Organization Development/Change and Evaluation: External and Internal Sources to Consider

Abstract

In order to effectively evaluate organization development (OD)/change efforts, information needs to be gathered and analyzed from both external and internal sources. Organizations find that they have to change primarily because of the need to thrive and reinvent themselves while existing in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) global competitive environment. This chapter focuses on both the external and internal sources that an organization, their leadership, and their OD/human resources (HR) practitioner or consultant should consider when considering what internal and external sources of information are needed in the evaluation strategy. It includes a case study as an example that the reader can use to reflect, analyze, and consider, including questions on both external and internal sources on how to tackle the situation from an OD/change evaluation perspective. The case study looks at an organizational request for change and addresses areas to keep in mind both externally and internally as the case, organizational need, and client request take place.