Responding to Managers' Learning Needs in an Edge-of-Chaos Environment: Insights From Ireland

In: Journal of management education: the official publication of the Organizational Behavior Teaching Society, Band 32, Heft 2, S. 146-163

Abstract

This article considers some of the challenges faced by managers operating in rapidly changing "edge of chaos" organizations and assesses whether postgraduate education can be designed to engender the abilities and skills required in such environments. In particular, can a management development process be aligned with an educational process in order to emphasize the individual self-development and reflective capability that is crucial in rapid-change situations? The discussion of these issues is framed around the learning achieved in the design and delivery in Ireland of a postgraduate program for experienced human resource managers. The outcomes of the program suggest that it is possible to incorporate management development processes into an executive education program and that this approach has positive outcomes at individual, group, and organizational levels of learning.