Educating The Scholar Practitioner In Organization Development

Organization Development (OD) is a young social science. Little has been written on the intentional development of OD professionals. As a young field of inquiry it is important to understand how the future leaders of the field of OD are being developed. The focus of this work explores the education of scholar practitioners in OD. The research upon which this document is based examined the impact that professional research doctoral programs (affiliated with the field of OD) had on the learning and professional development of select doctoral graduates. Alumni reported important elements of their educational experience that contributed to their professional and personal growth. The nature of these educational elements suggest processes or methods of teaching that may be transferable to training OD professionals in a broader context outside of higher education. Even more directly this research provides well informed feedback to administrators and faculty of professional research doctorate programs from the alumni about their educational experience. This feedback could be used to advance both program and course development in universities that offer these types of degrees. The intended audience of this work includes practitioners of OD, professors of OD and management, faculty and administrators of doctoral education, talent management and leadership development professionals, and adult educators.

Human resource professionals are an essential part of an organization; by helping to establish a rapport between employees and their managers and providing individual support, they ensure the overall well-being and success of an establishment. However, in certain sectors, such as academia or industrial settings, their role still remains unclear. Bridging the Scholar-Practitioner Gap in Human Resources Development examines the knowledge breach in the role of human resources professionals and the pivotal role they play in an organization. Featuring timely research, future implications, and practical applications of theoretical assumptions, this publication is a pivotal source for professionals, practitioners, academics, and researchers interested in the impact human resources specialists have in organizational settings.

The nature of contemporary Organisation Development (OD) is often written about by both scholars and practitioners, yet there is little evidence of these descriptions (or debates on key issues) having been based on reliably collected data. This book compares academic and practitioner perspectives on the profession of OD in the UK and how it has evolved over four decades. The research which informs this book was designed to investigate similarities and differences in the perspectives between these two communities. Where practitioners and academics views varied in the data, reasons for this are explored in this book, through the theory lens of Institutionalism, Fashions, Fads and the Dissemination of Management Ideas. The empirical data in how OD has evolved in the UK in the underpinning research to this text was gathered through content analysis of job advertisements from over a four-decade period. This provided information on changes in the magnitude in the take up of the profession in the UK as well as significant developments in the content of the job roles over the period. It will not come as a surprise to find that American thinking dominates in OD as it does in many other domains of management. What is a surprise is the extent to which OD practice in the UK is so very different from what the academics tell us it is. This book also identifies the extent to which institutional theory is at play in the development of professions; with agency is a driver in shaping professions. This manifests itself in terms of the perceived interests of what will give leverage for success in practitioner and academic careers. The Nature of Contemporary Organization Development is key reading for researchers, scholars an practitioners alike of Organizational change and development, organizational studies, management philosophy and related disciplines

This book celebrates the contributions of John Weidman and his colleagues to the understanding of student socialization in higher education. It includes innovative chapters reflecting new approaches to higher education student socialization with respect to students of color, gender, STEM, and students in higher education systems outside the USA. Specifically, the book examines socialization between and within in a range of groups, including national, international and minority students, parents, doctoral students, early career faculty, and scholarly practitioners. The book assesses methodological approaches and suggests directions for reformulating theory and practice. Using sociological perspectives to address issues and concerns at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, the book gives renewed life to the college impact literature. It includes revisions and expansions of the original Weidman frameworks based on the synthesis of existing research with new work reflecting unique perspectives by a variety of authors. John Weidman has been an indisputable force in the study and understanding of student socialization in higher education. This new book by Weidman and his coeditor, Linda DeAngelo, represents an undeniably significant and welcomed expansion of the original “Weidman model” of student socialization. In updating and revising the original model, chapter authors give attention to various contemporary issues such as student diversity, gender differences, early career experiences, and internationalism. Whether one samples only some of the articles that constitute this book or reads all of them, the professional payoff will be substantial. Kenneth A. Feldman, Professor of Sociology, Stony Brook University John Weidman has made a number of groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of student socialization in postsecondary education. This book, edited with Linda DeAngelo, brings together a group of fine scholars whose contributions will push our understanding even further. It is a significant addition to the college impact literature. Ernest T. Pascarella, Petersen Chair in Higher Education, University of Iowa

Uncovering the best methods for conducting and writing about research is vital to members of the academic community, especially to those just beginning their careers. In this regard, graduate and post-graduate degree programs are crucial in ensuring that future academic and professional progress will continue. Contemporary Approaches to Dissertation Development and Research Methods is a pivotal reference source that focuses on current models used for doctoral dissertations and how these techniques impact future research and knowledge in various scholarly fields. Featuring innovative perspectives on the design and function of doctoral programs, this book is ideally designed for practitioners, researchers, and academicians.

The U.S. military, as the core constituent of the Department of Defense, collectively represents the largest and most complex organization on earth. As such, the U.S. military implemented the largest formal OD programs in the world. These programs, from inception to present day, utilized diverse and evolving OD intervention typologies to garner congruence with the environment. The research for this book, accomplished using an inductive, grounded theory approach, examined the initiatives that fostered the use of OD intervention typologies. The findings revealed three major epochs of OD interventions that span a 50-year timeline. The epochs include: (1) Traditional OD; (2) Total Quality Management (TQM); and (3) Continuous Process Improvement (CPI). The epoch of Traditional OD represents the use of human process interventions while TQM and CPI represent the use of technostructural interventions. In the end, the relationship between organization design and culture, and the selection of OD intervention typologies, were best explained using variables that explicate diverse environmental occurrences that influenced senior military leaders’ perceived need for specific OD interventions. These perceived needs were predicated on the requirement to exploit vital resources in an effort to bolster warfighting operational readiness in support of the American citizenry.

The Organization Development (OD) field is clearly changing, both in terms of its research focus and its practice. The Organization Development Review is a cumulative knowledge development resource targeted at enhancing contextual and strategic intelligence, and re-examining the OD scholar-practitioner's roles and skills.

Rather than offering a purely practical or theoretical text, the authors have combined theory & practice to create a holistic exploration of learning at work. They have studied organisations in hi-tech manufacturing, engineering, telecommunications, health care, transport & the public sector.