Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
9-30-1989
Degree Name
Master of Science in Management - (M.S.)
Department
Organizational and Social Sciences
First Advisor
Miriam K. Mills
Abstract
As our knowledge of the behavioral science continues to increase, so also does our use of that knowledge. One of the most rapidly expanding fields in the development and application of behavioral science knowledge is organization development (OD). Not only are the behavioral sciences receiving more attention in all types of organizations, but many different countries are also becoming more involved in the human aspects of work. The innovations undertaken by McDonald's and Yamazaki Baking in the area of job enrichment is one indication of such interest.
Human needs are changing rapidly, as is the world itself. In terms of economics, there is a danger that the "have" nations may become the "have-nots". The pace of technological change is faster than ever before. These changes are occuring in medicine, nucleonics, electronics, and many other fields. An idea, a process, or a product may be hailed as a great step forward one year and be obsolete the next.
Organization development is an approach to handling and managing change thru the use of applied behavOioral science knowledge. It is, of course, one of many approaches to change, but it is the one that seeks to maximize human as well as organizational resources.
Different practitioners in the field use a wide variety of OD approaches or techniques. The purpose of this research is to put organization development into an overall perspective - to describe in a clear and organized fashion the underlying concepts and assumptions of OD, using a systems approach to do so. OD is not only to help organizations become more adept at self-renewal and survival, but also to ensure that the human values of organizational members are furthered.
Recommended Citation
Chen, Chang-Wang, "Organization design and development" (1989). Theses. 2727.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2727
