Thomas G. Cummings Christopher G. Worley Organization Development and Change Chapter Twenty Five : Future Directions in Organization Development Thomas G. Cummings Christopher G. Worley

Learning Objectives for Chapter Twenty Five To explore the trends affecting how OD is likely to be practiced in the future To explore how OD is likely to change in the future

Trends Affecting OD Practice Traditional Trends Return to original humanistic values Increasing focus on process interventions

Trends Affecting OD Practice Pragmatic Trends Emphasize vales of effectiveness Increasing focus on relevant practice

Trends Affecting OD Practice Scholarly Trends Emphasis on values of understanding, prediction, and control Search for variables that explain change and effectiveness

Trends within OD Practice Organization Development Will… Have more conflict in the short term Be more integrated in the long term

Contextual Trends and Their Effects on OD’s Future Organization Development will be: Economy More embedded in the organization’s operations More technologically enabled Shorter OD cycle times More interdisciplinary More diverse in client organizations More cross-cultural More concerned with ecological sustainability Workforce Technology Organizations

Implications for OD’s Future More involved in driving effectiveness in a broader range of organizations More involved in supporting technological and managerial innovation More concerned with preserving cultural diversity Focus on ecological sustainability