Towards a Systems Approach to Executive Development

Abstract

There is a growing awareness among major corporations that executive and organizational development activities have a very important role to play in the creation of learning‐based competitive capabilities. Presents a perspective on this emerging role based on the authors′ research and years of experience in the field of executive development. Outlines a new and critical role for executive development in the strategic management process, develops a first stage model for integrating executive development into an organization′s strategic planning system, and presents a case study example of a firm engaged in a systems approach to executive development.