Editorial

Citation

Gimson, A. (2012), "Editorial", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 26 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2012.08126eaa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 26, Issue 5

Global economic uncertainty continues – some economies still in crisis, some stabilizing and some surging ahead. Whatever the local economic climate, organizations are searching for ways to create a culture that enables all staff to fully engage and get behind the organization’s purpose and strategies. This issue offers a number of perspectives on how L&D might add value to this aim.

We begin with the Viewpoint. Clive Wilson shares his experience of developing programs that bring together three often separate strands – strategic alignment, engaging staff and developing talent. His health warnings around what can go wrong are also useful.

How would you describe the innovation culture of your particular country? Magdolna Csath has conducted some interesting research into the lack of innovation in Hungarian SMEs. Her conclusions around the importance of learning make for compelling reading.

The increased recognition of the importance of informal learning rather than “trainer centric” modes is recognized in the article by Russell Wordsworth, Sanna Malinen and Martyn Sloman. They propose a partnership model rather than a systematic model (e.g. ADDIE) to facilitate alignment between what individuals might be learning and what the organization needs them to learn.

We all know that most people leave managers, not organizations. We know that managers play a crucial role in setting the climate in which people will (or will not) go that extra mile. What are the key capabilities and skills we can help managers to develop? Randall Bandura and Paul Lyons provide some useful advice based on the concept of voluntary, helpful organizational behavior.

And then there is technology. The opportunities that present themselves through “cloud-based learning” are immense, but many L&D teams are still hesitant to engage with this rapidly developing technology. Vanessa Ratten provides a useful summary of what is happening in the “cloud” together with a checklist of questions you might ask yourself before you get going.

Our first two review articles also explore aspects of this phenomenon. In “Going virtual: technology’s impact on learning,” we hear about exciting developments in learning for young people (check out the Khan Academy) as well as how accountants are using Second Life for their learning. “E learning and Web 2.0: transforming higher education in Africa” outlines the extent to which learning and Web 2.0 technologies are being utilized to support learning and teaching in Africa’s higher learning institutions.

We finish with “Relevant development: effective leadership training,” which draws from a number of leadership development examples including the US military, General Electric, Pepsico and the UK organization, The National Grid.

Looking forward to the next issue, our last for 2012, we focus on creativity in higher education, drawing in part from the best of the presentations at the CAL4INO Conference held in Finland earlier this year. It promises to be an enlightening read.

Anne Gimsonbased at Strategic Developments International, UK. E-mail: anne@stratdevint.com