Practicing Organization Development, 5th Edition

CHAPTER SEVENThe Marketing of Organization Development and Change (ODC): Using the 7Ps to Advance Your Brand

Steven H. Cady and David R. Perry

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations face unprecedented challenges in maintaining their competitive edge and ensuring long-term success. The modern world’s volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) have created a pressing need for organizations to adapt quickly and effectively to change. Many companies struggle with high employee turnover, low morale, and a disconnect between organizational goals and employee values. These issues have highlighted the critical importance of effective organizational development and change management strategies.

While it is recognized that successful change management requires a human-centric approach, the field of Organization Development and Change (OD&C) has struggled to market this perspective effectively. Many OD&C professionals fail to make a compelling case for prioritizing the human side of change, leading to a disconnect between organizational strategies and employee needs. Research indicates that organizations focusing on human-centered change foster greater employee engagement and improve overall performance and resilience during transitions (Gill 2002; Cummings and Worley 2014). However, many practitioners emphasize technical processes over the critical human elements essential for successful change, resulting in low buy-in from the C-suite and employees ...