Why Business Driven Action Learning?

Abstract

Business driven action learning is a term used to describe a results-focused orientation to individual leadership development and organizational learning and change. It can be summarized as integrating individual development and organizational strategy with business results. Although presently utilized by companies and organizations primarily in executive leadership development programmes, it can be adopted for ‘just-in-time’ learning and for just about any process or context where learning is tied to producing results and behavioural change. It can involve many different levels within the organization, from Chairman and CEO to supervisor and shopfloor personnel, and also include those formally outside the company—suppliers, customers and stakeholders such as government regulators. And it is not just for multinationals or large companies; it can be used very effectively by small and medium-sized businesses, and in the public and not-for-profit sectors. Figure 3.1 gives some indication of how and in what context business driven action learning can be used in an organization.