This article compares the humour used in university and corporate training programmes and discusses survey implications. Based on a survey of 183 university business professors and 243 corporate trainers, both groups were found to use similar types of humour (e.g. short stories, exaggeration),...

US National Park Service personnel are resistant to training programmes derived from business and industry. The circumstances leading to development of a customised training programme are described – in particular the development and presentation of a simulation which was a key feature.

The management development specialist, local or international, must understand Africa′s historical background in order to contribute effectively to the continent′s current management development needs. Important elements of management development in pre‐colonial Africa, from which lessons...

The problems facing hospitals are outlined as they attempt to survive in a turbulent environment. One solution to coping with organisational crisis is downsizing. However, there are often negative effects on human resources when an organisation conducts a reduction in force. In this article, a...

Simulation is a powerful analytical technique that plays a role in the development of managers′ problem‐solving and decision‐making skills as well as those skills related to effecting organisational change and dealing with the dynamics of organisational behaviour. An overview is presented...

The relationship between culture and management development in the South East Asian state of Brunei is examined. The natures of cultural and organisational values in Brunei are found to be similar to those of other countries in the region. Brunei′s cultural orientations are shown to cause...

With managers anxious to develop competitive advantages with new global allies, and with manufacturers moving offshore in search of lower costs and foreign scale economies, it is important to develop an international business strategy vision to cope with a rapidly developing global economy. This...

Management development is largely expensive but cost has not been properly assessed and the relevance of most programmes has not been calculated. Management development is largely educational. Suggestions are made regarding what could be measured as outcomes: employee morale, increased...

“Natural” and “managed” management development are contrasted, with the latter guiding the attempt by a large North American financial service to answer the question, “What can we do to develop our managers most effectively?” In‐depth interviews with a stratified sample of managers...

During the 1980s, much criticism surfaced regarding the need for managers and executives to be more effectively prepared for their roles and responsibilities. Graduate business schools were identified as one source which needed to improve because a business degree often represents a significant...