Organizational development. OD is central to the performance of any organization
because it provides the central skills and perspectives that facilitate changes in the
organizational culture and modifications in strategy to address the complex challenges
facing organizations (Jelinek & Litterer, 1988). In an effort to examine the definitions
of OD and dependent variables, Egan (2002) lists 27 definitions, indicating that variation
exists among the definitions, hence making it difficult to agree on one definition.
While an overall definition is not stated in Egan’s article, Lynham, Chermack, and
Noggle (2004) use the University of Minnesota’s (1994) definition and describe OD
as “the process of implementing systematic change in organizations for the purposes
of improving performance” (p. 158). Egan also identifies 10 categories of dependent
variables. The 10 categories of outcome variables are advance organizational renewal,
engage organizational culture change, enhance profitability and competitiveness,
ensure health and well-being of organizations and employees, facilitate learning and
development, improve problem solving, increase effectiveness, initiate and/or manage
change, strengthen system and process improvement, and support adaptation to
change.