Organisation Development - Theory and Practice

Contemporary organisations increasingly find themselves grappling with rapidly evolving and dynamic global settings. The focused, systematic and pragmatic approach of Organisation Development (OD) is invaluable when it comes to navigating organisational and larger systems change.

Organisation development - theory and practice provides a thorough account of this discipline and practice field from both an international and a more localised perspective. It explains but also moves beyond the fundamentals, demonstrating and applying relevant theory in practical situations. It highlights contemporary and emerging challenges, as well as long-standing historical and/or classical debates.

Organisation development - theory and practice is structured around the key stages and considerations of the action research and intervention process. Examples and illustrative case studies are provided to further develop conceptual skills in the areas of analysis, interpretation and application.

Topics include the following:

Local and international history, and defining features, values and ethics
Intervention theory, action research and appreciative inquiry
Nature, structure and categories of interventions
Organisational diagnosis and feedback
Individual, group, comprehensive and sociotechnical interventions
OD in multicultural and multinational contexts
Role and competencies of the consultant and change agent
Challenges and requirements for effective OD