utilizing the skills above, the
following breadth of knowledge is significantly developed:
Organization Design
Core knowledge in organization design means knowing how to formulate
and align the "elements" of an organization. Elements include, but are not limited
to, structural systems, human resource systems, information systems, reward systems, work
design, political systems, and organization culture.
Organization Research
This area relates to knowing how to gather the information needed to
intervene in some way in an organization. It usually involves one or more of the following:
field research, interviewing, content analysis, data collection and analysis, and/or
understanding and detecting various types and levels of change.
System Dynamics
Knowledge of how evolve and develop over time is also a
component of the core knowledge required for success as an OD practitioner. This area includes
knowledge related to how planned organization change events lead to success or why failure
occurs.
History of Organization Development and
Change
As a successful OD practitioner, it is crucial one understands the social,
political, economic, and personal forces that led to the emergence and development of OD,
including the key thought leaders and the values underlying their writings and actions.
Theories and Models for Change
This knowledge area relates to understanding the OD basic action research
model, the participatory action research model, the OD planning model, and various transition
models.
Becoming an Organization Development
Practitioner
Becoming capable and successful in the art and
science of OD requires advanced knowledge and
skills such as those mentioned above. Attaining the knowledge needed to practice the skill, of
course, is crucial. Many paths are available and include formal academic multi-year degree
programs. Other approaches include completing an array of OD workshops and seminars requiring
travel to various locations around the globe. Lately, however, OD education has become
available via the world wide web. Online education facilitated by seasoned OD practitioners is growing fast in popularity.
Regardless of the means one utilizes to acquire Organization Development competence, years
of fulfilling work lie ahead as the rate of global transformation continues at dizzying speeds.
The OD professional lives the life of change agent, and will continue to contribute to the well
being of individuals, groups, organizations, and societies in the years to come.
This article copyright © 2000 Michael J.
Vandermark. All rights reserved.