Organization development (OD) can be defined as a systematic process, a planned effort, a set of precise interventions implemented by organizations to (a) increase organizational effectiveness and well-being, (b) enhance organizational performance and employees’ development, and (c) improve corporate ability to achieve strategic aims by implementing and managing successful and effective organizational changes through people.

OD also constitutes a field of research—theoretical and practical—relevant to corporate reputation practitioners claiming their contribution to organizational success and their strategic role in managing organizational critical processes such as developing a strong relationship network or strengthening corporate reputation.

This entry first explores the historical development of OD by highlighting the different approaches of analysis and by exploring its main characteristics; then, it discusses a specific area of application by examining the ...