Content area
The basic aim of this study is to reveal a number of variables which influence the effectiveness of management development programmes. Such an attempt to help pave the way to a comprehensive understanding of the nature of management development and the factors that prevent its effectiveness. It also helps to improve the performance of the individuals and the organisation.
In order to achieve this purpose we have collected the data from twenty-four companies and organisations specialising in industry, trade and investment. These companies and organisations conduct work in Kuwait and they are leading in their specialisation. The aim of collecting the data from these companies and organisations is to verify the nature of relationships between the following factors: Firstly, the relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes and the leadership style. Secondly, the relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes and the manager as an individual. Thirdly, the relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes and the manger's job. Fourthly, the relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes and the interaction between the manager and his/her job.
The study however, includes 15 variables and aims to examine the nature of the relationship between the above factors. These variables are as follows: The effectiveness of management development programmes, leadership style (production orientation, control of work, work facilitating problems solving, consideration, participation and decentralisation), career future, goal specificity, deal difficulty, intrinsic motivation, upward striving, concern for social status of the job, job involvement and pride of work.
Finally, the study improves path model for the understanding of the nature of the relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes and all the above mentioned variables. As the model shows, the variable that is concerned with leadership style appears to be a basic factor in influencing the effectiveness of the management development programmes. With regard to the influence on the effectiveness of MDPs this variables is followed by two other variables. The first is the career future of the job and the second is the manager himself as a job holder.
Precisely, when we tested the theoretical model suggested in this study, we found that the conclusions generally tended to support the model in some aspects and do not support it in others. The result, however, shows that there is a consistent positive relationship between the effectiveness of management development programmes, leadership style, career future, and upward striving on one hand and very weak relationship between the EMPDs and pride of work, job involvement, intrinsic motivation, goal difficulty and concern for social status of the job.