Business Driven Action Learning

The contributors to this book are from US and European multinationals and consultants who have been directly involved in integrating strategic business issues on the agendas of their top executives with the education and development of their best people. They have done this through business driven action learning executive programs and processes. The key assumption of business driven action learning is that in today's competitive environment, individual and organizational learning must be greater than the rate of change. Business driven action learning is used by companies to explore and implement business opportunities, gain useful insights from outside the company, change company direction and culture, and develop both individual and group learning skills of high potentials and senior executives. This volume has gathered together some of the world's best practices. Business driven action learning differs from the more classical forms of action learning developed by the Reg Revans school in the UK, and later by the action reflection approach, because it ensures that a business focus is maintained while at the same time integrating individual executive development and teamwork skills. Among the company experiences described in detail are those from DaimlerChrysler, Dow, Dupont, General Electric, Heineken, Hoffman La Roche, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola, Philips, Shell, Siemens and Volkswagen among others. The second part of the book deals with facilitating and enhancing business driven action learning and includes some checklists and guidelines on coordination and teamwork. A comprehensive guide to sources and further reading on action learning completes the volume.