Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how a medium sized business has addressed what it has termed a "push-pull" method of management and organization development, based around an action learning approach. Design/methodology/approach: The paper sets out a methodology that other SMEs might look to replicate in their management and…

An organization's action learning program was based on five principles: real work, questioning and critical thinking, self-managed learning, embedding of learning in the organization, and group dynamics. Most participants were satisfied; more than 50% would seek formal certification based on their learning. More confidence and different approaches…

Reviews the psychological need for certainties in uncertain situations in business and the generic solutions offered by the "guru" industry. Points to action learning as a developmental method geared toward asking questions rather than providing answers. (SK)