Organization Development and Consulting: Perspectives and Foundations-- a book in The Practicing Organization Development Series-- is a volume written for organization development (OD) professionals, for academics, and for others seeking an overview of the OD field. This comprehensive resource shows you where OD is today and offers reflections on the future of OD.
This thoroughly research-based book-- written by two experts in the field Fred Massarik and Marissa Pei-Carpenter with contributions from other well-known professionals-- reestablishes the connection between theory, research, and practice and affirms core OD values. They emphasize the "personhood" of the consultant and client, the relevance of "feel" and intuition combined with fact and technique, and the importance of real people doing real things in real time holistically. In addition to these core ideas, the authors outline new viewpoints that are especially relevant in today's rapidly changing world. They explain that quick-fix linear approaches are not likely to bring substantial lasting results and OD must be rooted in the vast knowledge available about the human condition-recognizing the complexity of real life. They also show how value is the essential cornerstone of organization development.
This well-focused volume is filled with a wide variety of illustrative examples and short-to-the-point vignettes that are based on the authors' experiences or adapted from major business publications. Throughout this important book, Massarik and Pei-Carpenter provide a framework for rediscovering the basic values of OD and offer a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles.