This paper attempts to fill an important gap in the integration of strategy and organizational learning through empirical research that examines the process of strategic renewal using a comprehensive framework of organizational learning. The 4I framework of organizational learning is used to examine the phenomenon of strategic renewal at Canada Post Corporation (CPC). The study illustrates the underlying processes that form the tension between exploration and exploitation, demonstrating why strategic renewal is so challenging. Furthermore, it challenges assumptions about organizational learning, suggesting that we need to demystify organizational learning by removing the halo that surrounds it. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role and responsibilities of the chair of an academic department in higher education is considered from the perspective of both actor and agent, within the context of the institution being served and the department being represented. The intent of this article is to further research on the role of department chair by analyzing it in the context of the institution’s goals and expectations, the stakeholders affecting and affected by the department chair, and the chair’s own capabilities. A 360-degree exploration of the role, expectations and competencies of department chairs was carried out at a private business university in the Northeast area of the USA, including both business and liberal arts department chairs. The results led to new development programs for incoming chairs as well as better supports for current chairs. The design of this project allowed for both the study of the role of department chair and the improvement of support mechanisms to be effective in that role. The design, data and analysis are presented, along with descriptive models.

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As the business world becomes more complex, the role of professional higher education in the development of “reflective practitioners” becomes more cogent. In this article, the authors argue for the Bases of Competence model, which articulates base competencies required of today’s higher education professional graduates, as a tool in learner-centered, self-reflective pedagogy and self-assessment. The purpose of this article is to describe the Bases of Competence model and to demonstrate its use in two learner-centered, self-reflective course-level initiatives.

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