Given what you have learned over the past two courses, what do you see as the future of the OD discipline?
Organization Development (OD) is the process by which behavioral science knowledge and practices are used to help organizations achieve greater effectiveness, including improved quality of work life and increased productivity (Cummings, & Huse, 1989).
In terms of a practitioners, OD has the goals of:
Being aware of systems wanting to change
Being known to those needing you
Matching skills with potential client profile
Conveying qualifications in a credible manner
Quickly grasping the nature of the system
Determining appropriate decision makers
Determining appropriate processes (Sullivan, Rothwell and Worley, 2001)
Some have noted that OD is nothing new; in fact, it has been criticized as, "the same kind of nonsense that saw training become 'learning & development' without any noticable (sic) improvements in addressing strategic issues" (Morrison, 2007). OD is not a fad; OD has, will and should always be present in organizations, though the modeling may transform to suit needs. In the past, the terminology Organizational Behavior (OB) studied and applied the knowledge of how people, as individuals and as groups, act within organizations (Newstrom & Davis, 1993). As Brown states (2011), OD is a “long-term contribution to management and organization theory” (p. 425). As leaders and emerging leaders evolve and develop, some may not take take formal or drastic approaches as others, but they will in some way shape and form always be moving forward. In addition organizations have so many different attributes, cultures, employees, motivators, goals, etc. to impact, it would be unfair to assume each leader will identify the same issues and plan to progress the condition the same way. Within higher education, the field is dynamic and ever-changing, and the techniques and tools used five years ago would not work now, even through thorough survey of
aspects.
Being aware of systems wanting to change
Being known to those needing you
Matching skills with potential client profile
Conveying qualifications in a credible manner
Quickly grasping the nature of the system
Determining appropriate decision makers
Determining appropriate processes (Sullivan, Rothwell and Worley, 2001)
Some have noted that OD is nothing new; in fact, it has been criticized as, "the same kind of nonsense that saw training become 'learning & development' without any noticable (sic) improvements in addressing strategic issues" (Morrison, 2007). OD is not a fad; OD has, will and should always be present in organizations, though the modeling may transform to suit needs. In the past, the terminology Organizational Behavior (OB) studied and applied the knowledge of how people, as individuals and as groups, act within organizations (Newstrom & Davis, 1993). As Brown states (2011), OD is a “long-term contribution to management and organization theory” (p. 425). As leaders and emerging leaders evolve and develop, some may not take take formal or drastic approaches as others, but they will in some way shape and form always be moving forward. In addition organizations have so many different attributes, cultures, employees, motivators, goals, etc. to impact, it would be unfair to assume each leader will identify the same issues and plan to progress the condition the same way. Within higher education, the field is dynamic and ever-changing, and the techniques and tools used five years ago would not work now, even through thorough survey of
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| This could be me, but I don't have a telecommuting job. |
Brown states that "OD presents the technology for creating and seeking organizational excellence,which is the underlying goal of the modern manager and organization". As a group we recently completed a paper on how social media has developed individuals an d companies,making networking and learning a viable option. Free resources give us this power. As an individual, I have been able to develop friendships and mentorships through Facebook, LinkedIn, MOOCs (free online courses) and email. I can (and have) designed sites that simply promote my experience and skills. In my office, I lead our social media presence to create a reputation for the department that is active, student-centered and highly communicative. Our workers are the same way, and they aid in creating better ways to connect with their people. We realize that less students are getting their information from posters and fliers. They sit on their computer all day; we need to be on computers. The millennial populace is tech-savvy, demanding, educated, and talented. To better serve the campus, local and prospective community, and to gain more direct and honest feedback, and create a digital history of our accomplishments, we've integrated technology into our identity.
Organization Development is a continuously growing field, and is expanding to include global adaptability through web-based and mobile-based platforms, and is converting organizations into high-performance organization on wheels and in the air. This serves to save companies a lot of money by getting people out of brick-and-mortars and into places where they feel more apt to be productive. I see this leading to longer-term assignments, fighting against the ageist stereotyping of younger workers. If organizational development programs are fully integrated, organizations can improve effectiveness in the future global business economy.
References
Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization development (8th ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.
Cummings, T. & Huse, E. (1989). Organization Development and Change. St Paul, MN: West Publishing Company. (Pp. 5-13).Newstrom, J. & Davis, K. (1993). Organization Behavior: Human Behavior at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill. (p. 293).
Morrison, M. (2007). OD - Fad or competitive advantage? Accessed at http://www.hrzone.com/community-voice/discuss/od-fad-or-competitive-advantage
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