Mapping Manager Development

Piotr Olaf Żylicz, WSB University, Poland

Vartika Dutta, Indian Institute of Management Amritsar, India

Rathish Bhatt, Goa Institute of Management, India

Introduction: Macro Contexts of Managers Development

Abstract: COVID-​19 and its consequences are the most shared experience in human history. They had an impact on societies, national economies, international cooperation, and the functioning of organizations. It also influenced how people, including managers, develop. We discuss two macro contexts of the development: trends of change in Learning & Development and implicit patterns and relevant impact of national cultures.

‘It’s critical to support people for who they are.’
Karol Cyrulik, WSB Merito University

The book is about the concepts, conditions, and tools used or proposed for the development of modern managers who must function in the post-​COVID-​19 era. What makes this time special, apart from COVID-​19 itself, is the combination of exponential changes in new technologies and services, dramatically increasing environmental problems, economic challenges, and global political tensions, including, in particular, the war in Ukraine. In general, many managers across the world need to make decisions faster than ever in conditions of increasing uncertainty, unpredictable competition, and often with employees they rarely or never meet in person. It requires a new work mindset and specific attitudes toward knowledge, and its acquisition. The situation also increases demand for skills: in using new technologies and analytical tools, and –​ somehow paradoxically –​ in so-​called soft aspects of management, including building and maintaining trust in teams, supporting employees’ resilience, distant motivating or engaging employees, accompanying others in development, reflecting and sharing narratives on organizational and individual purposes (especially while cooperating with generation Z employees).

The authors of this volume are either people who deal with the science of management on a daily basis or practitioners who have years of experience in managerial education. Some of them share dual experiences. This publication is written in a manner which is readable, understandable, and useful for a broader audience. At the same time, it meets the scientific rigors related to collecting and interpreting data they employ and providing references to the works of other authors. We are convinced that it can primarily be a source of material and inspiration for everyone who deals with the education of managers, in business schools, management faculties, or as consultants and trainers. Last but not least, we address this publication to managers themselves, especially in pandemic/​post-​pandemic Times, when self-​education flourishes. Educational platforms such as Coursera, Udacity, or Udemy develop exponentially (Gaskell, 2018; Mahajan, Gupta, & Singh, 2019), as well as new learning environments and technologies (Martin, Dennen, & Bonk, 2020).

The publication deals primarily with micro (individual and interpersonal) and meso (e.g., organizations) perspectives relevant to managers’ development. In turn, here we name its two macro contexts, that is, changes in learning and development practices (L&D) and the impact of national cultures on the development. Both constitute the framework or points of reference for all the chapters of this book.