BUILDING THE ROAD WHILE WALKING: An Evaluation of an OD Capacity Development Project

Abstract

In recent years, Organization Development (OD) has emerged as a field of interest in development practice. While still considered a tool of the corporate world, the new interest on OD is in response to the growing complexity and unpredictability of global and local changes affecting the social development sector.  From 2004 to 2007, the CBNRM Learning Center implemented a capacity development project on Organization Development designed for NGOs and community-based organizations working on CBCRM. 
This article examines the outcomes, issues and lessons to be learned from an evaluation of the OD project. Using a combination of evaluative research methods, results of the review indicate that OD capacities have been developed at the individual and organizational levels. The review also identified gaps and challenges that limited the OD project’s effectiveness and impact.  The article concludes by drawing a close connection between OD and the creation of learning organizations.