Internal Organization Development Practitioners

Currently, organization development (OD) seems to be languishing. Hardly any new technology has emerged in recent years. It is also puzzling that large consulting firms are doing well but OD as a field is not. One reason may be that OD is less connected with its roots, especially those grounded in academia, namely, theory and research where new ideas often emerge. Another reason may be structural. Most internal OD practitioners today are buried within the human resource (HR) function. Five structural models are considered: traditional (OD within HR), independent (a freestanding unit), decentralized (part of a business or regional unit), integrated (every HR person an OD practitioner and vice versa), and strategy (OD being an integral part of the strategic planning function). Advantages and disadvantages of each of these models are explored. Finally, a position is taken that OD could serve the organization most effectively by being integrated with strategy.