Almost 1000 adults participated in the development of the Cognitive Style Index (CSI), a new measure designed specifically for use with managerial and professional groups. the objectives of the study were, first, to produce a psychome-trically sound instrument suitable for application in large-scale organizational studies, and second, through its development, to confirm empirically the generic intuition-analysis dimension of cognitive style. Findings suggest that each objective was largely fulfilled. At a time when there is a burgeoning interest in intuition as a basis for decision making and problem solving in organizations, the CSI would appear to be a notable addition to the small collection of measures appropriate for survey research. Copyright 1996 Basil Blackwell Ltd.

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This paper reviews aspects of two largely disparate literatures from the adjacent fields of individual and organizational learning and identifies some implications for theory and practice. The focus of attention is the extent to which the individual level construct cognitive style can be meaningfully applied to aid the understanding of learning at the level of the organization as well as at the level of the individual. Attention is given to the ways in which consideration of cognitive style can improve the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve individual and organizational performance. Nine categories of intervention are identified.

This review paper addresses some of the semantic issues associated with the nature of cognitive style, identifies some of the most often cited dimensions of cognitive style, examines ways in which these styles can be classified and considers the implications of cognitive style for management practice.

In informal mentoring systems, protégés seek help from other organizational members between whom there is often mutual attraction and rapport resulting in a level of interpersonal comfort between the members of the relationship. Because of the apparent benefits for both employee and organization, many human resource managers now attempt to establish formal mentoring systems in which mentors and protégés are brought together systematically. It is recognized, however, that assigned mentoring relationships are not usually as beneficial as those that develop informally. There appears, therefore, to be a need to match partners in some way. It has been suggested that a better grasp of psychological factors is necessary if this is to be achieved. One personality variable that may be partly responsible for shaping the overall effectiveness of such relationships is cognitive style. The present study, involving 53 mentor-protégé dyads, examined the effects of the cognitive styles of mentors and protégés on the process of formal mentoring. Data were collected from both partners in each dyadic relationship, and findings suggest that in dyads whose mentor is more analytic, congruence between the partners' cognitive styles enhances the quality of their mentoring relationships. Cognitive style was also found to work indirectly through its influence on other variables to enhance mutual liking and psychosocial and career mentoring functions. Gender composition was also found to have a significant impact on the mentoring process. Dyads with female mentors and male protégés were found to be the least favourable combination. The concept of mentoring is not new. Although it is closely related to craft apprenticeship schemes of the past (Wilbur, 1987), its origins can be traced back much

This review paper examines the effect of matching and mismatching learning style and learning activity and matching and mismatching trainer and trainee learning style on learning achievement. It also explores the possibility of creating a match by promoting learner adaptability or modifying the trainer's training style. The implications of this discussion for training and development are considered.In a recent paper Hayes and Allinson (1994) considered the relevance of cognitive style for management practice. Cognitive style refers to individual differences in information processing. It is concerned with the form rather than the content of activity and relates to how people think, solve problems, learn and relate to others. Hayes and Allinson argue that cognitive style may be used to inform and improve the quality of decision making in relation to selection and placement, career planning, task and equipment design, team composition, conflict management and management style. This paper considers some implications that cognitive style might have for training and development. Claxton and Ralston (1978) refer to learning style as a consistent way of responding to, and using, stimuli in the context of learning and DeBello (1990) defines it as the way that people absorb or retain information. Both definitions present learning style as a subset of cognitive style.irn has received considerable attention in the management literature. Kolb's theory of experiential learning (Kolb, 1976(Kolb, , 1984 has been widely used as a basis for helping individuals identify the kinds of learning activity which they will find most satisfying and will improve their learning achievement. It has The ways in which managers also been used as a basis for helping individuals identify weaknesses in their learning style and suggesting development activities that will make them more effective learners. Kolb's theory focuses on the polar extremes of the concreteabstract and active-reflective dimensions of cognitive growth and presents a four-stage cycle of learning. Concrete experience leads to reflective observation. These observations are then assimilated into a 'theory' through abstract conceptualization from which new implications for action can be deduced. These implications, or 'hypotheses', serve as guides for action which are tested through active experimentation which, in turn, produces new concrete experiences. Kolb argues that, ideally, effective learners will be able to involve themselves fully, openly and without bias in new experiences (concrete experiences), reflect on and observe these experiences from many perspectives (reflective observations), create concepts that integrate their observations into logically sound theories (abstract conceptualization) and be able to use these theories to make decisions and solve problems (active experimentation). While the most effective learners will be equally proficient at all these stages in the learning cycle, in practice learners are rarely like this. By mapping the individual's location on...

The similarity‐attraction paradigm suggests that congruence between the cognitive styles of managers and their subordinates may result in positive leader‐member relationships. A study of 142 manager‐subordinate dyads in two large manufacturing organizations fails to support this idea. Findings suggest, however, that intuitive leaders may be less dominating and more nurturing than their analytic colleagues, and that they are more liked and respected by analytic members than analytic leaders are by intuitive members. Results also indicate that the degree of difference between leader and member cognitive styles may influence the nature of the relationship. Practical implications depend on whether cognitive style is stable or malleable.

An important consideration in the design of educational programmes is the learning style of students. In the field of management education, Kolb's theory of learning styles has received particular attention. Research has shown, however, that his associated measure, the Learning Style Inventory (LSI), may be of doubtful utility. The present study of British and overseas managers examines the measurement properties of one alternative, Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ. The results, calling into question Kolb's theory itself, suggest that the LSQmay be preferred to the LSI on account of the distribution of its scores, its temporal stability and its construct and face validity. Its predictive validity, however, remains in doubt.