Organization Development Pioneers

Pioneers are noteworthy and/or early proponents that led the development or promoted the application of a concept, model, framework, tool, or technique in it's formative stages.

Ackoff, Russell, Ph.D	A pioneer that is best known for his work in Systems Theory, Operations Research, and Systems Thinking.
Altshuller, Genrich	A pioneer that is best known for his work in developing TRIZ - The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving.
Argyris, Chris, Ph.D	One of the pioneers of Organization Development and a researcher of reasoning and decisionmaking. He is well known for Single-Loop and Double-Loop Learning.
Block, Peter	A pioneer in consulting in Organization Development and Management. He is best known for his best selling books on "Flawless Consulting" and "Stewardship".
Bohm, David, Ph.D	A pioneer considered to be the father of modern dialogue. He is best known as the quantum physist that redefined physics in his book "Quantum Theory".
Bridges, William Emery, Ph.D	A pioneer that is best known for his Transition Theory and several books related to Managing Transition.
deBono, Edward, Ph.D	A pioneer that is known for his writing and teaching of thinking through Lateral Thinking, Parallel Thinking, and Six Thinking Hats.
Deming, W. Edwards, Ph.D	A pioneer that is known for his proposition that quality is the responsibility of everyone in the value chain and that it starts with the leadership of an organization. He is creditied with bringing quality back to America.
Emery, Frederick, Ph.D	A Austrailian pioneer best known for his work on Open Systems Theory, Search Conferences and Socio-Technical Systems design.
Herzberg, Frederick, Ph.D	A pioneer known as the father of Job Enrichment and the originator of the Motivation-Hygiene Theory.
Ishikawa, Kaoru, Ph.D	A pioneer that brought the American idea of Quality Circles to Japan in the 1960's. His name is forever tied to the Ishikawa Diagram (Fishbone). He expanded on and instituted Dr. Demings ideas with great success and turned that success into several well renouned books.
Kolb, David, Ph.D	A pioneer best known for his work on Learning Styles Theory and the development of the Kolb's Experiential Learning Styles.
Lewin, Kurt, Ph.D	A pioneer on ground breaking work in Life space, group dynamics, T-Groups, and probably more for his work on Field Theory which stipulates that behavior is a product of the person and their environment. This work also led to what we know today as Action Research.
Maslow, Abraham, Ph.D	A pioneer researcher in human motivation and personality best known for his Heirarchy of Human Needs theory.
Mayo, Elton, Ph.D	A pioneer and founder of the Human Relations Movement and Industrial Sociology. He is best known for the groundbreaking research he did at the Hawthorn Works Plant of Western Electric in Chicago.
McGreggor, Douglas, Ph.D	A pioneer best known for his Theory X, Theory Y management theory and other contributions to motivational thinking.
Peters, Thomas, Ph.D	A pioneer best known for the research he did with Bob Waterman at Mckenzie & Company in the late 1970's and the resulting books "In Search of Excellence" and "The Pursuit of WOW!"
Porter, Michael E., Ph.D	A pioneer that is best known for his work on Competitive Strategy and the concepts of Clusters and competition.
Senge, Peter M., Ph.D	A pioneer in Organizational Learning best known for his books the "Fifth Discipline" and the "Fifth Discipline Fieldbook."
Socrates	One of our first pioneers he is best known for the method that bears his name, the Socratic Method (aka the Socratic Interrogation).
Taylor, Frederick, Ph.D	A pioneer known as the father of Scientific Management. He was an engineer best known for his time studies and cost saving techniques focused on process rather than people.
Tichy, Noel M., Ph.D	A pioneer that is best know for his work in Action Learning and Transformational Leadership.
Wheatley, Margaret, Ph.D	A pioneer best known for her work on applying leadership in chaotic situations. Her landmark book "Leadership in the New Science" brought chaos theory to the business sector.

Last updated: February 1, 2009