Thinking About a Ph.D. in Organisational Development? Seeking Your Thoughts and Advice

I want to pursue my Ph.D., and the topic I have selected is 'Organisational Development.' Please let me know your thoughts on the topic and how I should proceed with it.

Hi,

OD is a very VAST topic.

There is a section on this CiteHR site that, if explored, will provide a lot of information to help you choose a topic.

OD in IT/ITES is a challenging task at this juncture.

I will also do my level best to help you find a topic for your PhD.

All the best.

Hi Supriya,

First, I would like to ask you a question: what are the qualifications required to do a Ph.D.? I will be completing my PGDHRM from Symbiosis through distance learning in September 2007. Would I be eligible for a Ph.D.? I also know that we must find a guide who should approve our Ph.D. and guide us. In a Ph.D., we need to research a particular subject and submit a thesis on it. How extensive is the thesis, and what should be included in it? Please help me and reply to [Login to view].

Thank you.

Hi,

You have selected a very good subject for a PhD, but there is a small problem. OD is like neurosurgery. If you are very young, then people won't take you very seriously if you venture into OD because most of the companies in India know only HRM and not about HRD. OD comes under HRD, and most of the people spend a heck of a lot of time in HRM before venturing into HRD. People who venture into HRD are seasoned senior managers and VP/Director HR of various companies now acting as consultants, so you have to lock horns with titans if you plan to venture into OD. Be prepared.

Excellent thinking, Supriya. What I can suggest further is instead of saying OD, you can be specific that HR plays a strategic role in OD. This is a burning issue nowadays, and HR needs clarity in terms of the role as a "Business Partner" in OD. Good going...

You can start by reading different books on the subject and gaining knowledge of the latest trends in OD. You may divide this into three modes: the situations of yesterday, today, and future trends (requirements). Gather all the necessary data before starting this project. Additionally, look for good companies where OD practices are initiated (in a real sense).

Once you are ready with this, select one company and apply this tool. I hope this is good enough to start with. All the best!

Regards,
Ajay

In connection with Ajay's reply, I wish to add a few points. Please prepare a questionnaire that covers all the essential points of your topic. Distribute them to people in various types of industries and then go about assessing the HR role in OD pertaining to all fields in general.

Best wishes,
Barathi Kannan

I would agree that OD is a very vast topic. You would have to think of some specific area in OD, e.g., OD interventions. You could study the effectiveness of some particular OD interventions being used in organizations. Also, you would have to select the industry about which you would like to pursue your Ph.D. I suggest that you go for an in-depth literature survey, i.e., read lots of articles in this area. This would increase your knowledge in this area and help you specifically identify your area of interest. I would suggest that you choose a topic that is relevant in today's context and is going to be relevant for at least some 4-5 years in the future too. On top of it all, one should always choose a topic that is of continuing interest.

Wish you all the best,

Rgds,

Anupriya