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One of the defining characteristics of higher education is the expectation that undergraduates will exercise some responsibility for the management of their learning. In the UK and elsewhere student self‐managed learning has become more salient due to resource constraints and the increasing emphasis on equipping students with what they need to become lifelong learners. At the same time, as a result of widening access policies, developments in compulsory education systems and changing lifestyles, undergraduates appear less well prepared to cope with the demands of self‐managed learning than might have been the case in the past. The problem is further compounded by the diversity of view amongst academic staff concerning the extent and nature of the support, which they should provide in this respect. Although the need for support will vary between institutions, all are faced, to a greater or lesser extent, with the challenge of ensuring that their learning and teaching strategies take account of the contingencies of self‐managed learning

Examines the use of Guglielmino′s Self‐directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) by two major corporations to assess the appropriateness of self‐managed learning systems for a given population of employees. Provides a recommendation for an improved methodology for companies which are considering self‐managed learning systems.

Three consultants in ICL′s corporate HRD unit speak from their experience of self‐managed learning. They ask “Can self‐development provide people with sufficient confidence in their own future to engender a positive attitude to corporate change?” Three key points are illustrated with examples taken from their own experience in ICL: develop yourself to develop others; help others learn the values of self‐managed learning – don′t tell them; be flexible at all times, including the design of solutions. Concludes that self development has a lot to offer – real, relevant, individual development dovetailed into the business needs of the developing organization. There is still much to learn, but their experience in ICL is positive and encouraging. They believe it is right for these “empowering” times, and can indeed help people develop sufficient confidence in their own future to engender a positive attitude towards the inevitable and essential corporate change.

This study aims to explore a self-managed action learning (SMAL) initiative undertaken by social work assessors in England, which led to insights into the practice of SMAL.

The paper draws upon the experience of the authors in relation to an actual SMAL intervention in a social care context in England.

The paper suggests that, in contrast to extant literature, it is not the absence of an “expert” facilitator, which has proved to be most challenging but rather dealing with the practicalities of managing inter-organisational sets online. Specific individual and inter-organisational learning came about as a result of the SMAL initiative, including the implementation of inter-organisational networking to support isolated assessors.

The ideas and perspectives discussed in this paper will be explored through further empirical research.

The paper illustrates how SMAL can be implemented and suggests how it can facilitate organisational and individual learning.

The paper discusses an initiative with the aim of better supporting assessors of newly qualified social workers; a task of enormous importance to the future of social work practice in England.

The paper contributes to a limited literature on the practice of SMAL. The uniqueness comes from both the multi-organisational aspect of the programme, that it is self-managed and delivered virtually.

This is the first in a series of three articles which evaluate the use of self‐managed learning (SML) in management development processes in health care settings. This first article, being more general, outlines SML′s philosophical origins, strategic design, and current practice. SML represents a strategic approach to individual and organizational learning, which offers a new synthesis of previous ideas and approaches. Its proven benefits relate to the way in which the process of learning is designed to mirror the process of managing. The second article focuses specifically on a regional NHS case study of the application of SML, while the third provides a complementary US case study in a health care provider organization, where SML has been adopted for a leadership development programme.

The purpose of this viewpoint is to argue a case for self‐managed learning in organizations.

The piece is based on research carried out by Strategic Developments International on organizational learning.

The paper discovers standard assumptions by many trainers about what they need to do are shown to be faulty.

Organizations can look at their own practice and assess if they are responding to knowledge about learning.Originality/valueThe use of Quantum Theory as an exemplar of a paradigm shift is unique in the context of articles on organizational learning. The value of the paper is also apparent in its challenge to misguided organizational practices.

Discusses critically some of the misconceptions of self‐managed learning enshrined in arguments propounded by traditionalist management educators unsympathetic to current trends in strategic learning. Offers a rationale for extending strategic approaches to learning in terms of “pragmatic maturity” in response to an increasingly complex world.

Evaluates the use of self‐managed learning (SML) in management development processes in health‐care settings. Focuses on the application of SML to region‐wide management development initiatives in the South West Thames Region of the UK National Health Service (NHS) from the late 1980s onwards.

Discusses, in this special issue, material grouped under four main headings: tomorrow’s executive challenges; effective organizational learning; the virtual university model; and effective training capabilities. The items included are brief and to the point allowing the reader to take on board ranges of ideas and issues. Includes studies on IKEA; mentoring; Whitbread; Polaroid; BAA; Sema Group; Starbucks and McDonalds, among others.

Interest and investment in leadership development continues to grow at a considerable pace, where organizations view it as an important source of competitive advantage. Over the years research into leadership has moved from concerns with supervisory leadership (leadership in the organization) to strategic leadership (leadership of the organization). With the creation of what have been termed the “new leadership” theories, from the 1980s onwards we have had the promotion of concepts such as transformational, charismatic and visionary leadership.