Action Learning: A Missing Link in Management Development?

Seeks to provide an overview of the development of the concept of management competence in the context of management learning. Briefly describes the competence approaches to management development of Boyatzis and the Management Charter Initiative (MCI). Identifies and discusses a number of critical standpoints. Evaluates the utility of the competence approach against some empirical observations of a practical application and presents some reservations and reflections regarding the process and outcomes. Finally, considers the role of action learning,arguing that it can provide a link between competence approaches and organizational development.