Introduction to Organizational Development

Organizational Development (OD) is the discipline of improving an organization’s effectiveness by aligning people, processes, structure, and culture with its goals. In this introductory lesson, learners will understand what OD is, why it matters in changing environments, and how it differs from one-time change initiatives. The lesson also introduces the systems view of organizations, the role of data and diagnosis, and the OD practitioner’s focus on both performance and health.

By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to explain the purpose of OD, recognize common organizational challenges that OD addresses, and identify the basic principles that guide effective OD work throughout the course.