More and more, people are finding that the pace of change exceeds their physical and mental capacity to adapt. A burgeoning world population, arguably the root cause of so many social threats and opportunities, results in an ever increasing number of individuals, groups, start-ups, organizations, consortia, governments, countries, and economies pushing their technologies, preducts and services, economic agendas, social changes, innovations, ideologies and politics, and interventions. As these changes collide and interact, they accelerate the rate of perceived and real change.
It's no wonder people feel overwhelmed. Sociologists call it anomie, a state of being characterized by the lack of social norms, or anchors of stable and shared values. We want more time with our families, but feel compelled to work longer hours, make more money, or satisfy short-term stock market expectation; we experience broadband, but are quickly frustrated at the slowness of 56k; we espouse diversity and environmental sustainability, but push other cultures to do it our way, argue that technology will eventually find an answer to the pollution problem, and put a Starbucks near Beijing's Forbidden City; we push for globalization, but only 10 percent of Americans have passports. Change, and the dilemmas it poses, is all around us.
Part 1 Overview of Organization Development
Part 2 The Process of Organization Development
Part 3 Human Process Interventions
Part 4 Technostructural Interventions
Part 5 Human Resources Management Interventions
Part 6 Strategic Change Interventions
Part 7 Special Applications of Organization Development