Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Change - Hardcover

Rothwell, William J.; Stavros, Jacqueline M.; Cady, Steven H.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1394252269 ISBN 13: 9781394252268

Publisher: Wiley, 2026

Synopsis

Explore contemporary organization development theory to advance your research agenda or implement transformational change at your organization.

In the newly revised fifth edition of Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Change, a team of renowned experts in the field of organization development (OD) delivers an invaluable new look at how OD theories, models, frameworks, and whole systems interventions can effect positive transformation and change. The book covers classical and newer theories, process, and practices for transformational change, closely examines system dynamics, and identifies contemporary themes in OD, transformation, and change.

Readers will find:

• Strategies for implementing OD approaches into leading, managing, consulting, and coaching
• Ways to elevate and extend their research agendas into new theories and models for impacting positive change
• Techniques for expanding OD from human resources and talent management silos into the areas of management and leadership

Perfect for managers, executives, directors, and other business leaders interested in implementing transformational change, Practicing Organization Development is also an essential read for organization development theorists and researchers and other business academics seeking modern insights into an exciting and dynamic field of study.

About this title

About the Author

William J. Rothwell is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Workforce Education and Development program in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems, College of Education at The Pennsylvania State University. He is also Academy Professor at Penn State University.

Jacqueline M. Stavros is Professor of Management for the College of Business and IT at Lawrence Technological University and a management consultant. She is founder of SOAR Institute and co-founder of CWH Institute.

Steven H. Cady is a Professor of Management and the founding Director of the Doctoral Program in Organization Development & Change at the Schmidthorst College of Business at Bowling Green State University. He is also founder of NEXUS4change, a global community and consultancy.

From the Back Cover

THE ACCLAIMED RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONERS

In the new edition of Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Change, a team of renowned organization development (OD) practitioners discuss how OD theories, frameworks, models, and whole systems interventions can generate positive transformations within organizations. The authors explain classical theories, new developments, processes, and practices for comprehensive organizational change. They examine system dynamics and contemporary themes in OD, presenting insightful information about transformation and change in the context of leading, managing, consulting, and coaching.

This latest edition includes brand-new discussions of inclusive and diverse systems dynamics, examinations of current issues from a positive organizational scholarship (POS) perspective, sustainability considerations, regenerative systems change, and new ways to leverage technology―especially artificial intelligence―to achieve organizational change. It also offers vivid portrayals of the transformations you can help achieve and the pathways to realizing them, alongside instructions for engaging in generative dialogues that promote well-being and success in your organizations.

Perfect for managers, executives, directors, and other business leaders ready to implement transformational change, Practicing Organization Development is an essential read for organization development theorists and researchers, as well as other business academics, seeking modern insights into a dynamic field of study.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1394252269
• ISBN 13: 9781394252268
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 464