Organisational Development (OD) definition

Processes and activities that aim to make improvements at the organisational level. OD differs from learning and development in that it doesn’t focus exclusively on the organisation’s staff – it also aims to influence processes, procedures and culture. Organisational Development is an interdisciplinary approach that draws on a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, motivational theory and neuroscience.

Kurt Lewin, who developed theories around group dynamics and action, is seen as the founder of OD. Post-WWII, Lewin was one of the first to experiment with collaborative change (collaboration and the efficiencies of collaboration are key parts of organisational development) as a means of improving group efficiency.