ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to tease apart the threads of organisational development, separating out the different strands of thinking and practice that lie behind each. It examines definitions of organisational development (OD) and goes on to discuss what distinguishes OD from other approaches to change, and how this can help to recognise its distinctive contribution. The survey feedback thread is evident in many contemporary OD activities and particularly those associated with the human resources (HR) function where the emphasis lies in integrating the aspirations of staff with organisational success as coherently as possible. The term 'socio-technical' refers to a system comprising of a human part and a technical part. Socio-technical approaches to OD therefore emphasise the inter-dependency of the social and the structural/technical elements of organisations and ways in which these can work more effectively together. The interwoven threads that have been traced and explored represent a complex overall picture of OD in healthcare.
