ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies two historical modernities and locates Organisation Development’s (OD’s) emergence in the second, before noting the major strands of activity which came together to form the notion of planned organisational change based on behavioural science theory and practice. As the Introduction has argued, attention to context is crucial for understanding the genesis of OD, especially in both the USA and the UK. People became convinced that they could begin to shape the kind of person that they wanted to be and the kind of life that they wanted to live. This represented a flowering of the original enlightenment values from their origins in the 18th century. Improved access to education and the development of “knowledge work” in particular led to an increased mastery of language and thought. Improved communication, access to information and travel fostered individual self-consciousness and imagination. Improvements in health and a longer lifespan provided time for self-life to deepen and mature.
