ORGANISATION DEVLOPMENT Organisation development(commonly referred to as OD)is a systematic approach to lounching and diffusing change in organization.

It is basically a long-programme ,not a one shot action,attempting to change the behavioural attitudes and performance of the total organization.It is not a one-time training programme but is an on-going and cycling process.It is a complex educational strategy aiming to bring a better fit between the human beings and the organisation.Keeping the objective of disseminating overall change in the organization,OD concept was evolved.The OD movement started initially in 1950s with Douglas McGregors work at Union Carbide and Esso in United State of America.The Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan strengthened it in the 1960s and 1970s.Since then this concept has become popular in many countries of the world,and it has occupied a significant place in management literature. It to refer to a wide range of strategies and techniques applied for organizational change and improvement.It is referred to as comprehensive strategy for organization improvement in which the factor s enumerated may be only small parts.For example,French and Well suggest that organization development efforts depart substantially from methods of organizational change. Bennis has been expressed as: OD is response to change ,a complex educational strategy intended to change the beliefs,attitudes,and structure of organizations so that they can better adapt to new technologies,markets and challenges. Based on these definitions,it can be observed that OD tries to change people and organisation structure in such a way that they are better equipped to incorporate the change s resulting from the external forces like technology,market factors,and other variables.Thus main features of OD can be identified as follows: 1.OD is basically a long-term effort for change meant to elevate the organization to a higher level of functioning by improving the performance and satisfaction of organization members.Many of the OD programmes may last even for more than five years,though it is common to have OD programmes ranging between three and five years. 2.The scope of organizational change through OD is usually quite broad.It is an attempt to bring about a comprehensive change in the entire organization.It is concerned not only with changes in organizational structure but also with changes in organizational philosophy,skills of individuals,and their ways of working. 3.OD is basically a dynamic process.It attempts to change the organization to achieve its objectives.However, at the same time,it recognizes that organizational objectives are subject to

change because of environmental dynamics.Therefore,methods of attaing these objectives should also be changed. 4.In OD,a variety of techniques and interventions are used ranging from simple training of people to sophisticated training methods.Normally it starts with the collection of basic data about the various aspects of the change,analyses it,adopts suitable change strategies,and implements the change programmes by taking comprehensive training programmes. 5. OD is normatted-educative strategy.It is based on the principle that norms form the basis for behavior and change is an educative process of replacing old by new one.It suggests change from the undesirable practice to a desirable one.For example,it may attempt to change bureaucratic structure to democratic or organic structure.thus it does not merely say what is to be changed but also offers the alternative for that. 6. Since OD tries to bring major departure from the old practices,often the role of external consultant is important specially at the initial stage who may not be influenced by organizational norms.

Role of Organisation Development

Organisation development as long-term strategy for organizational change has played key role in many organizations.It is basic problem in change effort that it does not work properly only through reward structure on the job unless there is proper change in internal environment of the organization in which people work.Since OD attempts to bring comprehensive change ib the organization-change in structure, technology and people, it is quit suitable for improving organizational performance on long-term basis.OD can be utilized to schieve the following result in the organization: 1. To place emphasis on humanistic values and goals consistent with these values; 2. To treat each human being as a complex person with a complex set of needs important in his work and his life; 3. To increase the level of trust and mutual emotional support among all organizational members; 4. To increase the level of enthusiasm and personal satisfaction at all levels of the organization; 5. To increase the level of self and group responsibility in planning and its implementation; 6. To increase the openness of communications in all directions-vertically,horizontally and laterally; 7. To create an environment in which authority of assigned role is augmented by authority based on knowledge and skills.

Process of organization Development

Some experts mention about three steps- diagnosis,intervention,and evaluation,General Motors of United States of America has identified eight steps in its OD programmes.These are awareness,acceptance,readiness and commitment to work,diagnosis and search application,measurement of improvement,institutionalization and self-renewal.Abad Ahmed,an Indian OD expert,has identified six steps in OD.These are motivation for change,intervening in the system,reinforcement and follow up,and monitoring and evaluation. For the sake of discussion,various steps in OD process can be described as problem identification and diagnosis,planning for change,intervention in the system,and feedback. 1. Problem Identification and Diagnosis. 2. Planning for change. 3. Intervention in the system. 4. Evaluation and Feedback.

Organisation Development Techniques

There are several techniques which are used in OD programmes depending on the individual requirement.Since a change agent intervenes in the system through these techniques,these are known as OD interventions.French and Bell have defined OD intervention as follows: OD interventions are the sets of structured activities in which selected organizational units(target groups or individuals) engage with a task or a sequence of task where the task goals are related directly or indirectly to organization development;they make things happenand are what is happening.Thus any activity which affects people during the OD programme can be termed as OD intervention.From this point of view,OD interventions can be of several types.However,major OD interventions can be sensitivity training transactional analysis,process consultation,team development,and grid organization development.By no means these are the comprehensive OD interventions,but they represent the major thrust of OD programme.Let us briefly discuss these: 1. Sensitivity Training. 2. Transactional Analysis. 3. Process Consultation. 4. Team Development. 5. Grid Organisation Development.