How top-level managers develop: a field study

摘要

There is a lot of discussion in most organizations about management development and performance improvement in the management ranks ... the discussion gets noticeably quiet when it gets to the ranks of top management (A. Senior, VP Human Resources). There is a great deal of discussion these days about the need for rapid organizational learning and continuous improvement, as growth in global markets creates unprecedented competition around the world. The increased demand to get better results requires that top-level managers continue to develop and improve or change the way they lead and manage their enterprises. This raises an interesting and critically important research question: How do top-level managers continue their development/performance improvement, once they have reached the highest levels of their organizations? The purpose of the research study is to investigate this very issue from the perspective of top managers in the field.