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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual framework for work-applied learning (WAL) that fosters the development of managers and other professionals as lifelong learners and practitioner researchers – through reflective practice, action research, action learning and action leadership, for positive organisational change. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical framework is designed from a holistic, affective-socio-cognitive approach to learning, teaching, research and development. It is based on a phenomenological research paradigm and informed by aspects of various theories, including experiential learning theory, strengths-based theory, grounded theory and critical theory/realism. Findings Based on classical and recent literature and the authors’ extensive experience, the WAL model presented here is an effective and practical approach to management education, research and development. It is useful for present and future requirements of business, industry, government and society at large in this twenty-first century, and in pursuit of a world of equality, social justice, sustainable development and quality of life for all. This is because of the nature of the research paradigm, particularly its collaborative and emancipatory processes. Originality/value This paper provides a theoretical, pedagogical and methodological rationalisation for WAL. This model is particularly useful for developing individual, team and organisational learning and for cultivating managers – or professional learners generally – as practitioner researchers. These researchers may act as role models of collaborative action leadership in their organisations with a cascading effect. This paper therefore advances an incipient literature on practitioner researchers as action leaders.

Welcome to the first issue of the Journal of Work-Applied Management. The journal seeks to explore the interface between management practice and management theory and illuminate the key role of practitioners in creating new knowledge of value to their organizations or communities of practice. The journal was previously known as the Gibaran Journal of Work-Applied Management. This issue focuses on the related areas of Work-Applied Learning (WAL) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) which were showcased at the second Work-Applied Learning for Change Conference held in Adelaide on 10-11 November 2014. The conference was jointly hosted by the Global Centre for Work-Applied Learning and the Australian Institute of Business, and was staged in association with Middlesex University. Two papers from the conference are published in this issue of the journal and highlight the role of reflection in researching work-based projects and the significance of workbased research in developing practical and critical thinking skills in research graduates. Carol Costley and Abdulai Abukari write about work-based projects and the importance of contextualizing problems to contribute to practice-based knowledge and learning. Similarly, the paper by Ruth Helyer focuses on the need for constant reflection to facilitate continuous improvement, professional learning and innovation. The paper by Jonathan Garnett and Angele Cavaye, refers to international developments in Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and then focuses upon the extensive and innovative use of RPL (especially learning from experience) by Middlesex University and the developing RPL work at the Australian Institute of Business in order to highlight some of the key opportunities and challenges of RPL. The other three papers in this issue raise important considerations and present cases from the health and building industry. The first paper, by Fiona McAlinden, uses an Action Research and Action Learning (ARAL) methodology to describe Monash Health's development of a Policy and Procedure on the Abuse of Older people in metropolitan Australian. An ARAL approach was employed to develop a comprehensive set of policy and procedure documents to ensure that Monash Health became compliant with the government's expectations around responding to the abuse of older people and thus providing an important social function. The second paper by Erwin Loh, reflects on current literature and summarizes the challenges for doctors in Health Care Management today. This paper is the precursor to a WAL project in the Health Management Industry that Dr Loh plans to undertake. The final paper, by Stephan Anthonisz and Chad Perry, presents a case study of the success factors for marketing high rise condominium development in Sri Lanka. The paper uses interviews and presents a marketing model for the region.