Does long-term management education change behaviors? A study of change in self-perceived leadership behaviors among participants in a three-year Danish diploma program

Purpose Formal managerial education plays a pivotal role in organizational and personal career development. Research addressing the impact of managerial training and development programs has mainly relied on studies of short-term programs and focused on exam results, i.e. formal knowledge, as a main outcome. However, less is known about the impact of long-term programs in general, and specifically on managerial behaviors. We address these important gaps by raising the research question, “What is the impact of long-term formal management training on self-perceived leadership behaviors?” within the context of a three-year mandatory formal training program for Danish municipal managers. Design/methodology/approach We utilize linear mixed-effect modeling to analyze survey-based panel data from a total of 116 Danish public managers (primarily working within welfare services, such as childcare, eldercare and school services) enrolled in a mandatory management education program offered by a business school over a three-year period. Leadership behavior is operationalized and measured with reference to Yukl’s conceptual framework, which includes task-, relations- and change-oriented behaviors. Findings Formal management education has a differential impact on self-perceived management behaviors. During the observed period, task-oriented behaviors increase in absolute and relative levels for managers participating in management education, while relations- and change-oriented behaviors remain at the same levels. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, Yukl’s taxonomy has previously not been applied within this context, despite the fact that the three behaviors mirror core content in most formal management and leadership education.