Organizational Development

Organizational development (OD) is a field of professional practice focused on facilitating organizational change and improvement. The theory and practice of OD are grounded in both the social and behavioral sciences. The field originated in the social and political milieu of the 1960s and has been evolving ever since. This evolution has been influenced by a wide range of disciplines, including social psychology, group dynamics, industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology, participative management theory, organization behavior, the sociology of organizations, and even clinical psychology.

As a result, the application of OD tools and methodologies (of which there are many) is carried out by a wide range of professionals. For example, although some I-O psychologists also consider themselves OD practitioners, there are many others practicing OD with for-profit ...