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Action learning: New technique for management
98
Long
Range
Planning
Vol. 14
April
section on methods of Investment Appraisal is interesting and we learn that DCF methods are the most popular (43 per cent). As regards the results on forecasting, many of them are unsurprising, e.g. ‘The great majority of forecasting companies prepared only forecasts of Profit and Loss Balance Sheet, Cash and Capital Expenditure, the largest number (over 90 per cent) preparing Profit and Loss Forecasts.’ Nor is it surprising to learn that relatively few companies (28 per cent) used a computer for their forecasting. The responsibility for forecasting preparation was within the accounting and finance function in over three-quarters of the companies and if the Company Secretary’s function is included also, the figure rises to almost 90 per cent. Where companies analyse more than one factor Sales Volume/Demand was by far the most popular (80 per cent), the next most frequently cited being Costs (37 per cent). There is an interesting section on Sources of Information, External Sources being ranked of ‘moderate to slight importance’ with Government Departments/Bodies last of all. This may suggest that, as your reviewer has found, the companies concerned have not developed their external management information systems to anything like the degree of their internal management information systems, and this is of course a characteristic of companies who are unaware of the advantages of, or prefer not to engage in, long-range planning. Undoubtedly the results will be of most interest to accountants, but not without value for planners. The author does not go into the nature of forecasting techniques or the types of computer modelling used and presumably this is consistent with his modest exploratory objective. However, it might have been of interest if some of the valuable studies that have been done in these fields were cited. Indeed, there is no bibliography at all in the paper and this is perhaps something of an omission. J. C. HIGGINS, Director and Professor Sciences, University of Bradford
of
Management (734)
1981 part, containing four chapters, sets out some of the researches that have illuminated the growth of Action Learning. These include studies of the deficiencies of large organizations, their inability to adapt by adequate communication and learning, giving what is claimed to be a sound empirical base for the techniques. There are also four chapters in the third part which attempts to show Action Learning in its cultural, social and historical settings. For instance, in this part the author traces the tradition of the superiority of the clerical professions over the manual trades, develops his idea of Culture M and looks to the techniques to provide an effective medium for employee participation. In the last part Professor Revans discusses the methodology of Action Learning trying to specify the climate in which programmes can be carried out and their most prominent characteristics. The book is written in an informal style which often lacks rigour, sometimes becoming purely anecdotal with doubtful relevance. It perhaps reflects the author’s personal approach to management education which has not always been shared by many of his colleagues. There is no doubt in this reviewer’s mind that Action Learning is important in management development and in problem solving within organizations, but it would have been better if the book could have given a clearer and more rigorous treatment of the subject, related to other work in the field. R. M. UMIST,
BOOKS
Necu Tecllniqtre &r Manuyerrrent, R. W. & Briggs, London (lY80), 319 pp L7.95
Readers of this journal should be interested in techniques for management development because the long-term future of any business largely depends on the quality of its managerial staff. This being the case any new techniques for management development, rather than just management mentioned in the sub-title, must be especially welcome. Professor Revans defines Action Learning by saying that if you have to do something useful, you can learn to do it better by the very act of thinking of how you do it and doing it! But his concept of Action Learning might be criticized by some as hardly very new, since many will remember, for example, the TWI schemes developed during World War II and more recent schemes devised concurrently which are not even given a mention. The book consists of four parts made up of 22 chapters. The first part of nine chapters describes many of the Action Learning programmes that have been run or are still running since the author’s interest in the techniques started in the colliery industry in lY52. The chapters cover a wide range of organizations both in this country and abroad. The second
of
Operations
Management, (733)
RECEIVED
Forecnsting
Studies in the Munugemen~ Sciences, edited by S. MAKRIDAKIS and S. C. WHEELWRIGHT, North Holland, Amsterdam (197Y), 3Y2 pp $29.25 or F160.00 (softback). Received
September
Judgernenr
1980.
(759)
and Choice,
R. HOGARTH, Wiley, Chichester (hardback). Received October 1980.
250 pp. Q.00
(1980), (760)
Mnfllenruticsfor Mdnu~qers, R. C. LUCKING, Wiley, Chichester (19X0), 320 pp. E18.70 (hardback). Received October 1980. (762) The
.F[fects
Prospects,
Arrion Leurnirq: REVANS, Blond (hardback).
HOLLIER, Professor Manchester
Press,
oj- Microelectronic
Technologies
on
Employment
K. GREEN, R. CRUMBS and K. H~LR~YD, Gower (hardback). Farnbotough (1980), 224 pp. Al2.50
Received
October
(765)
1980.
and Econo,trics, M. STONE, Macmillan, (1980), 181 pp. E15.00 (hardback). Received October
Marketing
London 2980. (766)
Accortnringfbr
Accorrntirg
Post-bulance
jar
Sheet Evenrs,
Contingencies,
Tile Companies Act 1980: PLATT, 20 pp. &!.OO.
SSAP A Short
SSAP 17, 5 pp. ,&l .OO. (755)
18, 5 pp. A;1 .OO.
(756)
C&ride to the Provisions,
C. J. (757)
A Gltide to the Finartce Act 1980, D. J. WARD, and C. G. DAVIS, 94 pp. A6.50. (758) Audit,
D. J. GREY, J. H.
LAWSONand P. A. SMITH, 221 pp. Al5.95.
(761)
Arditinq
(763)
Hortsiry
,4ssociution
On r/wJob
Acrorrnts
und Reporting, Truiniry,
und Their
232 pp. A3.95.
D. IM. HURST, 80 pp. A5.75.
(764)
The foregoing seven publications were from The Institute of Chartered Account,mts in England and W&s, London (1(,X0), arc’ ,111softbacks ,~nd \verc rcccivcd in August and Scptcmbcr 1YXO.
Long
Range
Planning
Vol. 14
April
section on methods of Investment Appraisal is interesting and we learn that DCF methods are the most popular (43 per cent). As regards the results on forecasting, many of them are unsurprising, e.g. ‘The great majority of forecasting companies prepared only forecasts of Profit and Loss Balance Sheet, Cash and Capital Expenditure, the largest number (over 90 per cent) preparing Profit and Loss Forecasts.’ Nor is it surprising to learn that relatively few companies (28 per cent) used a computer for their forecasting. The responsibility for forecasting preparation was within the accounting and finance function in over three-quarters of the companies and if the Company Secretary’s function is included also, the figure rises to almost 90 per cent. Where companies analyse more than one factor Sales Volume/Demand was by far the most popular (80 per cent), the next most frequently cited being Costs (37 per cent). There is an interesting section on Sources of Information, External Sources being ranked of ‘moderate to slight importance’ with Government Departments/Bodies last of all. This may suggest that, as your reviewer has found, the companies concerned have not developed their external management information systems to anything like the degree of their internal management information systems, and this is of course a characteristic of companies who are unaware of the advantages of, or prefer not to engage in, long-range planning. Undoubtedly the results will be of most interest to accountants, but not without value for planners. The author does not go into the nature of forecasting techniques or the types of computer modelling used and presumably this is consistent with his modest exploratory objective. However, it might have been of interest if some of the valuable studies that have been done in these fields were cited. Indeed, there is no bibliography at all in the paper and this is perhaps something of an omission. J. C. HIGGINS, Director and Professor Sciences, University of Bradford
of
Management (734)
1981 part, containing four chapters, sets out some of the researches that have illuminated the growth of Action Learning. These include studies of the deficiencies of large organizations, their inability to adapt by adequate communication and learning, giving what is claimed to be a sound empirical base for the techniques. There are also four chapters in the third part which attempts to show Action Learning in its cultural, social and historical settings. For instance, in this part the author traces the tradition of the superiority of the clerical professions over the manual trades, develops his idea of Culture M and looks to the techniques to provide an effective medium for employee participation. In the last part Professor Revans discusses the methodology of Action Learning trying to specify the climate in which programmes can be carried out and their most prominent characteristics. The book is written in an informal style which often lacks rigour, sometimes becoming purely anecdotal with doubtful relevance. It perhaps reflects the author’s personal approach to management education which has not always been shared by many of his colleagues. There is no doubt in this reviewer’s mind that Action Learning is important in management development and in problem solving within organizations, but it would have been better if the book could have given a clearer and more rigorous treatment of the subject, related to other work in the field. R. M. UMIST,
BOOKS
Necu Tecllniqtre &r Manuyerrrent, R. W. & Briggs, London (lY80), 319 pp L7.95
Readers of this journal should be interested in techniques for management development because the long-term future of any business largely depends on the quality of its managerial staff. This being the case any new techniques for management development, rather than just management mentioned in the sub-title, must be especially welcome. Professor Revans defines Action Learning by saying that if you have to do something useful, you can learn to do it better by the very act of thinking of how you do it and doing it! But his concept of Action Learning might be criticized by some as hardly very new, since many will remember, for example, the TWI schemes developed during World War II and more recent schemes devised concurrently which are not even given a mention. The book consists of four parts made up of 22 chapters. The first part of nine chapters describes many of the Action Learning programmes that have been run or are still running since the author’s interest in the techniques started in the colliery industry in lY52. The chapters cover a wide range of organizations both in this country and abroad. The second
of
Operations
Management, (733)
RECEIVED
Forecnsting
Studies in the Munugemen~ Sciences, edited by S. MAKRIDAKIS and S. C. WHEELWRIGHT, North Holland, Amsterdam (197Y), 3Y2 pp $29.25 or F160.00 (softback). Received
September
Judgernenr
1980.
(759)
and Choice,
R. HOGARTH, Wiley, Chichester (hardback). Received October 1980.
250 pp. Q.00
(1980), (760)
Mnfllenruticsfor Mdnu~qers, R. C. LUCKING, Wiley, Chichester (19X0), 320 pp. E18.70 (hardback). Received October 1980. (762) The
.F[fects
Prospects,
Arrion Leurnirq: REVANS, Blond (hardback).
HOLLIER, Professor Manchester
Press,
oj- Microelectronic
Technologies
on
Employment
K. GREEN, R. CRUMBS and K. H~LR~YD, Gower (hardback). Farnbotough (1980), 224 pp. Al2.50
Received
October
(765)
1980.
and Econo,trics, M. STONE, Macmillan, (1980), 181 pp. E15.00 (hardback). Received October
Marketing
London 2980. (766)
Accortnringfbr
Accorrntirg
Post-bulance
jar
Sheet Evenrs,
Contingencies,
Tile Companies Act 1980: PLATT, 20 pp. &!.OO.
SSAP A Short
SSAP 17, 5 pp. ,&l .OO. (755)
18, 5 pp. A;1 .OO.
(756)
C&ride to the Provisions,
C. J. (757)
A Gltide to the Finartce Act 1980, D. J. WARD, and C. G. DAVIS, 94 pp. A6.50. (758) Audit,
D. J. GREY, J. H.
LAWSONand P. A. SMITH, 221 pp. Al5.95.
(761)
Arditinq
(763)
Hortsiry
,4ssociution
On r/wJob
Acrorrnts
und Reporting, Truiniry,
und Their
232 pp. A3.95.
D. IM. HURST, 80 pp. A5.75.
(764)
The foregoing seven publications were from The Institute of Chartered Account,mts in England and W&s, London (1(,X0), arc’ ,111softbacks ,~nd \verc rcccivcd in August and Scptcmbcr 1YXO.