Making management development programmes 'stretching and stimulating' to all types of managers and finding more practical approaches to evaluating such programmes are the key priorities for those involved in delivering and organising such programmes, according to a new report.

The study, published by the Institute for Employment Studies, drew its findings from existing research and discussions held with management development managers representing 30 large organisations. The IES found that management development faces changing demands made on it as the nature of organisations changes, and changes frequently. It also uncovered what it calls a 'deep shift' in the understanding of what management is, highlighting the need for managers to create a vision in environments which move quickly, motivate teams through change and create new ways of thinking in both ways of working and services and products produced.

The report also notes that newer techniques used in developing managers such as action learning and self-managed learning have become more commonplace, and that there is a growing recognition that the programmes attended by managers need to have an increased relevance to their own working experience. It also finds an 'explosion of interest' in coaching, although co-author Alison Carter comments that 'These forms of learning are popular with managers themselves, but they are expensive and difficult to evaluate. It is also difficult for organisations to find enough really good executive coaches.'

Cost and provision of management development programmes is a key issue raised by the report, whose authors express concern that the positive experiences drawn from the 'lavish provision' of programmes for senior executives need to be extended to other managers, by using mentoring within the organisation. There is also a concern that 'bite-sized' training modules may lead to dumbing down training for first-line and middle managers.