Relative Values: Qualification Programmes or Non‐assessed Development?

Explores the differences between two categories of in‐company management development programme: those that offer participants a nationally recognized qualification and those that are not assessed. The argument is made that certificating a programme will lead to different forms of experience and outcome for the participants and for the organization and believes that it is important for clients and providers to be aware of these differences when engaged in selecting, planning and running a management development programme if maximum benefit from the investment is to be gained. A tentative contingency theory is outlined.