After a brief introduction offering three reasons people and institutions hesitate to commit themselves to a continuing process of "self-study-in-action," four types of administrative leadership activities are distinguished, those that: (1) respond to external emergencies/opportunities, (2) accomplish role-defined tasks, (3) define and implement a major initiative, and (4) encourage institutional self-study. A detailed description of the first year of the self-study process at Boston College's School of Management (Massachusetts) is presented, including a summary of three initial faculty research seminars, a discussion of postseminar "effectiveness" interviews, an examination of the validity of the feedback process, and an outline of the collaborative inquiry model of science. A subsequent discussion of the self-study process's second year provides a progress report on the newly implemented core curriculum and describes one particular "Integrative Activity" session that focused on the business management program's ability to generate an institutional environment that is inquiring, responsible, and effective. The long-term commitment needed to successfully establish a program of institutional self-study and collaborative inquiry is also emphasized. (JBM)