Using organization development in integrated rural development

Integrated rural development (IRD) projects tend to multiply difficulties because they call for greater coordination and cooperation, and orchestration of diverse efforts than do single sector projects. This paper seeks to illustrate how the use of organization development can assist IRD project implementation. Organization development applies social science theory to the process of managing change in an organization"s behavior focusing on the process of problem indentification and helping individuals understand their contribution to the collective behavior of an organization. Methods of organizational development are discussed, and four actual project applications in Jamaica, Zaire, Liberia, and the Philippines are described. These examples are then used to illustrate some of the important issues guiding the organization development process: the entry of organizational development into the picture; planning the intervention; use of data; and the continuity of organizational development. The process of building organizational development into IRD projects is explained, citing issues of potential interest to project designers.