| A major leadership paradigm shift has created the need to reconsider the conduct of business on an international scale and has caused confusion on what it means to be an effective leader. Within the United States (U.S.), organizations are experiencing a leadership predicament in part because of a lack of effective leadership development programs (LDPs). The purpose of the qualitative exploratory study was to determine the applicability of an existing leadership development program being offered by the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management (MIGM) in Japan to a proposed LDP in the U.S. The researcher investigated the expectations of one shareholder group, that of potential students of a proposed MIGM-inspired U.S. LDP. Research questions focused on the transferability of specific MIGM LDP aspects, LDP expectations of the participant group, and career intentions of participants who anticipated attending and completing the proposed U.S. LDP. An in-depth, phenomenological interview process was used as the main information gathering method for the study. The study found that the interview participants felt that within the selection of significant research themes or dominant aspects of the MIGM program, many aspects of the current MIGM program would have direct application in a U.S. LDP if it were organized in a similar fashion to the MIGM. Participants noted that several MIGM program aspects were found to have strong cultural influences that if transferred to the U.S. would require reevaluation. The researcher also found that the participants' expectations of a LOP in the U.S. were consistent with the researched characteristics of the MIGM curriculum. MIGM leadership development program components such as: rigorous admission selection processes, self-directed learning methods, experiential and action learning components, group cooperative emphasis, as well as coaching and mentoring were positively viewed by the interview participants. Finally, a significant number of the participants stated that they would apply to and attend a U.S. LDP modeled after the MIGM and would use the leadership development experience to expand their professional careers. The MIGM offers an example of a non-traditional leadership development program that could have an application in the U.S. |
