Appreciative Inquiry - Definition and Overview

In Organizational development (OD), appreciative inquiry (AI) is an innovative approach to organizational renewal. The basic idea is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't. The technique is named for its major method of research. Since the method discusses concrete successes and lends itself to cross-industrial social activities, it is enjoyable and natural to many managers, who tend to be naturally social people focused on the bottom line.

Appreciative Inquiry was developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University. It is now a commonly accepted form of evaluation.

External Links

• The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry, http://www.thinbook.com/T-Book_AI.html
• http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu/