A dynamic system simulation of leader and group effects on context for learning

The dynamic interactions of leaders and followers often result in important strategic resources and competencies that are critical to an organization's success. Yet there is little research that explicitly addresses how the skill levels of leaders and followers are linked as a socially constructed strategic resource is created. This article describes an agent-based dynamic model simulation of the creation of Group Context-for-Learning, which is an intangible strategic resource that supports organizational learning. The simulation describes developmental paths showing the growth in Group Context-for-Learning for various leader-group combinations. While both leader and workgroup skill levels affected the developmental paths shown by different groups, a highly skilled group invariably produced a better developmental path than a low skilled group, regardless of the leader's skill level. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.