In this polemical essay, Professor Russ Vince argues that it is important to understand the contradictions that can be generated by action learning. This method is a powerful and effective approach to managers' learning that can underpin transformations of management practice. However, any...

The theme of this paper is a discussion of the relationship between action learning and organizational learning. The main argument is that action learning has been understood in terms of the impact that it can have within the organization, and that, in addition, it is important to ask—what is...

The theme of this article is the future of learning in public organizations. It outlines a way of thinking that might underpin learning, and argues that, by the year 2010, public organizations could develop a radical approach to organizational learning that would make the concept more meaningful...

This paper seeks to improve our understanding of the emotional and political dynamics that are generated (and too often avoided) in action learning. The idea at the centre of the paper is a distinction between ‘learning-in-action’ and ‘learning inaction’. The phrase...

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline an alternative view of leadership development that acknowledges the likelihood of unintended and contradictory outcomes in leadership work. Helping leaders to engage with contradictions is as important as developing their positive capabilities. A...

Purpose: This paper aims to describe and discuss the idea of the learning organisation as a paradox and to explore the implications of this idea for improving the longevity and influence of the learning organisation concept. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents qualitative data drawn...

The aim of this paper is to add to existing work on the theme of power, emotion, and organizational learning. The study was undertaken in Kazakhstan, where tensions between old and new regimes provide an environment that is rich in emotion and power/politics; and offer an opportunity to study...

The theme of this paper is the relationship between emotion, management and organization, specifically, how emotions are transformed by rationalizations, and vice versa. It is argued that managers' tendency to rationalize emotion creates additional "emotional" dynamics, and that these provide...

The aim of this paper is to add to existing work on the theme of power, emotion, and organizational learning. The study was undertaken in Kazakhstan, where tensions between old and new regimes provide an environment that is rich in emotion and power/politics; and offer an opportunity to study...