Organization Development Defined:
Organization development is a systemwide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development, improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies, structures, and processes that lead to organization effectiveness.
This definition also helps to distinguish OD form two related subjects, change management and organization change. OD’s behavioral science foundation supports values of human potential, participation, and development, whereas change management is more focused on values of economic potential and the creation of competitive advantage. OD’s distinguishing feature is its concern with the transfer of knowledge and skill such that the system is more able to manage change in the future. In short, all OD involves change management, but change management may not involve OD.