Designing Organizations for High Performance

Rating:
Summary: Bringing Practicality to Esoteric OD Practice
Review: The book is written for those managers who would like to develop higher levels of performance in their organisation but aren't sure how to go about it. It addresses both types of people, the manager of a business unit and also organisational consultants who looks for tools to help others manage.

The book focusses on how to implement various theories to get better results, and therefore is more of a 'how-to' book rather than being comprehensive in treatment of concepts. The how-tos concern two aspects of design , (1) the rational part, including identifying the desired organisational model, structuring the various design elements to produce the required results, and assessing one's progress at any point of time and (2) the emotional part including educating membersabout organisational alternatives to the bureaucratic model, developing their commitment and support for the model actually chosen , changing habits and practices to fit with the "model system", maintaining commitment "when the going gets tough", and renewing the model when circumstances require it.

Rating:
Summary: A good primer and introduction to concepts in ODD.
Review: This is not an end all be all book, but it provides very good insight into ODD and design of teams. It is easy to read and containts many relevant concepts that are in practice today. A friend of mine (With a Masters in OD) referred this book to me as not only an introduction for myself into the complexities of ODD but to use with clients in talking about the subject. If your new to the concepts of Org Design or are looking for a book to share with others, this is a very useful (and easy) read.