Human resource management practice I also available by michael armstrong

Chapter 

12

  Organization Development

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HR. Supporters of OD argue that its strength is its 

ability to understand the whole organization and 

as such it may be inhibiting to root it too firmly in 

the HR function. However, given the increasing 

need for the HR profession to act as a business 

partner, OD and its methods have a part to play in 

developing HR’s strategic role and its involvement 

in organizational change, organizational culture 

and employee engagement. (ibid: 3)

The strategic nature of organization development as 

an integral part of HRM arises because it can play 

a  part  in  the  implementation  of  business  strategy. 

For example, a strategy for business model innova-

tion  (the  process  followed  by  an  organization  to 

develop a new business model or change an existing 

one) could result in the need for new organization 

structures and processes. This would include organ-

ization development and change management act-

ivities.  The  aim  of  this  chapter  is  to  explain  the 

purpose of organization development in the light of 

an analysis of the history of the concept and how it 

can be applied as part of a strategic HRM approach.