1,557
Views
34
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Articles

Leadership development in SMEs: an action learning approach

, &
Pages 243-263 | Received 12 Jun 2009, Published online: 30 Nov 2009

References

  • Ackerloff , G. A. and Kranton , R. E. 2000 . Economics and identity . Quarterly Journal of Economics , 105 ( 3 ) : 715 – 53 .
  • Almio-Metcalfe , B. and Alban-Metcalfe , J. 2005 . Leadership: Time for a new direction? . Leadership , 1 ( 1 ) : 51 – 71 .
  • Andrade , A. D. 2009 . Interpretive research aiming at theory building: Adopting and adapting the case study design . Qualitative Report , 14 ( 1 ) : 42 – 60 .
  • Argyris , D. A. 1987 . “ Reasoning, action strategies, and defensive routines: The case of OD practitioners ” . In Research in organizational change and development , Edited by: Woodman , R. A. and Pasmore , A. A. Greenwich : JAI Press . Vol. 1
  • Arts Council of England . 2006 . Introducing the cultural leadership programme , London : Arts Council England .
  • Benchmark Research . 2006 . Strategic tool or just nice to have? The role of executive education in the UK , Oxford : Saïd Business School .
  • Bennis , W. 1994 . On becoming a leader , Cambridge : Persus Books .
  • Blum , M. E. 2009 . “ Self-defined leadership: Exploring family history to enhance future leadership ” . In Global leadership: Portraits of the past, visions for the future , Edited by: Harvey , M. and Danelo Barbour , J. A. University of Maryland, MD : The James Mac Gregor Burns Academy of Leadership .
  • Boud , D. and Garrick , J. 1999 . Understanding learning at work , Edited by: Boud , D. and Garrick , J. London : Routledge .
  • Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform . 2008 . National statistics: Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and deregistrations in 2007, no. URN 08/111 , London: Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .
  • Bryman , A. 2004 . Qualitative research on leadership: A critical but appreciative review . Leadership Quarterly , 15 : 729 – 69 .
  • Clarke , J. , Thorpe , R. , Anderson , L. and Gold , J. 2006 . It's all action, it's all learning: Action learning in SMEs . Journal of European Industrial Training , 30 ( 6 ) : 441 – 55 .
  • Coglister , C. C. and Brigham , K. H. 2004 . The intersection of leadership and entrepreneurship: Mutual lessons to be learnt . Leadership Quarterly , 15 : 771 – 99 .
  • Collinson , D. and Grint , K. 2005 . Editorial: The leadership agenda . Leadership , 1 ( 1 ) : 5 – 9 .
  • Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership . 2002 . Managers and leaders: Raising our game , London : Report for Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership .
  • Daily , C. M. , McDougall , P. P. , Covin , J. G. and Dalton , D. R. 2002 . Governance and strategic leadership in entrepreneurial firms . Journal of Management , 28 : 387 – 412 .
  • Dalley , J. and Hamilton , B. 2000 . Knowledge, context and learning in the small business . International Small Business Journal , 18 ( 3 ) : 51 – 9 .
  • Deakins , D. and Freel , M. 1998 . Entrepreneurial learning and the growth process in SMEs . Learning Organisation , 5 ( 3 ) : 144 – 55 .
  • Denzin , N. and Lincoln , Y. 2005 . The Sage handbook of qualitative research , Edited by: Denzin , N. and Lincoln , Y. Newbury Park, CA : Sage . 3rd ed
  • Dierkes , M. , Antal , A. B. , Child , J. and Nonaka , I. 2001 . Organizational learning and knowledge , Edited by: Dierkes , M. , Antal , A. B. , Child , J. and Nonaka , I. Oxford : Oxford University Press .
  • Eggers , J. and Smilor , R. W. 1996 . “ Leadership skills of entrepreneurs: Resolving paradoxes and enhancing the practices of leadership growth ” . In Leadership and entrepreneurship , Edited by: Smilor , R. W. and Sexton , D. L. Westport, CT : Quorum Books .
  • Falck , O. , Heblich , S. and Ludemann , E. 2009 . Identity and entrepreneurship CESIFO Working Paper No. 2661, no. Category 4, Labour Markets
  • Florén , H. and Tell , J. 2004 . The emergent prerequisites of managerial learning in small firm networks . Leadership and Organization Development Journal , 25 ( 3 ) : 292 – 307 .
  • Fox , S. 2009 . Following the action in action learning: Towards ethnomethodological studies of critical action learning . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 6 ( 1 ) : 5 – 16 .
  • Gold , J. and Devins , D. 2002 . Social constructionism: A theoretical framework to underpin support for the development of managers in SMEs? . Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development , 9 ( 2 ) : 111 – 9 .
  • Grint , K. 2007 . Learning to lead: Can Aristotle help us find the road to wisdom? . Leadership , 3 ( 2 ) : 231 – 46 .
  • Gupta , V. , MacMillan , I. C. and Surie , I. 2004 . Entrepreneurial leadership: Developing and measuring a cross-cultural construct . Journal of Business Venturing , 19 : 241 – 60 .
  • Harrison , R. T. and Leitch , C. M. 2005 . “ Action learning for management development: Lessons from a leadership development program ” . In Educating managers through realworld projects , Edited by: Wankel , C. and DeFillippi , R. Greenwich, CT : Information Age .
  • Harrison , R. T. and Leitch , C. M. 2008 . Entrepreneurial learning: Conceptual frameworks and applications , Edited by: Harrison , R. T. and Leitch , C. M. London: Routledge .
  • Heifetz , R. A. and Linsky , M. 1994 . Leadership without easy answers , Cambridge, MA : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press .
  • Hunter , S. T. , Bedell-Avers , K. E. and Mumford , M. D. 2007 . The typical leadership study: Assumptions, implication and potential remedies . Leadership Quarterly , 18 ( 5 ) : 435 – 46 .
  • Iles , P. and Preece , D. 2006 . Developing leaders or developing leadership? The Academy of Chief Executives’ programme in the north east of England . Leadership , 2 ( 3 ) : 317 – 40 .
  • Inglis , S. 1994 . Making the most of action learning , Aldershot, Hants : Gower .
  • Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development . 2007 . Leading enterprise and development: Report on the design and delivery of a programme to engage and motivate small businesses in leadership and management development , Lancaster, UK : Lancaster University Management School .
  • Jacobs , G. C. 2008 . The development of critical being? Reflection and reflexivity in an action learning programme for health promotion in the Netherlands . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 5 ( 3 ) : 221 – 35 .
  • Jensen , S. M. and Luthans , F. 2006 . Entrepreneurs as authentic leaders: Impact on employees’ attitudes . Leadership and Organisation Development Journal , 27 ( 8 ) : 646 – 66 .
  • Knowles , M. 1973 . The adult learner: A neglected species , Houston, TX : Honey Publications .
  • Kouzes , J. M. and Posner , B. Z. 2007 . The leadership challenge , 4 , San Francisco, CA : Jossey-Bass .
  • Küpers , W. and Weibler , J. 2008 . Inter-leadership: Why and how should we think of leadership and followership integrally? . Leadership , 4 ( 4 ) : 443 – 75 .
  • Leitch , C. M. 2007 . “ An action research approach to entrepreneurship ” . In Handbook for qualitative research metnods in entreneurship , Edited by: Neergaard , H. and Parm Ulhøi , J. Cheltenham, UK : Edward Elgar Publishing .
  • Leitch , C. M. , Hill , F. M. and Harrison , R. T. 2010 . The philosophy and practice of interpretivist research in entrepreneurship: Quality, validation and trust . Organizational Research Methods , 13, no. 1
  • Limerick , D. and Moore , L. F. 1991 . A winning relationship: Managing the student-company learning interface . Journal of Management Education , 15 : 397 – 411 .
  • Margerison , C. 2005 . Work-based action learning and applied organization science: A process for management research and organization development . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 2 ( 2 ) : 171 – 86 .
  • Mintzberg , H. 1979 . Structuring of organizations , Eaglewood Cliffs, NJ : Prentice-Hall .
  • Mitchell , R. and Shepherd , D. In press . To thine own self be true: Images of self, images of opportunity and entrepreneurial action . Journal of Business Venturing. doi.10.1016/j.jbusvent.2008.08.01 ,
  • Mumford , A. 1991 . Learning in action . Personnel Management , 23, no. 7: 37
  • Mumford , A. 2006 . Action learning: Nothing so practical as a good theory . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 3 ( 1 ) : 69 – 75 .
  • Morrison , A. 2003 . SME management and leadership development: Market re-orientation . Journal of Management Development , 22 ( 9 ) : 796 – 808 .
  • Nahapiet , J. and Ghoshal , S. 1998 . Social capital, intellectual capital and the organisational advantage . Academy of Management Review , 23 : 242 – 66 .
  • Patton , M. Q. 1990 . Qualitative evaluation and research methods , 2 , Newbury Park, CA : Sage .
  • Pawlowsky , P. , Forslin , J. and Reinhardt , R. 2001 . “ Practices and tools of organizational learning ” . In Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge , Edited by: Dierkes , M. , Berthoin , A. , Child , J. and Nonaka , I. 775 – 93 . New York : Oxford University Press .
  • Pedler , M. 1997 . “ Interpreting action learning ” . In Introducing management learning , Edited by: Burgoyne , J. and Reynolds , M. London : Sage .
  • Pedler , M. , Burgoyne , J. and Brook , C. 2005 . What has action learning learned to become? . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 2 ( 1 ) : 49 – 68 .
  • Perren , L. and Grant , P. 2001 . Management and leadership in UK SMEs: Witness testimonies from the world of entrepreneurs and SME managers , London : Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership .
  • Pierce , J. L. and Newstrom , J. W. 2000 . Leaders and the leadership process , Boston, MA : McGraw-Hill .
  • Powells , J. A. and Houghton , J. 2008 . Action learning as a core process for SME business support . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 5 ( 2 ) : 173 – 84 .
  • Rae , D. 2005 . Entrepreneurial learning: A narrative-based conceptual model . Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development , 12 ( 3 ) : 323 – 35 .
  • Rae , D. 2004 . Practical theories from entrepreneurs’ stories: Discursive approaches to entrepreneurial learning . Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development , 11 ( 2 ) : 195 – 202 .
  • Rae , D. and Carswell , M. 2001 . Towards a conceptual understanding of entrepreneurial learning . Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development , 8 ( 2 ) : 150 – 8 .
  • Raelin , J. A. 1994 . Whither management education? Professional education, action learning and beyond . Management Learning , 25 ( 2 ) : 301 – 17 .
  • Raelin , J. A. and Raelin , J. D. 2006 . Developmental action learning: Toward collaborative change . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 3 ( 1 ) : 45 – 67 .
  • Reason , P. 1999 . Integrating action and reflection through co-operative inquiry . Management Learning , 30 ( 2 ) : 207 – 26 .
  • Revans , R. 1980 . Action learning: New techniques for management , London : Blond and Briggs .
  • Revans , R. 1983 . The ABC of action learning , Bromley, Kent : Chartwell-Bratt .
  • Rigg , C. and Trehan , K. 2004 . Reflections on working with critical action learning . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 1 ( 2 ) : 149 – 65 .
  • Rimanoczy , I. and Brown , C. 2008 . Bringing action reflection into action learning . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 5 ( 2 ) : 185 – 92 .
  • Rockwood Leadership Institute . 2006 . The Rockwood leadership program www.rockwoodfund.org/pdfs/Rockwood_Exec_Summ.pdf. Berkeley, CA: Rockwood Leadership Program
  • Rogers , C. and Freiberg , H. 1994 . Freedom to learn , New York : Maxwell Macmillan .
  • Rowlands , B. 2005 . Grounded in practice: Using interpretive research to build theory . Electronic Journal of Business Research Methodology , 3 ( 1 ) : 81 – 92 .
  • Rubin , H. and Rubin , I. 2005 . Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data , 2 , London : Sage .
  • Ruef , M. , Aldrich , H. E. and Carter , N. 2003 . The structure of founding teams: Homophily, strong ties, and isolation among US entrepreneurs . American Sociological Review , 68 : 195 – 225 .
  • Simpson , P. and Bourner , T. 2007 . What action learning is not in the twenty-first century . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 4 ( 2 ) : 173 – 87 .
  • Stewart , J-A. 2009 . Evaluation of an action learning programme for leadership development of SME leaders in the UK . Action Learning: Research and Practice , 6 ( 2 ) : 131 – 48 .
  • Taylor , D. W. and Thorpe , R. 2004 . Entrepreneurial learning: A process of co-participation . Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development , 11 ( 2 ) : 203 – 11 .
  • Vecchio , R. P. 2003 . Entrepreneurship and leadership: Common trends and common threads . Human Resources Management Review , 13 : 303 – 27 .
  • Weinstein , K. 1995 . Action learning: A journey in discovery and development , London : HarperCollins .
  • Yukl , G. 2008 . How leaders influence organizational effectiveness . Leadership Quarterly , 19 ( 6 ) : 708 – 22 .
  • Zuber-Skerritt , O. 1995 . Developing a learning organization through management education by action learning . Learning Organization , 2 ( 2 ) : 36 – 46 .

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.