Organization development (OD) is the study and implementation of practices,systems,and techniques that affect organizational change. The goal of which is to modify a group's/organization's performance and/or culture. The organizational changes are typically initiated by the group's stakeholders. OD emerged from human relations studies in the 1930s,during which psychologists realized that organizational structures and processes influence worker behavior and motivation.
Action research is a philosophy and methodology of research generally applied in the social sciences. It seeks transformative change through the simultaneous process of taking action and doing research,which are linked together by critical reflection. Kurt Lewin,then a professor a MIT,first coined the term "action research" in 1944. In his 1946 paper "Action Research and Minority Problems" he described action research as "a comparative research on the conditions and effects of various forms of social action and research leading to social action" that uses "a spiral of steps,each of which is composed of a circle of planning,action and fact-finding about the result of the action".
In business,a competitive advantage is an attribute that allows an organization to outperform its competitors.
A core competency is a concept in management theory introduced by C. K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel. It can be defined as "a harmonized combination of multiple resources and skills that distinguish a firm in the marketplace" and therefore are the foundation of companies' competitiveness.
Collaboration is the process of two or more people,entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most collaboration requires leadership,although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group. Teams that work collaboratively often access greater resources,recognition and rewards when facing competition for finite resources.
Lean software development is a translation of lean manufacturing principles and practices to the software development domain. Adapted from the Toyota Production System,it is emerging with the support of a pro-lean subculture within the agile community. Lean offers a solid conceptual framework,values and principles,as well as good practices,derived from experience,that support agile organizations.
Employability refers to the attributes of a person that make that person able to gain and maintain employment.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL),prior learning assessment (PLA),or prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR),describes a process used by regulatory bodies,adult learning centres,career development practitioners,military organizations,human resources professionals,employers,training institutions,colleges and universities around the world to evaluate skills and knowledge acquired outside the classroom for the purpose of recognizing competence against a given set of standards,competencies,or learning outcomes. RPL is practiced in many countries for a variety of purposes,for example an individual's standing in a profession,trades qualifications,academic achievement,recruitment,performance management,career and succession planning.
Competence is the set of demonstrable characteristics and skills that enable and improve the efficiency or performance of a job. Competency is a series of knowledge,abilities,skills,experiences and behaviors,which leads to effective performance in an individual's activities. Competency is measurable and can be developed through training.
Personal development or self-improvement consists of activities that develop a person's capabilities and potential,build human capital,facilitate employability,enhance quality of life,and facilitate the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal development may take place over the course of an individual's entire lifespan and is not limited to one stage of a person's life. It can include official and informal actions for developing others in roles such as teacher,guide,counselor,manager,coach,or mentor,and it is not restricted to self-help. When personal development takes place in the context of institutions,it refers to the methods,programs,tools,techniques,and assessment systems offered to support positive adult development at the individual level in organizations.
A chief learning officer (CLO) is the highest-ranking corporate officer in charge of learning management. CLOs may be experts in corporate or personal training,with degrees in education,instructional design,business or similar fields.
Richard Eleftherios Boyatzis is a Greek American organizational theorist and Distinguished University Professor in the Departments of Organizational Behavior,Psychology,and Cognitive Science at Case Western Reserve University,Adjunct Professor in People/Organizations at ESADE,as well as HR Horvitz Professor of Family Business. He is considered an expert in the field of emotional intelligence,behavior change,and competence.
Business acumen,also known as business savviness,business sense and business understanding,is keenness and quickness in understanding and dealing with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Additionally,business acumen has emerged as a vehicle for improving financial performance and leadership development. Consequently,several different types of strategies have developed around improving business acumen.
A competency dictionary is a tool or data structure that includes all or most of the general competencies needed to cover all job families and competencies that are core or common to all jobs within an organization. They may also include competencies that are more closely related to the knowledge and skills needed for specific jobs or functions.
Richard Barrett,is a British author who writes about leadership,leadership development,values,consciousness as well as cultural evolution in business and society. He is responsible for developing the theory of the Universal Stages of Evolution,the concepts of personal and cultural entropy,and creating assessment instruments to map the values of individuals,organisations,communities and,nations to the Seven Levels of Consciousness Model. He founded the Barrett Values Centre in 1997.
Followershipis the actions of someone in a subordinate role. It can also be considered as a specific set of skills that complement leadership,a role within a hierarchical organization,a social construct that is integral to the leadership process,or the behaviors engaged in while interacting with leaders in an effort to meet organizational objectives. As such,followership is best defined as an intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergetic interchange between the follower and the leader.
Willam J. Rothwell is a PhD,SPHR,SHRM-SCP,RODC,CPTD fellow,FLMI,and Distinguished Professor of Workforce Education and Development in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems at Pennsylvania State University. His research includes works in competency modeling,specifically the American Society for Training and Development Competency Model.
21st century skills comprise skills,abilities,and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success in 21st century society and workplaces by educators,business leaders,academics,and governmental agencies. This is part of a growing international movement focusing on the skills required for students to master in preparation for success in a rapidly changing,digital society. Many of these skills are also associated with deeper learning,which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning,complex problem solving,and teamwork. These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-based.
Brent David Ruben is a Distinguished Professor of Communication,Department of Communication,Rutgers School of Communication and Information. He also serves as Advisor for Strategy and Planning in the Office to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs,is Senior University Fellow in leadership and communication,and founder of the Rutgers Center for Organizational Leadership. Ruben is a member of faculties of Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine and the Ph.D. Program in Higher Education in the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Ruben's academic career has been devoted to advancing interdisciplinary and systemic approaches to the study of communication,and the application of these frameworks in cross-cultural,health,educational,organizational,and leadership contexts. He is author of more than 60 books and 150 journal articles and book chapters in these areas.
Montgomery Van Wart is an American academic,author and researcher. He is a professor of public administration,and the University Faculty Research Fellow at California State University,San Bernardino.
