Leadership development

Abstract

This chapter describes a work integrated learning model called organisation centred curriculum. An organisation centred curriculum differs from a traditional university program in that both, the needs of the organisation and those of the learners are paramount. The learning by individuals is overtly integrated into the processes and the culture of the organisations. This overt integration, though, is strongly dictated by the intended and emergent strategic direction of the organisatin. Specifically, the chapter discusses the steps the authors followed in designing a leadership development program. These steps include understanding the strategic plan and the culture of the organisation, identifying specific change issues for the organisation and the individuals, clarifying assumptions, designing the curriculum within a context of adult learning principles, integrating changes into the workplace, and ensuring any such changes are embedded into the ongoing workplace culture and practices. Finally, the chapter provides preliminary findings from an evaluation of the organisation centred curriculum framework that optimises work integrated learning for individuals and their workplace. The findings suggest that such a framework has potential for use with other university courses to assist organisations interested in work integrated learning for their staff development.