Concerned about improving beginning principals' professional development, the Minnesota Administrators' Academy initiated an administrative mentoring program in the early 1990s. A recent evaluation found that successful mentoring relationships involved mutually respectful pairs that met at least monthly and participated in various activities…

Although leadership is viewed as a complex interaction between the leader and the social environment, this lesson is frequently ignored in personnel selection and leadership training. We cannot make leaders more intelligent or more creative, but we can design situations that allow leaders to use their intellectual abilities, expertise, and…

Alternatives to master of business administration courses for construction industry managers are portfolios for assessing workplace competence, coaching and mentoring through networks or learning partnerships with master builders, and action learning to attain formal accreditation. These methods can attract small builders and contractors who are…

Survey responses from 50 United Kingdom and 40 continental Europe business schools and 71 U.K. business students revealed that far more European than U.K. schools think foreign languages are integral to business administration education and that international business training is heavily Anglocentric. Students' opinions were closer to those of…

Describes a postgraduate total quality leadership program developed for Rover, a British auto manufacturer, and accredited by Liverpool John Moores University. Identifies managerial and educational quality issues. (SK)

Management development programs should be considered a way to reenergize organizations. Their effectiveness should be measured by managers' intention to use new knowledge. Barriers to new actions should be minimized and the practice of new actions/skills reinforced so they become continuous and long term. (SK)

A study assessed the impact of interpersonal skills training on top managers (n=252) by analyzing feedback from subordinates. The skills most responsive to training had clear objectives and outcome criteria and could be expressed as step-by-step routines. Soft skills were more difficult to improve in this way. (Contains 62 references.) (JOW)

A case study of a small high-tech business explains how they created a virtual cluster of innovation through supply networks, enhancing their own learning and facilitating integration of knowledge. This process overcomes limitations to management learning for small companies in isolated regions. (Contains 66 references.) (SK)

An instrument to measure learner readiness for online environments (Management Education by Internet Readiness Scale) was tested with 185 students. Psychometric analysis supported the existence of three dimensions: technological mastery, course flexibility, and course quality. (Contains 93 references.) (SK)

Of 247 graduates of a management and organizational development program, 188 identified themselves as leaders; 155 responded to a survey of learning outcomes. Only 3 of 27 outcomes were frequently applied in their work (communication skills, flexibility to adapt to change, and adjustment to organizational culture). (Contains 63 references.) (SK)

Eleven articles focus on issues surrounding employer investment in training in Britain. Topics include employee induction, flexible lifelong learning, workplace learning partnerships, retention through training, management development, cooperation with competitors, technician career paths to management, online learning in small businesses, and…

In focus groups, state administrators suggested management development needs in four skill areas: general administration and organization, technical and quantitative, analytical and conceptual, and human skills. Participants wanted training immediately applicable to the job and delivery conductive to adult learning. A seven-level curriculum was…

Explains executive coaching, which is traditionally focused on individual executives, and how it can help align individual development with an organization's strategic goals. Describes a counseling model of identifying an individual's goals, challenges, and development needs and then helping him or her gain insight on how to address these needs.…

Examines the current (inadequate) system of initial preparation and inservice development for school leaders and suggests potential ameliorative strategies. University programs are badly tarnished, from student recruitment practices to curriculum content and employment certification procedures. Establishing a professional knowledge base and…

Introduces a special section focusing on the knowledge and skills required of tomorrow's school principals. Articles will concentrate on curriculum and instruction, school culture and climate, legal and resource management concerns, use of technology, commitment and leadership skills, change process, organization and staff development, and…