ABSTRACT
The literature dealing with organizational change and development is rich and extensive. It has developed mainly in the context of business and public organizations as well in social and organizational psychology. M. Sashkin and W. Burke found that during the years 1981 through 1985 approximately 500 articles related to organizational development were published, some half of which were data-based research reports. Human service organizations are affected by interorganizational agreements, governing bodies, shifts in the values and power balances of interest groups within the organization, changes in legislative and governmental policies, changes in funding patterns, and transformations in the attitudes, behavior, and needs of clients. Fierce competition for legitimacy and scarce resources requires that executives change their orientation, redirecting their focus from the internal organizational arena to the external environment. Some organizational cultures have found that involving workers in decision making helps ensure success in achieving organizational goals and change.
