A comprehensive perspective on experience‐based learning – action learning – is provided. Recent research into action learning is noted and the difficulties of introducing this method into the United States are discussed.

As a result of the many changes which have taken place in the field of management development since the 1960s, a scenario presenting the probable appearance of the discipline in the year 2000 is presented, with evidence from the past and present to support it.

The case is forcibly stated for a new style of management focused on the needs, expectations and participation of health care employees at all levels. Only collaborative teamwork is seen to be appropriate to developing the levels of effectiveness needed for those health care organisations...

US National Park Service personnel are resistant to training programmes derived from business and industry. The circumstances leading to development of a customised training programme are described – in particular the development and presentation of a simulation which was a key feature.

The problems facing many US health care organisations may prove critical for survival for many of them. The article outlines the nature of the problems: increased patient demands, tensions among personnel, technological innovation, cost‐conscious purchasers of care, the need to improve...

Meetings called/attended by US business people in the course of their duties are examined in the light of: time spent, productiveness or otherwise, theoretical and actual productiveness, functional group differences, comparison of male and female attitudes, comparative weakness of finance groups...

In this article a definition of “succession planning” is given, outlining the potential benefits and problems of implementing a succession‐planning programme in a health service organisation, and factors critical for the success of such a programme are discussed. A case study is presented...