Monthly Archives: August 2013

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The Importance of Organizational Development

Organizational DevelopmentWhat Is Organizational Development?

Organizational Development is the process that brings together knowledge and practice within an organization, thereby allowing it to become far more effective. This increased effectiveness constitutes such things as higher productivity and a better work-life balance. The integrated approach we know as organizational development today started in the 1950s and 60s. Professionals started to apply behavioral science at all levels of the organization, working not just on groups and inter-groups, but also on the organization as a whole, as well as individuals. This allowed them to better plan change and implement it as well. It is believed that the most determining factor in organizational development is behavior.

“Andrew Ure incorporated human factors into his work, The Philosophy of Manufactures (1835). Ure, like a lot of others, recognized the mechanical and commercial parts of manufacturing, but he also added a third – the human factor. It took quite a while for this “human factor” to become accepted. In addition, it often turned into paternalistic, do-good approach, rather than genuine recognition of the importance of workers.”
Organizational Development

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