Future Management Development Study 2017

Companies are investing more time and money today in the development of their executives and managers than they did in previous years. They are doing so because they are increasingly aware that continuous – as opposed to merely selective – further development of their executives and managers is a task that is critical to their success. In view of the challenges that already confront executives and managers today but will assume even greater importance in the future, the continuous further development of management will become even more significant. These challenges include digitization, changes in executive hierarchies and types of work, the need to handle uncertain and quickly developing situations and the task of supporting employees in coping with rapid change both within and outside the company. To meet these challenges, executives must exhibit a readiness to engage in continuous learning. Over the long term, resting on prior success or career experience and on previously achieved levels of expertise and competence will inevitably lead to failure.

In this study, companies are asked to develop sustainable learning and development cultures not only on paper but in reality as well. In the future, these will no longer merely be “nice to have”; rather, the capacity for individual and organizational learning will determine to a large extent whether companies will be successful or will be forced to bow out of the market. What will management development of the future look like? What contents and formats will be provided to managers in the further development of their management and leadership competencies? What kinds of providers of development opportunities and programs do companies perceive as attractive for the future? What are the specific differences between current and future management development? The present research addresses these questions. The findings of the study indicate the following: Companies are aware that management development will become even more important in the future.