Abstract
As a significant contributor to the field of organizational intervention and change, Larry E. Greiner was one of those unique individuals who personified a mixture of insight and intelligence with a fun-filled spirit, a warm and welcoming presence, and, in general, a guiding sense of commitment and generosity. Over the years, his work reflected the essence of actionable knowledge, taking an applied route to knowledge creation, generation, and dissemination. He had a compelling presence that literally drew people to him, bringing a smile to their faces while lending his insights and expertise to all those who entered his orbit. This chapter captures the influences and motivations that led him to the organization development (OD) field, his key contributions – the stages of evolution and revolution that organizations experience, the role and nature of management consulting and intervention, power and OD, and dynamic strategy – and how that work has influenced others. As close colleagues and friends, we were privileged to know and work with him, and his ideas, support, and presence have had a lasting effect on our lives.
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References
Buono, A. F. (2005). Consulting to integrate mergers and acquisitions. In L. E. Greiner & F. Poulfelt (Eds.), The contemporary consultant: Handbook of management consulting – Insights from world experts (pp. 229–249). Thomson South-Western. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/10007718
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Greiner, L. E. (1972). Evolution and revolution as organizations grow. Harvard Business Review, 50, 37–46. https://store.hbr.org/product/evolution-and-revolution-as-organizations-grow/98308
Greiner, L. E. (1998). Evolution and revolution as organizations grow, with an updated commentary: Revolution is still inevitable. Harvard Business Review, 76, 55–67. https://hbr.org/1998/05/evolution-and-revolution-as-organizations-grow
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Greiner, L. E., & Metzger, R. O. (1983). Consulting to management: Insights to building and managing a successful practice. Prentice Hall.
Greiner, L. E., & Schein, V. E. (1988). Power and organization development: Mobilizing power to implement change. Addison-Wesley. https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Greiner-Power-and-Organization-Development-Mobilizing-Power-to-Implement-Change-Pearson-Organizational-Development-Series/PGM199737.html
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Further Reading
Greiner, L. E., & Malernee, J. (2005). Managing growth stages in consulting firms. In L. E. Greiner & F. Poulfelt (Eds.), The contemporary consultant: Handbook of management consulting – Insights from world experts. Thomson South-Western.
Greiner, L. E., Olsson, T. H., & Poulfelt, F. (2005). The contemporary consultant casebook: Educating today’s consultants. Thomson South-Western. https://www.worldcat.org/title/contemporary-consultant-casebook-for-teaching/oclc/57579516
Greiner, L. E., & Poulfelt, F. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of management consulting: The contemporary consultant – Insights from world experts. Thomson South-Western. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/10007718
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Poulfelt, F., Buono, A.F. (2020). Greiner, Larry E.: Actionable Knowledge in Action. In: Szabla, D.B. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Organizational Change Thinkers. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_41-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_41-2
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Greiner, Larry E.: Actionable Knowledge in Action- Published:
- 07 November 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_41-2
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Larry E. Greiner: Actionable Knowledge in Action- Published:
- 01 March 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_41-1