California Management Review

Abstract

This article focuses on various approaches to management development. Today management development has proved to be a great disappointment. If a program fails, there are two alternatives, to abandon the program or to examine the reasons for its failure. Certainly, the first enthusiastic response to the idea of training programs for managers must have had some basis. Moreover, there must be some conditions under which such a program can develop managers. In many cases, management development programs have had little or no demonstrable or measurable effect on business performance or manager behavior. Several management development programs have actually caused problems and undesirable behavior. A study conducted at the International Harvester Company has demonstrated that attempts to change managerial behavior frequently result in conflict between the manager and his immediate superior when the superior does not practice the principles which the manager has been taught in a management development effort.

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