A British study of 29 providers of competency-based management training to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and a survey of 591 SMEs revealed that the value of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) was unclear to both groups. Providers felt NVQs lacked relevance to SMEs and were time consuming. Some SMEs participated only because…

A learning organization is viable when the learning climate successfully changes managers' mindsets. A case study of a financial services enterprise illustrates ways to keep mind sets from hardening and shows how changing learning activities and tools can change habits of thinking and learning. (Contains 30 references.) (SK)

One management class read a literary text and wrote answers to the teacher's questions. Another class discussed the text in small and large groups. Group discussion stimulated better and more creative insights than private reading. The teacher's questions inhibited responses. Discussion groups understood the relevance of literature to management;…

The University of Luton (England) delivers a management training course to countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Lessons learned in understanding different attitudes and experiences will be helpful in providing further assistance to former communist nations. (SK)

Reviews research on video in management education to identify uses. Recommends (1) using video for heightening affective arousal and responsiveness to instruction; (2) increasing comprehension from videos by having an educational objective in mind; and (3) recognizing that content comprehension is best attained through print. (SK)

A workshop on diversity issues and training was attended by 99 middle managers. Compared to 51 controls, attendees rated diversity practices and their use of them higher. The social environment indirectly affected ratings but the work environment did not. (SK)

A study of 157 small financial firms found a significant relationship between strategic management training for senior managers and the firm's level of commitment to planning, resulting in a return on investment for stockholders. (SK)

Line managers in empowering (n=58) and nonempowering (n=37) British companies were compared. Although "empowered" managers felt better equipped to supervise, they appeared undertrained and unmotivated to develop staff. "Empowerment" was often indistinguishable from work intensification. (SK)

Unlike traditional management development, use of conversations in coaching high-performance work teams addresses core processes of speaking and listening. Management of conversations aims to create learning that will lead to breakthroughs in team performance. (SK)

A literature review on motivation and cognitive style and a survey of participants in management development suggests that participants' motivation may not be conducive to effective outcomes. In-house programs using workplace learning models in organizations with strong and pervasive cultures may constrain opportunities to put learning into…

Considers how crisis situations can cause internal and external stakeholders to question the legitimacy of organizations. Notes that when faced with a crisis, organizations are compelled to communicate strategically with stakeholders to manage legitimacy. Synthesizes literature on organizational legitimacy, crisis management, and niche-width…

Two projects attempted to assess and meet small and medium-sized enterprises' training needs. Britain's Learning support for Small Businesses delivery methods included paper, CD-ROM, and the Internet. The University of Limerick, Ireland, offered face-to-face learning for microenterprises. (SK)

Managers (n=261) completed instruments measuring the effects of organization-based self esteem on their development when facing job challenges. Those with low self-esteem were more sensitive to challenging job experiences. As challenges increased, perceptions of overall development increased. (Contains 40 references.) (SK)

A survey of 98 participants and 9 instructors in management training in a British government agency showed that trainees frequently sought information about their performance. Although feedback seeking was an important part of training, instructors tended to overestimate the frequency with which they provided feedback. (Contains 42 references.)…

The Maharishi University of Management locates transcendental consciousness at the basis of the universe, experienced through transcendental meditation. Disciplines are taught as expressions of one unified field of consciousness. Research demonstrates the benefits of this integrated system for management education students. (SK)