Organizational Development: Process, Theories, and Change
Organizations in today’s continually evolving economy must adapt to changes to stay competitive and profitable. As corporations embrace the global economy and evolve into an expanding international environment, the concepts of organizational development can improve efficiency, ensure growth, increase productivity, cut costs, and meet the demands of customers and investors. Organizational psychology can assist businesses raise performance levels, improve employee relationships, increase fairness, and advance individual employee well being by developing a plan and application for behavioral change (Rutgers University, n.d.).
Organizational Development Process
Because of the rapidly changing nature of business in today’s globalized economy, organizations are becoming more receptive to developing processes to improve efficiency, ensure growth, increase productivity, cut costs, and meet the demands of customers and investors. More specific processes are referred to as interventions and are generally designed for individuals, groups, and organizations. Group interventions have become the most common because of the current trends toward an organizational structure promoting team building and group participation (Jex & Britt, 2008).
Organizational development consists of “behavioral science–based theories, values, strategies, and technologies aimed at planned change of the organizational work setting” through changes in employee behaviors (Jex & Britt, 2008, p. 474). The process of organizational development builds the capabilities for organizations to achieve the desired changes in behaviors for the benefit of both the organization and its employees.
Theories of Organizational Development
Consultants often use theory-based models as part of the intervention process and there are many development theories that can be referenced for this purpose. The oldest of these is the...