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The purpose of this paper is to draw on empirical data to interrogate the correlation between participation in leadership development programmes by individual leaders and the ability of higher education institutions to learn organisationally from such participation.

Applying a multi-stakeholder perspective, this paper focuses on the experiences of both senior and entry-level university managers and how these are connected systematically to institutional climates and structures conducive to learning.

There is a tendency for vice chancellors, directors of human resources and other senior managers to identify participants to sponsor programmes without putting in place mechanisms and cultural processes to incorporate their individual learning into organisational improvement.

The paper raises questions as to how societal needs are served by the organisational behaviours of universities with respect to developing leaders, and what higher institutions might do differently to increase the impact of developing leaders on their organisations. Suggested approaches include facilitating constructive dialogue in an experimental, reflective environment and integrating action learning and mentoring into institutional practices.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the working practices and outcomes of an action research project in a specialist organisation engaged in the field of leadership development. The intention of the project was to enable the company involved to become a stronger learning organisation at a time when it was developing a future strategy.

The paper uses a case study approach to describe and analyse a three-stage process involving the use of a focus group, organisational climate survey and voluntary action learning sets. Interviews with participants are analysed thematically in order to assess the impact of the action research project on the organisation’s culture.

Participation by the majority of the Leadership Foundation’s staff in action learning and related opportunities for feedback within the organisation helped move its culture towards wider participation in strategy development and a whole organisation approach to working. Other organisations wishing to build collaborative working cultures can learn from the implications of the project, particularly those concerning the need to attend to the intended outcomes of action learning and the role of skilled, critical facilitators in action learning processes.

The paper is innovative in that it explores practitioner-led action research work in a setting of leadership and organisational development. It will interest leaders and managers who seek to build learning organisations, as well as organisational developers with an interest in enhancing the impact of action learning.

Since the advent of digital activism, a lot of scholarly attention has been paid to the use of the internet, especially in Africa, for effecting changes in authoritarian rule. This chapter extends the work done by such scholars focusing on the work of African digital feminist activists, thus adding to the growing body of work on digital feminist activism. Drawing on interviews and analyses of digital material produced by four different feminist groups in Ghana, this chapter explores the variety of ideas that such digital feminists express, and the manner in which such ideas are received by the larger Ghanaian society. It argues that, indeed, digital feminists are making a positive impact on the larger Ghanaian society. While these digital feminists are subjected to cyberbullying, there are also many ways in which other individuals, both Ghanaian and otherwise are showing support for these women and their ideas. Increasingly, with particular reference to the newest of these groups, it is clear that they have institutional support for their views as evident in public and private organizations sanctioning employees or associates whose digital language they have critiqued. As with activism targeted at authoritarianism, digital activism targeted at patriarchy gets results, changing mindsets and penalizing sexist behaviors.

Through a literature review, this paper demonstrates that there is a lack of knowledge about quality management within the mental health services. Ideas about quality from the wider services sector are then discussed, and a case study of a mental health scenario is provided. It is argued that health services generally, and mental health services in particular, have much to gain from becoming more closely aligned with the wider field of knowledge of quality management. Concludes that the wider techniques of managing service quality may prove useful, particularly in mental health services, due to the nature of such services and their inherent variability.

Some of the best entrepreneurs fail early and often. Less talented or less committed entrepreneurs do not even get a second chance. Failure and setbacks, however, can be instructive.What lessons can be learned from these experiences? How can the entrepreneur (and investors) navigate around the potholes on the New Venture Highway? Read on.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

Presents suggested titles for libraries to obtain, selected from the 2001 Poets House Showcase at which 1,300 books of poetry from various publishers were displayed. Suggests a further source of information in this field.

Survey respondents are compared on strategic tourism planning issues in Banff, Alberta, and Niagara Falls (Ontario and New York). Findings reveal areas of consensus and disagreement in perceptions of issues and preferences for strategies. Three specific issues are considered: the destination life cycle concept, capacity, and destination image. Conclusions are drawn on how public and private‐sector cooperation on destination planning can be fostered when significant differences in perception and preference occur.