Rating: 
Summary: Good Overview - too euphoric
Review: I concider this book as a good overview of the current technics in OD. A good entry point to the topic and easy to read.For me, sometimes it is too euphoric about what can be achieved by applying OD, and how. The problems that surely will occur when working in practice on the basis of such technics, are mostly neclected. So: Please read it! But read it censoriously!
Rating:
Summary: Conceptual!
Review: I have read and continue to re-read this book. The authors are two of very few individuals who have OD in black and white. From a sociotechnical systems theory to accurate team building, a must for all OD specialists.
Rating:
Summary: Great Resource!
Review: I really didn't care for this book at first, but had to purchase it for a class. As I read the book, it began to grow on me and I found it to be a great resource book, one that you may want to keep in your personal library for future questions about organizational development. This book gives great options on how to get people to work together, how to endure the resistance of people during change, as well as how to make the most of the a sucessful organizational change. I wish I had this book when I was president of my organization and had trouble getting larger groups of people, all with various strong opinions, to work together. This book gives it to you straight, a definite source of relief when dealing with or preparing for chaos in an organization!
Rating: 
Summary: It's a Classic
Review: I'm a little disappointed at those who were horrified at its age--the French and Bell book is a classic and it was updated in 1999. Anyone who is interested in learning OD should read the book and you will get a great foundation. Go from there to learn more about individual OD interventions or theories. Yes, Kotter's book is great, too, but Kotter speaks about leading change (only one topic in OD) or about leadership (another goodie but only one topic). If you don't know anything about OD, read this book. Because it was originally written in the 70s doesn't invalidate it; in fact, it shows how good it is.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of date. Great during the seventies!
Review: The book provides an introduction to the discipline, describing the historical foundations as well as specific applications in both for-profit and non-profit settings. The definition provided is deceptively simple; it is brief, yet completely encompasses the critical elements of OD efforts. What brings me back to it as a text again and again, however, is it's comprehensive list and descriptions of OD techniques. I have yet to find another book that so simply lays out the fundamentals of activities for interpersonal, team, inter-team, and large-scale organizational change. The final chapters deal with issues of consulting and the future of OD.
Because it ranges from a large-scale conceptual overview down to the nitty-gritty specifics of OD activites, it serves as an ideal framework to springboard to other books and readings. Only caveat: The writing style is not commensurate with the excellence of the content.
Rating:
Summary: This book "fills in the blanks" of OD
Review: The book provides an introduction to the discipline, describing the historical foundations as well as specific applications in both for-profit and non-profit settings. The definition provided is deceptively simple; it is brief, yet completely encompasses the critical elements of OD efforts. What brings me back to it as a text again and again, however, is it's comprehensive list and descriptions of OD techniques. I have yet to find another book that so simply lays out the fundamentals of activities for interpersonal, team, inter-team, and large-scale organizational change. The final chapters deal with issues of consulting and the future of OD.
Because it ranges from a large-scale conceptual overview down to the nitty-gritty specifics of OD activites, it serves as an ideal framework to springboard to other books and readings. Only caveat: The writing style is not commensurate with the excellence of the content.
Rating:
Summary: Out of date. Great during the seventies!
Review: This book is long out of date. Read either Kotter, Beitler, or Schein.
Rating:
Summary: This book is out of date!
Review: This book was written in the seventies! It shows. I recommend reading something current; such as Cummings & Worley, or Beitler, or Kotter.
Rating:
Summary: This book is out of date!
Review: This book was written in the seventies! It shows. I recommend reading something current; such as Cummings & Worley, or Beitler, or Kotter.
Rating:
Summary: how about some double loop learning ?
Review: This is a flawed edition of a classic book.
Yes, it is historical in its overview. Yes it is dense with ideas and concepts. It makes readers think that OD/change management is hard work. But this is a good thing. Change aint easy, and intervening in people's working lives is serious business. Lets learn from the past. It also has lots of case explanations, and it does explain the theory clearly. I wouldn't let anyone who couldn't understand it near my consultancy work. The criticism that it is dated is a bit more on the mark; not because the more recent stuff on change isn't there, it is, but it is tacked on to the material from earlier editions with no thought to the coherence of the book's structure. A shame; it needs a good, new third author who loves the original text to bring it up to date. Despite the flaws, I give it 5 stars to bring the average up. Those who award it only one star do it an injustice. And, a lesson for the would be change agent, things in life, whether books or bits of our client organization are rarely wholly good or wholly bad..... (ok,ok). Another good thing, compared to its competitors its small !
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