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Observations from the President of the International Organization development Association IODA in October 2008
October 2008 will remain in many people’s memories, and also in national memories around the globe, as the month when much of their savings and financial resources were lost. The world has been made fearful by one of its most complex and dangerous financial crises– and all is not over yet. A global economy that is ruled only by share holder value and short-term impact on balance sheets is driving our world into the abyss.
How correct and topical members of the International Organization Development Association IODA were when they stated in the opening of their 2008 World Conference in Ghana that “Challenges in our world today make OD more important than ever before”! Prof. John Adams from San Francisco summarized the quintessence of a Delphi process among IODA members from all continents with the following words:
“Our world is changing at an accelerating rate, and in multiple dimensions. These emerging trends and forces are changing the context in which organizations function, how organizations relate to their communities, and the capabilities of their leaders for keeping up with externally driven requirements to change. This project provides a strategic perspective for the field and the practice of OD generally, and for the continuing professional development of OD practitioners in change leadership capabilities in particular.”
http://www.iodanet.org/scripts/docs/doc.asp?commid=4&doc=11770&sct=1696&open=9999
Health is becoming the most precious commodity on earth in this and in the centuries to come. Health is the precondition for high performance, economical growth and valuable lives. People can only stay healthy - and hence highly productive - in an environment and within organizations which are healthy. Also, in ailing systems even the healthiest individual soon becomes ill. Psychological health is not just the result of eating good food, participating in sports and getting sufficient sleep; it is the result of healthy social processes in societies, companies and families which are in tune with our nature. OD takes the company’s perspective into account.
We are often asked, “What is OD actually about and what is the difference between Human Resources Development (HRD) and Organization Development (OD)?”
Let me share two slides with you that I often use to make it easier to understand what the differences are:
Both disciplines have their interfaces of course. And both are important for health resource development and capacity building. However there is a difference: Human Resources Development HRD focuses mainly on the development of Human Capital. Organization Development OD focuses on the development of Social Capital. |
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