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OD Review Submission Guidelines

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The Organization Development Review is a journal bringing together scholarly and practitioner perspectives to foster greater understanding, improved practice, new research, and innovations for critical issues in our fields. We focus on all processes of human organizing, such as small groups, organizations, networks & communities. Our scope is wide within the broad range of:

1. how human organizing systems develop, adapt, change and transform.
2. how we lead more effectively and develop effective organizations.
3. how we create healthy workplaces and cultures that get the work done and leave people engaged, proud and satisfied.
4. how we support all forms of diversity, equality and inclusion in organizing and operating organizations, communities and societies.
5. how we develop greater individual and organizational capabilities for our VUCA world.
6. how we develop greater creativity, innovation and collaborative processes.
7. how we create a more humane and just society.
8. how we develop and innovate in the profession.
9. how we educate leaders and change agents, of all types, in the science and practices of values-based change and masterful practice.
10. case studies that demonstrate the impact of OD and OD in collaboration with other fields of inquiry and practice.

We publish evidence-based practice, applied research, innovative ways to do this work, new developments in the fields, as well as, thought pieces, invitational pieces, cases, and relevant book reviews. We hope for wide participation across our fields, around the globe, across sectors & industries, and inclusive of all forms of diversities. We wish to generate more conversations and dialogues among our fields. We ask that all submissions reflect the OD Network values of respect, inclusion, collaboration, authenticity, self-awareness and empowerment.

Expectations of Authors

All articles should:

• Clearly state the purpose of the article and its content
• Present ideas logically, with clear transitions
• Include section headings to help guide readers
• Use language that reflects inclusivity and is non-discriminatory in the context of the article
• Avoid jargon and overly formal expressions
• Reference sources used and provide source references for any theories, ideas, methods, models and practices not created by the author(s)
• Conform to standard English usage (U.S. or U.K.) and be edited for spelling and grammar rules
• Avoid self-promotion
• Be useful in practice or provide implications for practitioners (leaders, change agents, etc.)
• For formatting guidelines, citations and references, follow the American Psychological Association Publication Manual, 7th Edition (2020)
• Submit as Word document, not pdf or email form; the document should contain short title and author name
• Contain short author bios including contact email(s) (up to 250 words)
• Graphics that enhance an article are encouraged. The ODR reserves the right to resize graphics when necessary. The graphics should be in a program that allows editing. We prefer graphics to match the ODR’s three-, two-, or one-column, half-page or full-page formats. If authors have questions or concerns about graphics or computer art, please contact the Editor.

We consider articles of varying lengths between 2000–5000 words. Contact the Editor with any questions, ideas or explorations (editor@odnetwork.org).

If the article is accepted for publication, the author will receive a PDF proof of the article for final approval before publication. At this stage the author may only fix errors in typesetting or minor changes to the text. After publication, the author will be sent a PDF of the final article and of the complete issue of ODR in which the article appears.

Submission Deadlines

Authors should email articles to the editor at editor@odnetwork.org. Articles can be submitted at any time and if accepted, will be included in an appropriate upcoming issue. General deadlines for articles being targeted for quarterly issues are as follows:

Winter Issue (Jan-Mar): October 1
Spring Issue (Apr-June): January 1
Summer Issue (July-Sept): April 1
Fall Issue (Oct-Dec): July 1

The Review Processes

The ODR is a peer reviewed journal. Authors can choose between two review processes and should notify the Editor which they prefer when they submit a manuscript:

Process 1 (open peer review): Submit with cover page including title, all authors, any acknowledgements and a short abstract. Usually, two members of the ODR Editorial Board will review the article. They will recommend accepting the article for publication, pursuing publication after suggested changes, or rejecting the article. If they decide the article is publishable with changes, one or both of the editorial board members will email or call the primary author to discuss the suggested changes and serve as coaches in helping the author(s) prepare it for publication. Once the author(s) has made the changes to the satisfaction of the two editorial board members, it will be sent to the Editor for final determination. If it is now accepted, the ODR Editor will work with the authors to finalize the article for publication.

Process 2 (double blind peer review): This option is offered to meet the standards of many academic institutions. Submit articles with cover pages with the article’s title, all authors’ identifying and contact information, and brief biographies (100–250 words) for each of the authors; also include any acknowledgements. On a new page, provide an abbreviated title running head for the article. Do not include any author identifying information in the body of the article, other than on the initial title page. Two members of the editorial board will independently receive the article without the author’s information and without knowing the identity of the other reviewer. Each reviewer will recommend accepting the article for publication, rejecting the article with explanation, or sending the article back to the author for revision and resubmittal. Recommendations for revision and resubmittal will include detailed feedback on what is required to make the article publishable. Each ODR Board member will send their recommendation to the ODR Editor. If the Editor asks the author to revise and resubmit, the Editor will send the article to both reviewers after the author has made the suggested changes. The two members of the editorial board will work with the author on any further changes, then send it to the ODR Editor for preparation for publication. The ODR Editor makes the final decision about whether the articles will be published.

Timing Considerations

1. When initially submitted one should expect 4 weeks for review time, reviewer collaboration and author feedback
2. If reviewers/editor suggest revisions and resubmit, the article should be returned within 4 weeks (unless it is slated for an immediate issue in which case it should be returned within 1–2 weeks)

Other Publications

The ODR publishes original articles, not reprints from other publications or journals. Authors may re-publish materials first published in the ODR in another publication or webpage, as long as the publication gives credit to the Organization Development Review as the original place of publication.

Policy on Self-Promotion

Although publication in the ODR is a way of letting the OD community know about an author’s work, and is therefore good publicity, the purpose of the ODR is to exchange ideas and information. Consequently, it is the policy of the OD Network to not accept articles that are primarily for the purpose of marketing or advertising an author’s practice or promoting or selling anything.

Submit Your OD Review Article

Introducing 'OD In Practice' - Our Newest OD Review Section

For many years we have had a section called Practicing OD. When our last editors left, we put this section on pause to consider more ways to help improve its content in the future. The last published articles in the old section were completed during 2023.

We have now brought in a new editor team for this new section, and they have been working on ideas and processes they want to use. We are happy to relaunch this section with new submission guidelines and a way for people to connect with the editors and discuss their ideas and get early input to help prepare valuable submissions.

Our new editorial team:

• Dr. Kyle Payne
• Dr. Paul Taylor-Pitt
• Dr. Patrick Duffy

OD in Practice Submission Guidelines

OD practitioners are invited to submit an article for publication in the OD in Practice section of the Organization

OD practitioners are invited to submit an article for publication in the OD in Practice section of the Organization Development Review. These articles are brief reflective pieces (900-1200 words) that illustrate real-life application of organizational development theories and approaches. To be considered, an article must describe a specific action and its results, and it must hold potential to elevate the practice of OD.

The article must include the following four sections:

1. An introduction providing a statement of the problem, opportunity, issue or challenge and relevant background information, such as the name, size, and sector of the organization and a description of their products or services.
2. A methods section describing the action(s) taken and referencing the organizational development theories and approaches applied and the rationale for selecting them.
3. A results section reporting the impact of the intervention on the intended outcomes or organizational performance.
4. An insights section including lessons learned and any implications for other OD practitioners.

To begin the submission process to OD in Practice, please email odinpractice@odnetwork.org with a brief description or summary of your ideas (200-300 words) and a short biography (100 words or less). An editor will review your idea and share initial feedback, and they may offer support to help you develop the article or refine it. We will agree on a deadline for your first draft submission of the article which must also include an abstract.

Once the article has been accepted by the first editor, it will go to a second editor for review. The lead editor may offer suggested revisions at this stage. When your revised article has been accepted, your work will appear in the OD in Practice section of the Organization Development Review in an upcoming issue.

OD in Practice articles use first-person voice. A brief references section is appropriate, typically to refer to supplementary readings on the organizational development theories or approaches applied. Articles considered for publication may not have been previously published elsewhere.

Please consider adding to our development of OD practices. Also, pass this announcement around your networks, and encourage people to share their expertise and learnings within our field by publishing in the OD Review section on OD in Practice. Writing provides new respect for you and can engage you with other interested practitioners.

David W. Jamieson, Ph.D
Editor-in-Chief, OD Review

Graduate Student Author Developmental Process

The OD Review Editorial Board is pleased to offer a new editorial support process for unpublished scholar-practitioners. Four ODR editors and seven first-time writers, who were graduate students, piloted this new process in 2022. That pilot resulted in great success for the new authors and an award-winning special. Find more information by downloading the PDF here.