44. "Concept and Measurement in Organizational Development"

ABSTRACT

This paper examines concepts and measures that are under development by those whose interests are to enhance an understanding of how organizations function The examination is focused on how these concepts and measures can be used to improve performance. The main theme of this review is that the organization of a firm and the manner in which it fits its environment are major determinants of its productivity.

The relatively new field of organizations is rapidly producing a base network of concepts, measures and methods that offers promise in understanding and improving productivity. This field, like most new fields, is not united under a common paradigm. There are many divergent viewpoints, and this review cannot do justice to all. Instead it concentrates on a few promising approaches and suggests research areas for the future.

A common thread running through the discussion is that understanding the realities of how organizations function is a precursor to generating better ideas for improving performance and productivity. The fields of organization development and design are rich in concepts and relatively poor in measurements. Consequently, this examination will dwell mainly on the concepts and six different approaches to organizational design.