History of Organization Development

Anderson (2019) offers a platform in which we can see the changes in what Organization Development looked like each decade, dating back to the 1940s. We see the thought process behind what is considered the “First Generation Organization Development” (1940s-1970s) as well as the “Second Generation Organization Development” (1980s - present). Throughout time, we see a shift in what is important for an organization to adapt and change in a way that is effective toward meeting their goals.

Laboratory Training and T-Groups

Study patterns of group behavior, social problems, and the influence of leadership on a group.

Action Research, Survey Feedback, and Sociotechnical Systems

Scientific methods can be used to gather data about groups and intervene in their processes

Management Practices

Alternative ways of managing.
Explicit and implicit assumptions influence managers.

Quality and Employee Involvement

Employees are involved in noticing defects and taking action to prevent or correct them.

Organizational Culture

Decipher how things are done, and the hidden meanings and assumptions that characterize how members interpret and make sense of what is happening.

Change Management, Strategic Change, and Reengineering

Connecting OD practitioner work to larger, organization wide goals.
Ability to adapt to change.
Address the organization’s vision, mission, goals, and strategy.

Organizational Learning

Problem solving.
Self-reflection.
Single-loop learning: correcting mistakes as they occur.
Double-loop learning: question or modify to prevent errors the next time.
Deuteron learning: members understand how and when they learn - develop an environment in which learning can occur.

Organizational Effectiveness and Employee Engagement

Effectiveness of organization.
Employee engagement - an individual’s involvement and satisfaction with work and their enthusiasm for work.

Agility and Collaboration

Ability to develop and be flexible.
Timely, effective, and sustained changes within the organization.
Ability to sense the need for change.
Collaboration with others.

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