Previous editions of Action Learning in Practice established this authoritative overview of action learning around the world. Over the last decade the move towards action-based organizational learning and development has accelerated, and action learning is now an established part of the education and development mainstream in large and small organizations. Fully revised and updated, this fourth edition covers the origins of action learning with Reg Revans' ideas, and looks at their development and application today. Action learning is self-directed learning through tackling business and work problems with the support of peers and colleagues. A professional and diverse workforce, attracted, influenced and developed in this way is more able to deal effectively with the growing complexity and pressures of working life. As the limits of conventional training and development become more obvious, leaders are increasingly attracted to action-based approaches to learning when seeking better outcomes and returns on investment.
Biography
Mike Pedler is Emeritus Professor of Action Learning at Henley Management School and a partner in Action Learning for Service Improvement (ALSI) and the Centre for Action Learning Facilitation (Calf). He works with commercial, voluntary and public sector client organisations and is known for his work on self-development, leadership, network development and the learning organisation. Mike has written and co-authored many books and articles, including A Managers Guide to Leadership: An action learning approach McGraw-Hill, 2010 and Action Learning for Managers, Gower 2008. He is Co-Editor of Action Learning: Research & Practice - the first international journal for action learning from Informa.
’...the 35 chapters of the fourth edition of Action Learning in Practice consolidate efforts to establish an authoritative work that maps how action-based organizational learning and development has evolved up until the first decade of the twenty-first century. The book is extremely useful for many types of audiences. For those who want to practice action learning, there are multiple chapters that offer important insights and questions for deliberation. For those who seek to study action learning for academic purposes, the chapters contain a thorough review of the state of the practice of action learning across countries and organizations.’ Gilmar Masiero, Vision Journal 'Arguably, when it first appeared, the idea of action learning was ahead of its time. Now, in an age that demands that organizations be characterized by informed, rational and systematic action, perhaps its time has come. This new edition of an well-regarded volume on the topic may well, therefore, turn out to be its most important edition, with much of its material either new or substantially reworked. This volume will surely be an invaluable resource for all those leading and managing organizations in the twenty-first century.' Ronald Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education, Institute of Education, London, UK ’This is a first-class source for those interested in action learning - this being a long established self-directed process for tackling business and work problems in learning sets with peers and colleagues. The book opens with highly readable seminal texts, and progresses from such introductory material to different approaches, examples, and questioning of theorising. A powerful resource whatever the reader’s starting point. If this book’s content may well be relevant to your work, I suggest you buy your own copy.’ British Journal of Educational Technology
