Mapping Management Development Practice

Research on management development has been characterized by broad surveys of training activity, in–depth analyses of development methods and, more occasionally, attempts to evaluate the impact of training investment. The result is a fragmentary picture of management development practice, providing incomplete insight into why certain policies and activities succeed or fail. Drawing upon a large sample of those responsible for human resource development in their organizations, this paper proposes a theoretical framework which attempts to identify the key variables in a more coherent and comprehensive manner. The HRM context of a firm is found to be highly responsible for the management development processes it adopts; the amount of training undertaken is largely determined by priority, and, in turn, amount is the key determinant of perceived success.