Predicting management development and learning behaviour in New Zealand SMEs

Despite concern on the part of policy makers to raise managerial capability in SMEs, there is little evidence on the key drivers of owner-manager participation in management development programmes. The authors argue that such participation is poorly understood. The paper develops a predictive model of the drivers of participation in sources of learning by owner-managers. It tests a theoretical model, based on the small firm as a learning organization, which posits that participation is driven by owner-managers' learning orientation and the extent of their belief in self-improvement. The implications of the results are discussed in light of the provision of management development programmes.