Learning productivity: a case analysis of the ‘e‐BOSNO’ course for manager teams

Abstract

AbstractAction learning in a workplace context, focused on projects relating to real business needs, is the basis of the management seminars offered by the BOSNO (in Dutch, ‘BedrijfsOpleiding voor Samenwerkende Nederlandse Ondernemingen’[Company training for Dutch companies working in cooperation with each other]) consortium in The Netherlands. In the seminars, managers from participating companies work in teams on multiple‐step problem analysis and solution strategies, supported by workplace coaches. The teams also interact with each other so that peer learning is stimulated. To extend the BOSNO management seminar model in both depth and flexibility, a new approach called e‐BOSNO was designed in which a web‐based learning support environment played a critical role. This paper describes the e‐BOSNO design process and gives results from the first cycle of e‐BOSNO. The results showed the participants to be much more active and interactive than in previous e‐BOSNO seminars, even though there were fewer face‐to‐face meetings. Workplace‐oriented learning occurred and was shared in a way which makes it available for reuse in subsequent e‐BOSNO seminars.