Title: The innovative Finnish team academy example: towards a new action learning-based business school model

Authors: Daniel Belet

Addresses: Human Resources Management, La Rochelle Business School, 102 rue de Coureilles-Les Minimes, 17024 La Rochelle-Cedex 1, France

Abstract: This paper deals with the innovative Finnish Team Academy entrepreneurship and business education experience. After introducing the theoretical background it describes the main characteristics of this innovative management education model. It shows that, to a large extent, the learning processes involved are close to the action learning methodology. A focus is made on the practical way their students work and learn in teams with the example of leadership competencies development. This entrepreneurship and business education model also appears as an interesting management education and HRD approach for life-long learning, as exemplified by the development of its network all over Finland. Finally, the paper discusses the advantages of this 'revolutionary' management education model compared to the mainstream one and he outlines the promising perspective of a new generation of action learning-based business schools.

Keywords: action learning; team academy; Finland; management education; business schools; coaching; business education; entrepreneurship education; leadership competencies; HRD; human resource development; life-long learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2013.052150

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2013 Vol.13 No.1, pp.42 - 60

Published online: 19 Jul 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article