Organizational development

Organizational Development - is a long-term process of successive changes, both in the organization and its business environment.

Depending on the direction of change there are:

• Positive development - Progress
• Negative development - Regression
• Lack of development - Stagnation

The concept of organizational development company refers to the process, that is, the successive and mutually dependent changes in states of affairs, passing and ordered in time, remaining relatively stable (up to a crisis situation). In this sense it refers to the potential of the company, and its role in the environment and its behaviour.

The organization focused on development needs to pay attention to the search for new solutions

and putting them into effect. It must secure access to information about existing solutions and how to make use of them. Source of ideas for development is all that generates specific concepts and projects which may cause exploration, inventing new things, their implementation and improvement.

The role of management in organizational development

The main task of management is:

• Stimulate and perpetuate motivation to development throughout the organization,
• Replacement of randomness in the development and implementation of changes in the organization,
• Continuous search for development opportunities and the possibility of their profitable use
• Stimulating the imagination of employees,
• The creation of organizational structures aiding the development of the company.

Management should strive to ensure that the changes were reasonable, desirable and important for employees. They should be the result of stable and well thought-processes to improve management efficiency and to actively adapt to changing environment.

See also:

• Organizational design models
• Development and organizational balance
• Organization life cycle
• Strategic business unit

Examples of Organizational development

• Improving Communication: Organizations can develop effective communication strategies to ensure that employees understand the vision and mission of the organization. This can include creating open channels of communication, allowing employees to ask questions, and providing feedback.
• Developing Leadership Skills: Organizations can also develop leadership skills within their staff to help promote growth and development. This can include providing leadership training and mentoring programs, as well as creating opportunities for employees to take on new roles and responsibilities.
• Enhancing Job Satisfaction: Organizations can promote job satisfaction by creating a positive work environment and providing incentives for employees to stay with the company. This can include offering competitive salaries, providing flexible work schedules, providing benefits and perks, and recognizing employees for their hard work.
• Encouraging Teamwork: Organizations can create a team-based environment that encourages collaboration and problem solving. This can include creating team-building activities, providing resources for teams to work together, and recognizing teams for their accomplishments.
• Enhancing Employee Engagement: Organizations can promote employee engagement by providing meaningful work, offering career development opportunities, and recognizing employees for their contributions. This can include providing feedback and recognition, offering meaningful rewards, and encouraging employees to take initiative.

Advantages of Organizational development

Organizational development can have many advantages, including:

• Improved communication between departments and teams, which can lead to increased collaboration and better results.
• Increased job satisfaction and morale, which can lead to higher productivity and a better working environment.
• Enhanced strategic planning, which can lead to better decision-making and more efficient operations.
• Development of new skills and knowledge to further improve organizational performance.
• Increased adaptability to changes in the external environment, which can help the organization stay competitive and relevant.
• Improved customer service, which can result in improved customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Limitations of Organizational development

Organizational Development (OD) is an ongoing process that seeks to improve the effectiveness of an organization, its employees, and its environment. While OD can be beneficial, it also has several limitations that must be considered. These include:

• Time: OD requires a significant amount of time to implement and can be difficult to maintain over the long term. Additionally, it may take a while to see the results of the changes, which can be discouraging to employees.
• Lack of Resources: Implementing an organizational development strategy can be expensive and require a lot of resources. This can be difficult for smaller organizations with limited budgets.
• Resistance to Change: People tend to be resistant to change and may not be willing to accept the new policies and procedures. This can make it difficult to implement an effective OD strategy.
• Lack of Buy-In: Without buy-in from management, it can be difficult to get the necessary support for the implementation of OD initiatives.
• Inadequate Management: Without proper management, organizational development initiatives can be ineffective and may not achieve the desired results.
• Lack of Flexibility: Organizations must be flexible and able to respond quickly to changes in the business environment in order to effectively implement OD initiatives.

Other approaches related to Organizational development

Organizational Development is a long-term process of successive changes, both in the organization and its business environment. Other approaches related to Organizational Development include:

• Job Analysis - a process of determining the job duties, responsibilities, skills and requirements of a job.
• Performance Appraisal - a process of evaluating the employees’ performance in relation to the organization’s objectives.
• Training and Development - process of enhancing the knowledge and skills of employees.
• Career Development - a process of helping employees to identify and realize their career goals.
• Organizational Culture - the shared values, beliefs, and norms of behavior that exist in an organization.
• Team Building - a process of creating an effective team environment by encouraging collaboration and communication.
• Change Management - the process of managing change and ensuring that it is implemented in a systematic and effective manner.

In summary, Organizational Development involves a variety of approaches that are designed to improve the performance of an organization and its employees. These approaches include Job Analysis, Performance Appraisal, Training and Development, Career Development, Organizational Culture, Team Building, and Change Management.

Organizational development — recommended articles

Strategic human resource management — Management by culture — Learning organization — Culture and QMS implementation — Strategic intent — Chief innovation officer — Change management — Management by objectives — Diversity and inclusion

References

• Denison, D. R., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1991). Organizational culture and organizational development: A competing values approach. Research in organizational change and development, 5(1), 1-21.
• Weick, K. E., & Quinn, R. E. (1999). Organizational change and development. Annual review of psychology, 50(1), 361-386.

Author: Krzysztof Wozniak