What is Organizational Development: Definition of Organizational Development according to different Authors
Organization development (OD) is an effort that focuses on improving an organization’s capability through the alignment of strategy, structure, people, rewards, metrics, and management processes. It is a science-backed, interdisciplinary field rooted in psychology, culture, innovation, social sciences, adult education, human resource management, change management, organization behavior, and research analysis and design, among others.
Many authors have defined organization development as follows:
French and Bell: Organization envelopment is a systematic process for applying behavioral science principles and practices in organizations to increase individual and organizational effectiveness.
Richard Beckhard: Organization development is an effort (i) planned (ii) organization wide (iii) managed from the top to (iv) increase organization effectiveness and health through (v) planned interventions in the organization’s processes using behavioral science knowledge.
Schmuck and Miles: Organization development can be defined as a planned and sustained effort to apply behavioral science for system improvement using reflective and self analytic methods.
W.G. Bennis: Organization development is a response to change, a complex educational strategy intended to change to the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of organizations so that they can better adapt to new technologies, markets and changelings and the dizzying rage of change itself.
Warner Burk: Organization development is a planned process of change in an organizations culture through the utilization of behavioral science technologies, research and theory.
Porras and Robertson: Organization development is a set of behavioral science based theories, values, strategies and techniques aimed at the planned change of the organizational work setting for the purpose of enhancing individual development and improving organizational performance. Through the alternation of organizational members on the job behaviors.
Cummings and Worley: Organization development is a systematic application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development and rein forcemeat of organizational strategies, structures, and processes for improving on organization’s effectiveness.
Michael Beer: The aims of organization development are (i) to enhance congruence between organizational structure, process, strategy, people, and culture (ii) to develop new and creative organizational solutions and (iii) to develop the organization’s self renewing capacity.
Peter B. Vaill: Organization development is an organizational process for understanding and improving any and all substantive processes an organization may develop for performing any task pursuing any objectives.
Burke and Horrnstein: Organization development is a process of planned change of an organizations culture form one which avoids an examination of social processes to one which institutionalizes and legitimizes this examination of social processes to one which institutionalizes and legitimizes this examination.
Newsroom & Davis: Organization development is systematic application of behavioral science knowledge at various levels (group, inter group, and total organization) to bring about planned change.
Nelson: Organization development is the attempt to influence the members of an organization to expend their candidness with each other about t heir views of the organization and their experience in it and greater responsibility for their own actions and organization members.
Matt Minaham and Associates: Organization development is a body of knowledge and practice that enhances organizational performance and individual development viewing the organization as a complex system that exist within a larger system, each of which has its own attributes and degrees of alignment.
Objectives of organization development:
The objective of OD is to improve the organization's capacity to handle its internal and external functioning and relationships. This includes improved interpersonal and group processes, more effective communication, and enhanced ability to cope with organizational problems of all kinds.
Followings are the major objectives of Organizational Development:
To apply behavioral science theories: The first objective of organization development is to apply some behavioral science theories in the organization. By applying these theories organization development practices hope for development.
To improve organizational performance: Another objective of organization development is to improve the overall performance of organization. Thus organization can be established as one of the important institutions in human history.
To ensure proper use of individual efforts: Improvement of Individual performance is possible by using individual efforts properly. Organization development ensures proper use of human efforts and commitment.
To create awareness: Organization development crates awareness among the people working in the enterprise. They feel the need for change in comparison with other organizations.
To encourage people to solve problems: Organization development encourages people to solve their problems and face challenges at present and future.
To establish and maintain interpersonal relations: Organization development activities may be implemented with a view to establishing and at the same time maintains interpersonal relations among the people of the organization. This can insure continuous growth.
To create & maintain work environment: Working environment must be favorable in the organization. Organization development practitioner’s to create favorable working environment and maintain the same for smooth functioning in future.
To increase knowledge & skills: Knowledge on latest methods and skills can rationalize the growth of any organization. Organization development anticipates increasing the knowledge and skill levels through training.
To minimize resistance to change: In most of the cases, every change is resisted, it hampers goal achievement. Organization development helps minimize the resistance to change in a positive mood so that management becomes more alert.
To create job satisfaction: Job satisfaction encourages the people to work hard with joy. Organization development creates job satisfaction of employees who are involved in organization development activities.
To increase motivation level: Motivation creates interest for work among the employees. Therefore another important objective of organization development is to increase motivation.
To crate supportive values: Every organization and employee has some values and norms. The values and norms can help the organization to uphold its own culture. Organization development creates supportive suitable values and norms.
Importance of organizational development
Organization Development has importance for the both employers
and employees. If organization development is undertaken and implemented
successfully, both the parties may be benefited. The points of importance of
organizational development are discussed below.
Contractual relationship: For the establishment of the contractual relationship between the concerned parties in the organization, organization development can play a significant role. Contractual relationships help to ensure successful implantation of plans.
A change agent: Very important aspect of organization development is change. Agents of behavioral scientists encourage people of the organization to solve problems. Its main strength is comprehensive knowledge of human behavior.
Sponsoring organization: The imitative for organization development programs come from an organization that has a problem. This means that to management’s aware that problem exists and has decided to seek help in solving it.
Applied behavioral science: OD process states its activities by applying behavioral science principles without applying so that people cannot be made fit for implementing the program.
Implement performances: Through the OD process improved relations, effective commutation, and enhanced ability to cope of all kinds, more effective decisions etc. are possible. It indicates an improvement of performance of all sides.
Organization self-renewal: OD program helps self-renewals also. People become conscious of their responsibilities in future for the organization and society. It minimizes suspension and control steps.
Increased motivation: OD programs increase the motivation of employees. The motivation of employees can ensure high productivity and sensibility. On the other hand, demotivated employees destroy the good deeds even.
High morale and satisfaction: If reasonable OD programs are undertaken, morale and satisfaction of employees may be increased, that can result in good performance.
Increased competitive ability: Developed organization cans again competitive ability. This position can be gained by producing high-quality goods. Rendering better services, expanding the market, sending goods at the doorsteps of customers and so on.
Research & development: Research and development are the successful weapons of any organization. It helps innovate, improve a quality of goods and services and increase competitive strengths.
Quality goods & services: Whether OD has taken part properly or not, it is proved through a quality of goods and services. If quality dies not improve, OD does not carry and y value.
Role of management for organizational development
Management has a significant role for organization development. Role of management for organizational development are explained in the following points:
Making decision for the organization: Management will make appropriate decisions for the organization’s development. They will study about every aspect and resource of the organization. After this study management will take decision and they will look after it.
Inviting employees in the decision making process: A decision cannot be appropriate without participation. Management should involve employees from every department to make a perfect decision.
Allocations of funds for implementing decisions: After decision making, this is the responsibility of management to implement that decision on its employees, So, management will allocate funds for decision implementing and make it smooth.
Ensuring accountability of implementation activities: Ensuring accountability of the organization is another major role of management.
Making action steps for individual improvement: A organization run by its employee, but every individual are not same skillful. An organization should take action for individual improvement. And this action will be taken by the management of that organization.
Taking corrective or preventive measures in case of any deviation: If there is any situation which is not good for organization management will take corrective or preventive measure. In one word management play most vital role in organizational development.