Evaluating Selected Organization Development Interventions: The State of the Art

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess comparatively the state of the art of evaluation of four major organization development (OD) intervention types— laboratory training, survey feedback, team-building, and process consultation. A review of the OD literature from 1965 to 1980 yielded 67 studies which were analyzed along the following dimensions: (a) evaluator characteristics, (b) subject characteristics, and (c) methodology/design characteristics. Deficiencies and needs within each of the four OD intervention types were highlighted. It was concluded that only through better and more methodologically sound evaluation practices can the field of OD achieve the degree of respectability critical for continued growth and development.