„Executive self-development in the context of organisational change: transformative learning experiences and intentional personal and professional growth“, No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-19-0217

Project No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-19-0217            
Project title: „Executive self-development in the context of organisational change: transformative learning experiences and intentional personal and professional growth”
Project duration: 2020-09-01 to 2022-08-31
Postdoctoral trainee – dr. Aušra Kolbergytė
Postdoctoral supervisor – prof. dr. Valdonė Indrašienė

Summary: Strategic innovation, process optimisation and organisational culture change are becoming part of the daily routine of every industrial organisation in national and international contexts. Middle managers are becoming facilitators, aligning the initiatives of strategic change agents and coordinating the activities of employees so that organisational transformations can be implemented flexibly and without much emotional resistance. Concern for mental and physical health, individual attitudes and emotional reactions to organisational processes can serve as role models for subordinates or, conversely, contribute to higher turnover of staff leaving the organisation. The basic idea of the Project is that the ability to cope with organisational transformation starts from individual change and conscious self-development. The aim is to shed light on the phenomenon of executive self-development as transformative learning in the context of organisational change. Objectives: to analyse the theoretical underpinnings of managers’ personal and professional growth in the context of organisational transformation; to describe authentic experiences of managers’ self-development during organisational change; to identify self-help techniques that promote managers’ professional development and effectiveness during transformation. Based on a qualitative research strategy, two phases of the study are designed, involving interviews with middle managers and self-help experts who are experiencing organisational change.

Result to be achieved: The results of the study will be the basis for a scientific article in an international journal and a monograph. The scientific implications of the research will enrich the knowledge of educational and management science on the phenomenon of self-development and adult learning, change management and leadership. The project will have a practical value as it will provide recommendations on self-development for managers, HR professionals and other initiators or implementers of plafromative change. Dissemination of the results of the study will be achieved through a presentation at an international scientific conference and a public lecture in Lithuania.

The project is funded by the European Social Fund under Measure No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712 “Development of scientific competence of scientists, other researchers, students through practical scientific activities” activity “Promotion of post-doctoral internships”. Grant agreement with the Lithuanian Research Council (LMT).