Organizational Development. Those two simple words have always evoked an image of change and new ideas to me. Organizational development puts the fun and creativity back in Human Resource Development IMHO. So, naturally it is one of my favorite concepts. What’s not so fun is that my textbook lists not one, not two, but …twenty-seven different definitions of organizational development. And as this is still a young field, the definitions didn’t start until 1969 when a guy named Beckhard coined the term (although the book is curiously silent on who Beckhard was and what he was actually doing at the time). I would also like to point out that my book lists the key terms of OD, of which there also happen to be 27. So there are as many terms associated with OD, as there are definitions of OD. Does that seem strange to anyone else? Maybe it’s the author’s favorite number.
Moving along. The text decides to use the author’s definition of OD out of the 27 (who saw that coming?) which describes OD as “the process of systematically unleashing human expertise to implement organizational change for the purpose of improving performance” (p.271). ‘Systematically unleashing’ seems like a strange juxtaposition to me, unleashing connotes something that is required to restrained and watched (I’m picturing a mean dog pull away from an owner that had a leash on him). Would the opposite be human expertise that is already unleashed and running amok making mayhem by providing insight to everyone that needs it? And if that’s the case, that human expertise is normally leashed, how does one ‘systematically’ unleash it? The ideas of seem to oppose one another.
Either way, OD can work in two ways. It is important to note that OD is not the same as HRD, but rather a component of it. Like Training & Development (T&D), organizational development serves a specific purpose with human resource development but the terms (and actions) are not interchangeable. First OD can work to maintain the system. In an age of globalization and ever changing technology, it requires change to stay the same. Secondly, OD can work to improve or change the system. This is where OD professionals can work to introduce new ideas and develop alternate perspectives to change the entire organization. That work is the most risky, but can also be the most fun.
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Interesting post regarding Organizational Development but I'm concerned about the lack of standardization for the concept. You mention that there are currently 27 different definitions of OD. How much variability is there between these definitions? Is there one single definition that professionals accept as the standard?
Furthermore, the term "unleashing" seems a bit extreme and could have easily been replaced by a much more appropriate word like "sharing".
Finally, I can attest to the benefits of utilizing OD to improve or change the system. In my previous place of employment we hired a young woman who, by implementing new ideas and creative strategies, single handedly turned the place upside down, thus transforming it into one marvelous beacon of workplace efficiency.
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