Development and Learning in Organizations

Ian Cunningham

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656316

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how interactions in organizations need to move beyond the superficial. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a think piece based on experience. Findings – The paper finds that the need is to get beyond small talk into big talk. Practical implications – The practical implications of the paper are that managers and developers need to consider the ways in which they develop trust in organiszations, and the need is for people to engage in dialogue around things that really matter. Originality/value – The critique of networking in this paper is new and original.

Liz Barlow

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656325

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide alternative views on talent development to promote thought. Design/methodology/approach – Ideas on talent development including succession planning drawn from experience of working with organizations are presented in this article. Findings – The article finds that talent development is a more complex and fraught activity than many in human resources recognize, and that standardized approaches that assume that talented people are very similar do not work effectively. Talented people need and want to take charge of their own development but with the right support from the organization. Practical implications – The practical implications of this article are that people need to take charge of their own development and that it should be personalized for each individual. Originality/value – This article is useful for individuals and organizations in seeking alternative methods of developing talent.

Roland K. Yeo

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656334

Purpose – The paper aims to describe and analyze the three levels of learning which take place in organizational contexts. It also provides practical strategies on how individual, team and organizational learning can be developed and integrated to propel collective learning. Design/methodology/approach – Semi‐structured interviewing was employed in this study through four Singapore organizations. Views were gathered and collated from 24 senior management personnel representing both the private and public sectors. Findings – Rich qualitative data were obtained and presented in meaningful excerpts from selected respondents. Additionally, suggestions on learning strategies were quantified according to the number of mentions and the concurrence of viewpoints. The usefulness of these strategies lies in the order in which they have been ranked, from the most to the least crucial. Research limitations/implications – Although this study was limited by the single geographical context, it provides theoretical insights for further research. For instance, the integration of human resource and cognitive learning perspectives is critical to the understanding of the way individuals behave and act in the workplace. Practical implications – Aside from the specific organizational learning strategies outlined, this study has identified three overarching factors that motivate and drive individuals to learn at work. They are: a clear definition of goals; a shared vision; and an appropriate reward system. Originality/value – The value of this study is making actionable the complex processes of organizational learning, demonstrated in the step‐by‐step approach applicable to specific levels of learning. According to the respondents, some of these steps have been proven effective in harnessing learning at work.

Marie‐Anne Chidiac

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656343

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address how organizations can make the most out of an executive coaching process that is well integrated into their internal culture, human resources (HR) processes and overall strategy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides some practical pointers that organizations should do to improve the efficacy of their executive coaching process. Findings – Findings of the paper include: aligning the coaching process with culture and other HR processes; managing the perception of coaching in the organization; attending to the boundaries of confidentiality in coaching; and harnessing the knowledge of executive coaching as a way of capturing organizational learning. Originality/value – Little has been written on how best to integrate an executive coaching process within the culture and overall processes of an organization.

David Clutterbuck

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656352

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to initiate discussion on the qualities of effective mentoring programme coordinators. Design/methodology/approach – This observation is based on non‐empirical observation of practice through: assisting the design of hundreds of programmes over two decades; programme co‐ordinator training courses; and critical appraisal of coordinator training to comply with EMCC kitemarking. Findings – The paper finds that this is a complex role and requires appropriate networks and competences Practical implications – Practical guidelines are provided for considering how to approach the role. Originality/value – Very little has been written about the requirements of this role. It is hoped to initiate some empirical study in due course.

Graham Dawes

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656361

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to bring to readers' attention the importance of cognitive development, how it comes into play within the world of organizations and that there are resources available for bringing it about. Design/methodology/approach – Having indicated the author's own recognition of the need for a way to assist managers in their cognitive development, the paper covers the approach of Reuven Feuerstein who has been working for years in this area, though mainly with young people. The paper provides some indication of the elements within Feuerstsein's approach, emphasizing the importance of mediated learning experience. Findings – The exploration in the study led to finding an approach to cognitive development and one which has proved useful in organizations. Practical implications – The practical implications are that those concerned with learning and development might put more attention on the cognitive aspects of development and that, as a field, we might explore the available resources for assisting us in this process. Originality/value – This paper alerts readers to the likelihood that cognitive development will become a much more significant focus of the learning and development field in the future. This is less likely to be recognized while there is unawareness of the existence of resources that can assist in this. Through focussing on one such resource, the work of Reuven Feuerstein, the paper indicates that a good deal of work has already been accomplished in this field and, further, that it aligns significantly with aspects that developers will be familiar with from their own practice.

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656370

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine e‐learning as a training option. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of an article on e‐learning which had feedback from 204 interviews with employees of various organizations. Findings – The paper finds that A total of 47 percent of the 204 people interviewed about e‐learning said they thought it suffered from an image problem and 50 per cent agreed that it would probably take up too much precious time. On the whole, the data suggest that e‐learning is an affordable and accessible option for training and development teams to consider, with almost all respondents saying they would recommend it. Originality/value – This paper is useful to those interested in implementing e‐learning as a training option.

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656389

Purpose – The paper aims to assess the practical considerations and implications in adopting an e‐learning strategy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses three case studies to present experiences and lessons learned. Findings – The paper finds that if cultural and technological foundations are not in place, the e‐learning strategy will not succeed. Practical implications – The paper offers organizations wanting to adopt an e‐learning strategy first‐hand advice and guidance by demonstrating the lessons learned by early adopters. Original/value – The paper provides evidence of the potential of e‐learning as a key educational tool.

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656398

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – The paper finds that, rather like love and romance, a lot of contradictory claims are written about executive coaching. It is enough to confuse even the most ardent of enthusiasts. Coaching articles provide among the most metaphor‐rich of all management literature. From popular music it is clear that love is both a battlefield and all you need. The world of executive coaching is able to combine the gung‐ho attitude of The Wild West with the religious simplicity and calm of Zen Buddhism. If the mist can be lifted what will be revealed? Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

2006 Development and Learning in Organizations

doi: 10.1108/14777280610656406

Purpose – the purpose of this paper is to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – The paper finds that the credit‐awarding monopoly of the universities may soon be ending. Work‐based learning (WBL) is recognized as one of the most rapidly growing education sectors in the modern world as industries and organizations seek to maximize the learning potential inherent in real‐time working environments. Currently, the trend is for organizations to work with the higher education sector to develop, implement and assess WBL programs. However, there are potential conflicts over issues such as ownership, assessment and quality assurance which have resulted in some organizations beginning to explore the feasibility of becoming credit‐awarding institutions in their own right. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.