coherent approach to improving organizational effectiveness. An effective organiza-
tion can be defined broadly as one that achieves its purpose by meeting the wants
and needs of its stakeholders, matching its resources to opportunities, adapting flex-
ibly to environmental changes and creating a culture that promotes commitment,
creativity, shared values and mutual trust.
Organizational development is concerned with process, not structure or systems –
with the way things are done rather than what is done. Process refers to the ways in
which people act and interact. It is about the roles they play on a continuing basis to
deal with events and situations involving other people and to adapt to changing
circumstances.
Organizational development is an all-embracing term for the approaches described
in this chapter to changing processes, culture and behaviour in the organization. The
changes may take place within the framework of an overall programme of organiza-
tion development (OD). Within this programme, or taking place as separate activities,
one or more of the following approaches may be used.
● organization development (OD);
● change management;
● team building;
● culture change or management;
● total quality management;
● continuous improvement;
● business process re-engineering;
● performance management;
● organizational transformation.
ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT
Defined
Organization development (OD) has been defined by French and Bell (1990) as:
Aplanned systematic process in which applied behavioural science principles and prac-
tices are introduced into an ongoing organization towards the goals of effecting organi-
zational improvement, greater organizational competence, and greater organizational
effectiveness. The focus is on organizations and their improvement or, to put it another
way, total systems change. The orientation is on action – achieving desired results as a
result of planned activities.338 ❚ Organization, design and development