Organization Development

Master the Modern Discipline of Organization Development (OD) and Use It to Achieve Effective Change The definitive guide to OD, fully updated with new techniques for new environments Covers all stages of the OD project lifecycle, from identifying clients through measuring results Introduces the powerful Burke-Litwin model of organizational performance and change and includes covert processes beneath the surface of the model that influence organizational dynamics Organization Development is today's complete overview of the OD discipline for all managers, executives, administrators, consultants, and students. Fully updated to reflect major changes since the classic second edition, it explains how OD is now practiced and how it is continuing to evolve. W. Warner Burke and Debra A. Noumair illuminate key theories in the field, providing all the insights and knowledge you need to translate theory into action, make choices, help your organization learn, and lead change. They cover all essential issues associated with defining clients, diagnosing organizational problems, identifying options, selecting techniques, assessing performance, and more. Throughout, this edition introduces many new perspectives and techniques, including integrating covert processes into organization diagnosis, consulting to loosely coupled systems, linking coaching with OD, and successfully promoting OD in modern organizational environments. Organizational culture is the single greatest barrier to change for any system, whether profit-making or nonprofit, government, educational, or religious institution. This book is the definitive guide to consulting about change by responding to a client’s need for change, collaborating to plan and implement change, and actually achieving lasting change in an organization’s culture. W. Warner Burke and Debra A. Noumair begin by offering a clear and usable definition of OD and explaining how the discipline continues to evolve. Next, they introduce proven techniques for understanding any organization, diagnosing its problems, and accounting for the “covert” emotional forces that shape it. Building on this foundation, Burke and Noumair show how to plan and manage change in organizations of all types and sizes, including “loosely coupled” organizations with less hierarchy and fewer interdependencies. The authors carefully assess empirical research on OD’s effectiveness, offer up-to-date guidance on building an OD consulting career, and present new insights into the role of coaches. They conclude by identifying trends likely to reshape OD in the future and outlining ways to prepare. Previous editions of Organization Development have proven invaluable to managers, executives, administrators, organizational consultants, and students entering the field. For today’s practitioners, this extensively revised edition will be equally indispensable. Understanding OD as a process of change: Mastering OD’s fundamental change models and consultation phases Discovering organizations as they really are: Recognizing your true client, the real problem, and your actual obstacles Transforming flat, informal, “loosely coupled” organizations: Making OD continuous, small-scale, improvisational, accommodative, and local OD career-building: a complete new primer: Consulting, coaching, and preparing for the future Master the modern discipline of Organizational Development (OD), and use it to plan and drive effective change. Organization Development, Third Edition is today's complete overview of the OD discipline for managers, executives, administrators, consultants, and students alike. Fully updated to reflect major changes since the classic Second Edition, it explains how OD is now practiced, and how it is continuing to evolve. The authors illuminate each key theory in the field, giving readers the background they need to translate theory into action, make key choices, help organizations learn, and lead change. Coverage includes: What OD is, where it came from, and where it is headed Understanding OD as a process of change Defining the OD client (why your client may not be who you think it is) Diagnosing organizational problems Applying the Burke-Litwin model of organizational performance and change Assessing how well OD techniques work Working as an OD consultant, and much more