Madras christian college

Department of social work(SFS)

M.NIRMALA
MSW(HRM)
STAFF ADVISOR
DR.R.SANKARANARAYANAN
 Emergence of Organization
development as an Applied
Behavioral Science
Organization Development
Organization Development (OD)is a process by which behavioral
science knowledge and practices are used to help organizations
achieve greater effectiveness, including improved quality of work life
and increased productivity (Cummings, & Huse, 1989).
In the 1950s and 1960s a new, integrated approach originated known
as Organization Development (OD): the systematic application of
behavioral science knowledge at various levels (group, intergroup,
and total organization) to bring about planned change (Newstrom &
Davis, 1993)
Emerges From Four Backgrounds
 Laboratory Training

Survey Research Feedback

Action Research

Productivity and Quality-of-Work-Life (QWL)

Organizational Behavior
A closely related concept to OD is Organizational Behavior (OB) -- the
study and application of knowledge about how people, as individuals and
as groups, act within organizations ((Newsroom & Davis, 1993).
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.
Note the OD normally uses the term "organization, while OB normally
uses “organizational.
Applied behavioral science
One of the outstanding characteristics of OD that distinguishes it
from most other improvement programs is that it is based on a
"helping relationship". Some believe that the change agent is a
physician to the organization's ills; that s/he does not examine the
"patient", make a diagnosis, and write a prescription. Nor does
s/he try to teach organizational members a new inventory of
knowledge which they then transfer to the job situation.
Using theory and methods drawn
from such behavioral sciences
as…
 industrial/organizational psychology,industrial
sociology, communication, 
cultural anthropology, administrative theory, 
organizational behavior, economics, and 
political science, the change agent's main
function is to help the organization define and
solve its own problems.
The basic method used is known as action research. This
approach, which is described in detail later, consists of a
preliminary diagnosis, collecting data, feedback of the data to
the client, data exploration by the client group, action planning
based on the data, and taking action.
OD & Behavioral science
Thank you…