Organizational development (OD)
Organizational development (OD) refers to the study of effective administrative adjustments and the performance of employees. It is used to modify areas that are not profitable for companies. In most cases, changes occur on technological set-ups, working culture, data storage, and financial management in the firms. The process is usually planned by the top management team that has expertise in their area of specialization.
Humanization of workers
Organizational development enables individuals who perform duties to be viewed as humans instead of being seen as resources. Also, the concept is observed as a channel in which workers find an opportunity to show their capabilities. Besides, OD is seen as a venture where the company’s goals are readily accomplished by employees (Freedman, 2016). Furthermore, OD is seen as a practice that appreciates the efforts which people make in their daily lives.
Historical background
The term “organizational development” came into existence in the 1930s when the human rights activists started advocating for the wellbeing of people in various enterprises. OD contributed significantly to good characters and also improved the morale of workers (Lewis, Passmore & Cantore, 2016). Therefore, managers saw the essential of incorporating this concept into their regular operations for efficiency purposes. Today, OD is focusing on matters that deal with the changes which emerge in most of the global organizations.
Kurt Lewin's influence
The other origin of OD is believed to be founded by Kurt Lewin who lived between 1898 and 1947. According to Freedman (2016), Lewin focused on the problems that employees were facing in organizations. Eventually, Lewin highlighted that working in a group helped in discovering issues that were associated with management. Hence, his concept led to the inception of a "Research Center for Group Dynamics" (REGD) that was set up in Michigan after his demise (Lewis, Passmore & Cantore, 2016). Lewin's idea on OD is that workers become fruitful when they work and collaborate.
References
Freedman, A. M. (2016). The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of the psychology of leadership, change, and organizational development. John Wiley " Sons.
Lewis, S., Passmore, J., " Cantore, S. (2016). Appreciative inquiry for change management: Using AI to facilitate organizational development. Kogan Page Publishers.
