If you offer it, they will come: participant selection, motivations and program value

A study was conducted to examine participation in management development programs of managers from Central and Eastern Europe. Specifically, it sought to determine the link between reasons for selection and motivations for their decision to attend. Respondents completed a questionnaire at the start and the middle of a six-week development program held in Canada. They reported greater value from the program when the participants were chosen due to usefulness of the material and contacts to their employer. Findings also revealed relationships between four motivations for attendance and self-reported program value. The two most common motivations were to gain a deeper understanding of market economies and to achieve greater managerial effectiveness. The other two were to secure a certificate and to learn skills in starting own business.