History, Evolution and Some Varieties of

Action Learning: A Roadmap

Conference Presentation (Expanded Version)

New Dimensions in Action Learning: Reinventing
Leadership Development
MIT Action Learning
2 August, 2012

Dr. Yury Boshyk

Chairman, Global Executive Learning Network
The Global Forum on Executive Development and Business Driven
Action Learning
www.GlobalForumActionLearning.com
Yury@gel-net.com
Roadmap

I've been asked to provide:

§  1. “A brief history/overview of action learning

§  2. the evolution of Action Learning from Europe to the US
§  3. how it has evolved in business and in business schools
in the US
§  4. and your thoughts/insights about action learning's next
evolution as it spreads among business schools and
businesses across the world."

Page - 3 -
Some Varieties of Action Learning Approaches Today:
“THE HOUSE OF ACTION LEARNING HAS MANY DOORS” Yury Boshyk

§  “Traditional” or “Classic” or “Gold Standard” Action Learning

§  “Americanized” or “Modified Version of Action Learning
§  Action Reflection Learning™ (ARL)
§  Business Driven Action Learning (BDAL)
§  Learning Coach-Led Action Learning (WIAL) (KALA)
§  Critical Action Learning (CAL)
§  Virtual Action Learning (VAL)
§  Audio Action Learning (AAL)
§  Online or remote Action Learning
§  Self-Managed Action Learning (SMAL)
§  Auto Action Learning (Individual-based)
§  “Future Search as Action Learning”
§  Action Learning as outdoor exercises and simulations

§  Our Criteria: when someone calls something “Action Learning” and outlines the
values, philosophy and operational approach, and ideally (but not always), the
differences and similarities with other approaches
Page - 4 -
Another perspective: “Schools of Action Learning” (O’Neil
& Marsick, 2011)--Theories and Practitioners

1.Tacit
§  Theory: Incidental learning
§  Practitioners: Dotlich and Noel; Tichy

2. Collaborative, Self-Directed
§  Theory: Communities of Practice, Self-Directed Learning
§  Practitioners: Aubusson; Albers

3. Scientific
§  Theory: Alpha, Beta, Gamma [Systems]; P + Q = L [Progammed information + Questioning
Inquiry = Learning]
§  Practitioners: Revans; Boshyk

4. Experiential
§  Theory: Learning from experience
§  Practitioners: McGill and Beaty; Mumford

5. Critical Reflection
§  Theory: Learning through critical reflection
§  Practitioners: Marsick, O’Neil; Rimanoczy; Rohlin; Vince; [Trehan]

Page - 5 -
SOME VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING:
(In chronological order)

1.  “Traditional” or “Classic” or “Gold Standard” Action Learning

§  AL term used publicly in 1972 by AL’s founder Reginald W. Revans (1907-2003)
§  Definition: “Learning-by-doing is an insufficient description [of action learning]..It is rather
learning to learn by doing with and from others who are also learning-to-learn by doing”. (Reg
Revans)
§  Intellectual and societal foundations: the scientific exploration and discussion of experimental
physics at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge; systems thinking and cybernetics,
computers, New Liberalism and tolerance, Quakerism, pacifism, social justice, equality,
education and social reform, “small is dutiful”, the human element in business, values,
business and community
§  People dealing with real organizational dilemmas, issues and opportunities (“problems not
puzzles”)
§  Learning must be equal to or faster than the rate of change: L ≥ C
§  Learning = P (Programmed information) + Q (Questioning Inquiry): L = P + Q (with Q being
most important)
§  “No action [change] without learning and no learning [insight] without action” [paraphrase of
Kurt Lewin, no action without research, no research without action]
§  Influenced by General Systems Theory and thinking, and formulated by Revans in 1970*:
System Alpha: management decisions are framed by 1. the values of the managers, 2. the
external environment that they exploit, 3. the internal system by which they exploit it
System Beta: has 5 management tasks: 1. survey stage, data on all of Alpha identified, 2. trial
decision stage, using System Alpha, 3. action stage, trial design implemented, in part or on
whole, 4. inspection or audit stage, 5. control stage
System Gamma: “The symbiosis of a person changing a situation (action) and of a person being
changed by this action (learning).” Personal change along with organizational change

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TRADITIONAL ACTION LEARNING
FOUNDATIONS OF “Q” (QUESTIONING INQUIRY):

§  “It is not uncommon for fundamental discoveries in one field to

be made by men in other disciplines.
§  The unfettered outsider is still willing to ask himself questions
that the expert has accustomed himself by past experience no
longer to ask.
§  In a case that contradicts his traditional knowledge the expert
often cannot perceive the unusual but critical question. It is
important for every manager to know whether he may be afraid
of starting what clever (but often short-sighted) men consider to
be stupid enquiries and, if so, why?”
Source: Reg Revans, Developing Effective Managers

§  Company Experiences: As a rule, General Electric’s participant

selection and program participant profile does not allow those
who are “experts” on the Business Challenge to participate in
their action learning programs.

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FOUNDATIONS OF “Q” (QUESTIONING INQUIRY):
Unfamiliar Problem, Unfamiliar Setting Often Results in the Best Learning and
Business Results--Based on Revans’ experiences (Dilworth 2010):

SETTING

Familiar Unfamiliar

COAL BOARD H.I.C. PROJECT

PROGRAM

Familiar
PROBLEM

WOODWORKING FIRM BELGIAN EXPERIMENT

PROGRAM
Unfamiliar

Page - 8 -
VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING
1. TRADITIONAL ACTION LEARNING & ITS PIONEER, REGINALD (REG) W.
REVANS

§  U.K., born in 1907, d. 2003

§  Research fellow and Ph.D. in
Physics at the Cavendish
Laboratory, Cambridge 1928-35
(and at U of Michigan,1930-32 as a
Commonwealth Fund Fellow))
§  Member of the British Olympic
Team 1928 (triple, long, and high
jump)
§  Active in the areas of physics,
reform of education, healthcare,
and management education;
§  Professor of Industrial
Administration (Management) in the
U.K., Manchester College of Science
and Technology, 1955-65; leader
in the pioneering days of modern
European management education
§  In 1972 publicly introduces the
term „Action Learning“, and
emphasizes that it has deep roots in
all cultures and civilizations
(Boshyk, 2011a) Page - 9 -
SOME VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING:
(In chronological order)

1.  Traditional” or “Classic” or “Gold Standard” Action

Learning (cont’d)
Evolution and Current Practice:

§  At first in the early years, usually voluntary “sets” (small groups of < 6) of managers and/or
others
§  A “set facilitator” is often used to start (and often further help with) the process and now
sometimes involving ”professional facilitators”
§  Focus on the individual dilemmas, real issues
§  Mostly middle management—in general—a philosophy encouraging questioning, reflection,
small group empowerment (sets and disciplined process of discussion), self-help, and the self-
organization of sets as “partners in adversity”
§  Mainly developed and practiced in the U.K., especially in healthcare sector (National Health
Service) but used in public, private and not-for-profit sectors;
§  Action Learning Facilitation certification offered and endorsed by the Institute for Leadership
and Management, London, U.K.
§  Other centres and associations of practice: International Foundation for Action Learning (IFAL),
Ashridge, Lancaster University, Roffey Park, University of Manchester (Business School and
also Revans Academy)
§  Actively used especially in the U.K., Australia, Canada, Sweden

§  Some Sources: Boshyk and Dilworth (2010); Pedler (ed), (2011); the journal Action
Learning: Research and Practice; Revans (2011); Revans (1980); Revans (1982); Revans
(1983); Weinstein (2002); Abbott and Pedler (2012).
Page - 10 -
2. “Americanized” or “Modified” Version of Action
Learning

§  No connection to Revans and Traditional Action Learning—and comes

from the education sector first (perhaps today’s equivalent of “Service
Learning”) before being introduced into business education

§  In business education: A considerable “improvement over more

traditional lecture-based programs”“…In its Americanized form, team
members do learn and teams do assist organizations in addressing
difficult problems—it is just that they fall short of their potential. It is as if
many US companies have grasped the outward form of Action Learning,
that is, teams working on problems, without, however, attending to its
essence.”* (Dixon, 1997)

§  The “Americanized version” does not usually involve the implementation
of team recommendations and at the same time does not maximize
individual development and behavioral change. (Dixon, 1997)

§  We can also add that the multiple learning dimensions, in general, are
not taken into account in the “Americanized” version

§  Some Sources: Bossert (2000); Dixon (1997), Dotlich and Noel (1998),
Noel and Dotlich (2008), Mercer (2000), Mercer (2002), Mercer (2010),
Tichy (1993)
Page - 11 -
2. “Americanized” or “Modified” Version of Action
Learning

§  Comes from educational reform movement of the 1960s and early
1970s, and community/societal activism

§  In the U.S., the term “Action-Learning” was used in education. “An early proponent”
was the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). It was used in
1972-4 to denote work-study education (work-based learning) and voluntary
participation in community work.* [Revans used the term for the first time in 1972]

§  “In late 1972, NASSP conducted a national conference in Washington, D.C., to explore
the concept. A conference report entitled American Youth in the Mid-Seventies focused
upon (1) the need for action-learning, (2) views by labor, public agencies, accreditation
bodies, and professional educators on action-learning, and (3) examples of action-
learning at the secondary and college levels. Among the conclusions of the conference
was the recommendation that action-learning be made available to all young
Americans.”*

NASSP, 25 Action-Learning Schools. Washington: NASSP, 1974, p.5

§  This approach to Action Learning may be the foundation of what is today called “Service
Learning” in the U.S.

Page - 12 -
2. Action Learning and Business Schools in the U.S.--
The early years

§  1969: MIT and Harvard faculty involved in Revans’ Belgian

company-university business school consortium (Inter-University
Program for Advanced Management), providing feedback and
specialist knowledge on respective individual business projects.
(Revans, 1971). Among those involved, David Kolb and Ed
Schein from MIT.

§  Another MIT connection: (Revans also contributed an article in a

book, Survey of Cybernetics: A Tribute to Dr. Norbert Wiener, by
J. Rose, ed., 1969, dedicated to the cybernetics pioneer and MIT
professor, Norbert Wiener)

§  1972, Southern Methodist University business school in Houston

launches the first action learning university-level program with
with Revans and C. Jackson Grayson (Dean)

Page - 13 -
2. Action Learning and Business Schools in the U.S.--
The early years

§  1977: Harvard Business Review article, “Action Learning Comes

to Industry” about Revans and his approach to Action Learning,
written by Nancy Foy

§  Editors of HBR comment that AL is “learning by experience, through

solving a real company problem…[and creates in the process] an
effective way to provide a seasoned pool of seasoned managers.”: [but
nothing on principles, values and foundations of Action Learning].

§  1979: First international action learning conference in Houston at

the American Productivity Center, headed by Grayson

Page - 14 -
2. “Americanized or Modified” Version of Action
Learning in Business (cont’d)

§  Almost a decade after the HBR article, “Action Learning Comes to
Industry”, “action learning” started at General Electric in 1985 by Noel
Tichy; (Tichy was with GE from 1985-87; his supervisor at Columbia
was Morton Deutsch, a colleague of Kurt Lewin)**

§  Definition of Action Learning used at GE:” “The process of developing

employees on hard (e.g., marketing, financing) and soft (e.g., vision,
leadership, values) skills by having them work with others on real
organizational challenges and reflecting on their decision-making
and experiences throughout.”
§  In reality, based on my personal experience of 15 years: Project-
based, process-driven, in-house consulting with some leadership
development but with an emphasis on project consulting; deeper
personal leadership development was done outside of the “program”

§  Other companies, like J&J and DuPont, developed AL in their own way
(e.g. Bossert, 2000) (LeGros and Topolosky, 2000);

Page - 15 -
2. “Americanized” or “Modified” Version of Action
Learning

§  A considerable “improvement over more traditional lecture-based

programs”“…In its Americanized form, team members do learn
and teams do assist organizations in addressing difficult
problems—it is just that they fall short of their potential. It is as
if many US companies have grasped the outward form of Action
Learning, that is, teams working on problems, without, however,
attending to its essence.”*

§  The “Americanized version” does not usually involve the

implementation of team recommendations and at the same time
does not maximize individual development and behavioral
change. (Dixon, 1997)

§  We can also add that the learning dimensions, in general, are not
taken into account in the “Americanized” version

§  Some Sources: Bossert (2000); Dixon (1997); Dotlich and Noel
(1998); Noel and Dotlich (2008); LeGros and Topolosky (2000);
Mercer (2000a), Mercer (2000b), Mercer (2010); Tichy (1993)

Page - 16 -
VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING:
2. “Modified or Americanized” Approach and Evolution

§  In the U.S., Revans’ “Action Learning” does not catch on for a
variety of reasons:

§  The influence of Organization Development (OD)

§  More widely used was “Action Research” coined in 1947 with Kurt
Lewin, and also the National Training Laboratory, T-Groups, Sensitivity
Training, and sometimes propagated by the Tavistock Institute in the
U.K.

§  From the 1970s on Chris Argyris with “Action Science” and later
his student, Peter Senge influenced and popularized the learning
dimension in organizations in the U.S.

§  Confusion in the ranks: In the U.S., “Action Learning” is often

viewed as a part of Organization Development (OD), or
incorrectly as “Action Research” or “Action Science”

§  Cultural, intellectual and societal differences between the U.S.

and the U.K. (see next slides)

Page - 17 -
2. U.K. and U.S. Differences: About OD but perhaps
the same applies to Action Learning?

An observation by one U.S. academic (Greiner, 1977, pp. 74-75)

as to the similarities and differences [in Organization Development]
with the U.K. orientation perhaps helps us to appreciate some
reasons why Action Learning came to mean one thing to U.S.-based
practitioners and theorists and another to those from the U.K. and
elsewhere:
§  “Though seldom acknowledged by American specialists in
organizational behavior, Great Britain has been a rich source of
thinking that has greatly influenced our own theoretical
developments. We tend to cite names like Joan Woodward, Tom
Burns and G.M. Stalker, W.R. Bion, A.K. Rice, Melanie Klein, Fred
Emery, Eric Trist, Elliott Jacques, Cyril Sofer, and others as if
they are ‘one of our own’. Or even more unfortunately, there are
many Americans involved in the OD movement who have not
even been exposed to the provocative concepts and experiments
of these outstanding scholars. NTL [National Training Laboratory]
at Bethel, Maine is a household word but a not uncommon
question is, ‘What and where is the Tavistock Institute?’...
§ 
Page - 18 -
2. U.K. and U.S. Differences: About OD but perhaps
the same applies to Action Learning? …

§  “There are obvious similarities between [American and British OD

approaches]…

§  We see the same underlying cornerstone features—an intense

focus on behavioral processes and relationships, a concern for
improving behavioral capacities to cope with the future, and a
value orientation toward participative methods.

§  In addition, a close parallel exists in terms of developmental

stages …for Tavistock from ‘group relations training’ (similar to
T[raining] Group) in the 1950s through a broadened
organizational focus in the 1960s to a variety of problem-solving
arrangements in the 1970s…

Page - 19 -
2. U.K. and US Differences: About OD but perhaps the
same applies to Action Learning?

§  “But distinct cultural differences also appear and give…a

decidedly British flavor to their orientation…[O]ne can observe a
strong penchant for intellectualizing, an appreciation and
patience for the historical flow of events, a persistence in
elaborating concepts that began years before, a willingness to
describe events in the most clinical terms, a tolerance for great
complexity, and a strong sense for situational and individual
differences.

§  In marked contrast, the American OD movement reflects more a

‘Yank’ flavor for ‘shooting first and asking questions later’, a
desire for more simple terminology and concepts, an assembly-
line approach to training, a ‘here and now’ optimism that believes
just about any change is possible, a willingness to shrug off or
even forget history, a quest for objective ‘hard’ results, and an
enthusiasm to convert people and organizations to an ideal
model.” (Greiner, 1977, pp. 74-75.)

Page - 20 -
SOME VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING:
3. Action Reflection Learning™

§  Indirect connection to Revans and other influences;

§  Developed in late 1980s by Lennart Rohlin of Management in Lund (MiL

Institute), Sweden (founded in 1977) & and USA professor/consultants
among them Victoria Marsick from Columbia University, Teacher’s
College; influenced by Mezirow’s “transformational learning” and Lars
Cederholm

§  Some professor/practitioners: Victoria Marsick, Judy O’Neil;

§  Focus on the individual, small groups, and emphasizes the role of a
“learning coach” , “reflection” and the certification of coaches

§  Some sources: O’Neil and Marsick (2011), Rimanoczy and Turner
(2008), Rimanoczy and Marsick (2010), Rohlin (2011)

Page - 21 -
SOME VARIETIES OF ACTION LEARNING:
4. Business Driven Action Learning

§  Philosophy and results-based approach developed in 1996 by company

practitioners from GE and others and Yury Boshyk, integrating Organization
Development based Action Learning and Traditional Action Learning (BC
Organizational Business Challenge(s) AND PC Personal Leadership and Business
Challenges)

§  Definition:
§  Focuses on resolving organizational and individual business and other challenges
and exploring opportunities, while developing people at an accelerated pace (OD
+ Traditional AL philosophy and approach)

§  Involves organizational, team and personal learning (7 Component Parts and 7
Dimensions of Learning), in a holistic way, used by global companies and other
organizations; and a very focused and comprehensive “outside-in” external
dialogues and discussions

§  Some sources: Boshyk (2011), Boshyk (2010), Philip (2010); Levy (2000);
www.globalforumactionlearning.com

Page - 22 -
 What is Business Driven Action Learning Today?

Personal Challenges (PCs) Business Challenges (BCs)

Work on Personal Challenges Work on Actual Business Challenges
(Professional & Leadership Dilemmas, Issues) (Organizational & Team Opportunities, Issues, Projects)

Action
Requiring
Action & Results
On PCs and BCs

By Action Learning “sets” By Business Challenge Teams

Learning
Accelerates, Enhances,
Sustains
Business Outcomes,
Change, & Longer-Term
Organizational & Business
Performance
& Leader
Development

Using Some Traditional Action Learning Using Some Organization & Leadership
Principles & Practices Development Approaches

Page - 23 -
 Business Driven Action Learning & Its 7 Component Parts:

7. RECOMMENDATIONS ON BCs & FOLLOW UP: 1.  TOP EXECUTIVE OWNERSHIP:

ORGANIZATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION SPONSORSHIP, SUPPORT
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ON & ENGAGEMENT

PCs & FOLLOW UP:

INDIVIDUAL & TEAM
ACTION PLANS

2. KNOWLEDGE
6. 'OUTSIDE – IN'
CAPTURE
DIALOGUES & A. Organizational & SHARING
EXTERNAL
Business
PERSPECTIVES
Challenges (BCs)
B. Participant Personal
Challenges (PCs)

5. TEAMWORK 3. COMPANY WIDE

ON BCs SHARING &
& ACTION LEARNING “SETS” ON COLLABORATION
PCs WITH
BC STAKEHOLDERS

4. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT
WITH PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORS (PDAs)

Page - 24 -
 Business Driven Action Learning &
Its 7 Components:

Levels of Action & Learning: Company, Team, & Individual Levels Throughout
7.  RECOMMENDATIONS ON BCS & FOLLOW
UP: ORGANZATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION
Recommendations on the Business Challenge(s)
‘Handoff » or implementation, & Program 1.  TOP EXECUTIVE OWNERSHIP:SPONSORSHIP, SUPPORT,
Evaluation
ENGAGEMENT
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING & Sponsorship, Teaching,Evaluation, Monitoring
FOLLOW UP: Results, Evaluation and Follow Up,
INDIVIDUAL & TEAM ACTION PLANS
Business and leadership related
Defining the «Business Challenge(s) » and
Personal Development Plans & Actions Deliverables, Success Factors
Action Learning Sets & Participant Follow Up Selection of participants,Executive Advisors and
Sharing the Learning with Others Sponsors,
Alumni Networking A. Business
Challenges (BCs) Leaders Teaching Leaders; Leadership Journeys,
6. « OUTSIDE – IN »
Dilemma Sharing
DIALOGUES & EXTERNAL PERSPECTIVES
B. Personal Leadership &
Comprehensive,and with knowledge capture & sharing
2. KNOWLEDGE
Subject specialists Business Challenges (PCs) CAPTURE & SHARING
Best or good practices practice benchmarking,
Environmental Scanning,Market Intelligence Program web site with
Strategic «discovery learning », Learning Expeditions, collaboration tools
Customer & Supplier & Stakeholder involvement

5. TEAMWORK
Action Learning Sets/Groups on Personal Challenges (PCs); Facilitation; 3. COMPANY WIDE SHARING
Personal Development Advisors (PDAs); « Learning Coaches » as AND COLLABORATION WITH « BC » STAKEHOLDERS
required and appropriate;
e.g.MCI—Mobilizing the Collective Intelligence of
Work on the Business Challenges (BCs) in BC Teams; the organization, Involving those who internally
and externally know, care, or can do something
Peer-to-peer learning
about the Strategic Challenges/Opportunities

4. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT
Feedback on 360; psychometric; Learning Styles Questionnaire by
PeterHoney and Mumford; learning journals; opportunities for reflection; 7 Page - 25 -
Dimensions of Learning; « My Story »
 BUSINESS DRIVEN ACTION LEARNING AND THE
SEVEN DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING

Big Picture
Who needs to know
Who else needs to What do I want to/did I learn
know about this about the external
learning environment of my business,
(points 1-6)?
7 1 industry, country, region?
(examples: about the politics,
economics, society and
culture, technology, and other
matters outside of my
What can be used in business)
another context
From my/our
6
learning, what can
I/we apply in 2 Organization
another situation?
What do I want to/did I
learn about my
organization?
5 3 (via the business
challenge/issue
How I/we learn 4 discussion)
What did I learn
about how I/we Individual Team
learn? What do I want to/did I What do I want to/
learn about myself? My did I learn about
team effectiveness?
values?

Page - 26 -
Action Learning: Other Variations

§  5. Learning Coach-Led Action Learning:

§  Michael Marquardt (World Institute for Action Learning but not part of
ARL; and variation in S. Korea, Cho and Bong (2012) but not affiliated
§  Learning Coach certification from WIAL
§  Some Sources: Marquart et als (2009); see Willis’ (2004) comments

§  In S. Korea case, Learning Coach certification through the Korean

Action Learning Association (KALA)
§  Some Sources: Cho and Bong, (2012) and (2011)

§  6. Critical Action Learning:

§  Some Sources: Trehan (2011); Vince (2011)

§  7. Virtual Action Learning:

§  Some Sources: Goodman and Stewart (2011)

Page - 27 -
Action Learning: Other Variations

§  8. Audio Action Learning (AAL)

§  Some Sources: Caulat and De Haan (2006)

§  9. Self-Managed Action Learning

§  Some Sources: Bourner (2011); Pedler et als (2005)

§  10. Auto Action Learning (Individual-based)

§  Some Sources: Pedler et als (2005)

§  11. Future Search as Action Learning

§  Some Sources: Weisbord and Janoff (2010)

§  12. Action Learning as outdoor exercises and simulations

§  Sources (example): http://www.esmt.org/eng/executive-
education/module-1-core-managerial-competences/

Page - 28 -
Action Learning and Business Schools: some trends
and opportunities
§  1.There is a growing convergence of Traditional and Americanized approaches (BDAL) to Action
Learning (see next slide)

§  2. This requires a renewed commitment by business schools to assist companies with their real
business issues through truly tailored “external” executive programs

§  3. Special training and development of faculty, program directors and others at business schools
will be necessary to do so (see GE slide example below)

§  4. Training will be required to learn the art of facilitating learning and not just teaching, learning
together with these companies and their participants: “the best curriculum is the experience of
people in the room, and the best teachers are they themselves” (Revans)

§  5. Also required-- greater engagement with top executives; deeper relationships with companies,
especially regarding research and ‘just-in-time’ learning, and continuous learning after the
program; executive programs being more than just “events”

§  6. As part of these programs, a greater emphasis on “outside-in” elements, including meetings
and discussions with peers etc.; preparation and rigor required in debriefing the learning and
applicability (based on the “concept engineering” approach developed in Japan)

§  7. B2B Company Action Learning consortiums (very significant role for business schools possible,
but difficult—(see summary slides below)

Page - 29 -
 What is Business Driven Action Learning Today?

Personal Challenges (PCs) Business Challenges (BCs)

Work on Personal Challenges Work on Actual Business Challenges
(Professional & Leadership Dilemmas, Issues) (Organizational & Team Opportunities, Issues, Projects)

Action
Requiring
Action & Results
On PCs and BCs

By Action Learning “sets” By Business Challenge Teams

Learning
Accelerates, Enhances,
Sustains
Business Outcomes,
Change, & Longer-Term
Organizational & Business
Performance
& Leader
Development

Using Some Traditional Action Learning Using Some Organization & Leadership
Principles & Practices Development Approaches

Page - 30 -
AL at Business Schools:: a “new” type of program
manager? --The AL program manager at GE*

Page - 31 -
Trends in Business Education & Development:
Consortium BDAL Programs:
example--The Global Learning Alliance

Page - 32 -
GLA Consortium: Some key objectives

Page - 33 -
(Action Learning) Business School Consortium Programs:
Characteristics and Lessons Learned
INSEAD 1999 Study & Much that is applicable today

§  18 business school consortium programs examined in a 1999 INSEAD study

§  The view of business schools surveyed is that while attractive, consortium programs have
“additional” complexities (compared to managing open enrolment and company specific
programs)

§  Additional complexities” of such programs:

§  membership issues, attracting the right companies
§  starting up and sustaining a consortium—”members are hard to find…and keep“
§  “Consortiums require a high demand on resources” for example:
§  A high level of support is required regarding staffing:
§  Program Director (faculty member)
§  Program Manager
§  Program Coordinator

Page - 34 -
 (Action Learning) Business School Consortium Programs:
Characteristics and Lessons Learned
INSEAD 1999 Study & Much that is applicable today

§  1. Modular
§  Over 75% of programs are modular

§  2. Less than 3 weeks in duration

§  94% are less than 4 weeks in overall length
§  75% less than 3 weeks

§  3. They span for less than 6 months

§  82% last 6 months or less

§  4. Content was about general management issues and also about leadership

§  5. Projects
§  More than half had “action learning”, “team-based projects”

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(Action Learning) Business School Consortium Programs:
Characteristics and Lessons Learned
INSEAD 1999 Study & Much that is applicable today

§  6. Off-site activity (not just on campus)

§  7. Package pricing—per team (no membership fee)

§  Package pricing gives a certain stability

§  8. Core proactive membership (a Consortium leader) OR

Flexible with core group + open to larger pool of non-members
Flexibility over exclusivity

9. “Clonable” …but there is more work involved in consortium programs than people
think

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Thanks You!

Sources cited in this presentation follow

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Sources cited in this presentation:

§  See also the Resources section at www.globalforumactionlearning.com

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§  Boshyk, Y. and Dilworth, R.L. (eds) (2010). Action Learning: History and Evolution.
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§  Brook, C., Pedler, M., and Burgoyne, J. (2012). Some Debates and Challenges in the
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§  Mumford, A. (ed). ((1977). Action Learning at Work. Aldershot: Gower.

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