Organisation development

• A major CIPD project on ‘Reorganising for Success’ was concluded in 2005. This project was undertaken on behalf of the Institute by a team of researchers led by Richard Whittington, Professor of Strategic Management at the Said Business School, Oxford University. The focus of the research was on the ‘how to’ of reorganising, including
  
  
  • a review of current trends in organisational structure and design
  • identification of current and emerging forms of organisation
  • providing understanding of, and guidance on, the practice of organisational restructuring and the capabilities required for effective restructuring
  • raising awareness about, and influencing practice in, effective organisational restructuring among senior executives
  • analysing the contribution of effective people management for effective restructuring
  • drawing conclusions and providing recommendations that support CIPD members in improving their contribution to the practice of organisational restructuring.
    
    
• The final research report from the project HR’s role in organising: shaping change was published in October 2005. This summarises the key learnings from the research (drawing, in particular, on information from two surveys and 11 case-study reviews) and draws out potential lessons from real life.
  
• Go to the CIPD Bookstore
  
• Read a summary of the research report
  
  
• A practical tool was developed to assist in planning, managing and implementing change more effectively
  
• View the tool

• An executive briefing, HR: making change happen, was published in February 2005. This comments on the 7 Cs of change, and how HR has a pivotal role. .
• Go to the CIPD Bookstore 
  
• Read a summary of the executive briefing
  
  
• A survey to investigate current organisation practice was published in November 2004
  
• View Reorganising for success: A survey of HR's role in change
  
  
• A think-piece on HR professionals potential role in change management, commenting on aspects of the research, was published in May 2004. It was written by the journalist Richard Donkin.
• View HR and reorganisation: Managing the challenge of change
  
  
• The original survey investigating the experiences and perspectives of CEOs, directors and managers in HR regarding business re-organising was published in July 2003.
• Re-organising for success: CEO's and HR managers' perceptions
  
  
• A literature review was published in September 2002 - Organising for Success in the Twenty-First century: A Starting Point for Change. This is now out of print,  but you can download a free summary. CIPD members can borrow the full report from the Library .  
• Read the summary 
• Contact the CIPD Library
  
  
• An initial survey work, Organisational development: whose responsibility, produced in 1999, surveyed 153 chief executives in both public and private sectors. It explored how business imperatives are shaping organisation strategy and development, highlighting changes in responsibilities for key infrastructure functions - finance, HR and information systems.
• View the survey

People Management articles

• 30 June 2005 p42 'Outer limits' by Simon Kent
  Examines the role of consultants in organisational change

Please note that access to articles over one month old in the research centre is a member only benefit.

Contact details

Vanessa Robinson, Adviser - Strategy and Organisation