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ERIC Number: ED413127
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1996
Pages: 16
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Research Summary for Corporate Adventure Training (CAT) and Experience-Based Training and Development (EBTD).
Priest, Simon
Experience-based training and development (EBTD), also known as Outdoor Management Development (OMD) in Great Britain and corporate adventure training (CAT) in Canada and Australia, is a field that uses adventure activities to bring beneficial change to organizations, primarily corporations. Activities used in EBTD and CAT programs include socialization games, group initiatives, ropes courses, outdoor pursuits, and other adventure activities. Potential benefits of EBTD and CAT programs include improved workplace competencies of individual employees; interpersonal improvements affecting work units; and systemwide improvements to corporate values, climate, and mission. However, EBTD and CAT have done a poor job of servicing patrons, have failed to match providers' programs to customers' needs, and now face a credibility crisis. In addition, research evidence of program effectiveness is limited. This paper summarizes research from the 1980s and 1990s on the benefits of EBTD and CAT. The studies evaluated the effects of various types of adventure activities on team building, group problem solving, self-concept, employee morale and attitudes, work behaviors, managers' risk-taking propensity, communication skills, conflict resolution, transfer of training to the work environment, long-term retention of team training, and organizational climate. Eight research problems and concerns related to studying CAT or EBTD programs are discussed, and guidelines are offered for conducting ethical research. Contains 53 references. (SV)
Publication Type: Information Analyses; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: In: Coalition for Education in the Outdoors Research Symposium Proceedings (3rd, Bradford Woods, Indiana, January 12-14, 1996); see RC 021 207.