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The question of whether leadership is teachable has received considerable attention in the academic and practitioner arenas. Organized athletic team participation offers students a different experiential venue that many argue develops leadership. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between organized sports team participation and leadership skills. We employ a valid means of measuring several leadership dimensions using a validated assessment center method. Nine distinct leadership skill levels were measured for 141 MBA program students. Using ANOVA and correlation analysis we found no systematic association between the number of seasons of sports team participation and the level of any particular leadership skill. The findings caution recruiters and other persons making personnel decisions against using this past behavior as an indicator of these or any other leadership skills. By showing a preference for athletes, recruiters may bypass persons who would be a good fit for a position.

This article focuses on the various phenomenological approaches and their scope in the Human Resource Management (HRM) domain.

The authors reviewed and elaborated various phenomenological approaches, and their convergence, divergence and scope in the field of HRM.

The theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology reveal that with its philosophical differences, phenomenology emanates various spectrums in the form of different approaches. Furthermore, these approaches, e.g. Post-Intentional Phenomenology and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, have the potential to understand and uncover various phenomena in the field of HRM.

Phenomenological approaches could be employed to uncover various complex phenomena in the field of HRM. Phenomenological approaches can be used to examine the everyday life experiences of employees, as they could contribute to reframe and enhance the HRM practices in the organization.

The study contributes to the authors' knowledge of employing various phenomenological approaches to explore the diverse phenomena in the field of HRM.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a valuable perspective on leadership within the police force.

In this interview, Adrian Lee talks candidly with Sue Howard and Jonathan Smith about the current challenges facing police and public sector leadership.

Chief constable Adrian Lee's studies of theology, philosophy and law prior to him joining the police service have shaped and formed his sense of vocation and the values that are now central to many of the fundamental issues of leadership that the police service have to consider.

This paper provides the valuable perspective of a chief constable on the challenges facing leaders in the police force, and applies this to the public sector more generally. Chief Constable Adrian Lee believes that vision, values and vocation are essential elements for effective policing in the twenty‐first century.

Managers in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) carry responsibility for achieving government targets on the provision of quality care and service to patients. The demands on managers to achieve these targets is significant in itself, but are often multiplied because of having to cope with the conflicting pressures of an organisation that operates with a ‘business’ focus, yet is essentially a caring body that is service‐oriented at heart. These two areas of business and service are not naturally compatible and can create tension. Leaders are expected to bridge the two with ease, with little preparation on how to cope with the conflict that these two paradigms can create.This paper, detailing the authors' work with managers in an NHS acute trust, provides unique insights into ways of dealing with the tensions and challenges that leaders experience. The authors argue that a holistic approach to leadership is required to enable this tension to be managed effectively, which considers the physical, mental and spiritual. Of these three elements it is the spiritual dimension that is the most contentious, difficult and most often avoided aspect to leadership and the authors also found this in their work with this NHS acute trust. The paper introduces a model that highlights the three elements to the holistic approach, and goes on to use it in an analysis of the situation faced by managers. The analysis highlights the importance of balance and need for including more consideration of the spiritual dimension in leaders' activities.

This article aims to focus on how to ensure that Future‐Oriented Technology Assessment (FTA) activities have an impact on decision‐making. On the basis of the extensive experience of the authors, this article seeks to offer suggestions regarding the factors that may help policy makers, academics, consultants, and others involved in FTA projects, to produce useful and meaningful contributions to decision‐making processes.

The methodology deployed for this article is empirical. It is based on the lessons extracted and evidence produced by the authors' hundreds of diverse global consulting engagements as well as their analytical work on the subject. Added together the authors of this paper have engaged in over 80 years of professional practice. The article summarizes the results of presentations given by the authors and the ensuing discussion that occurred at the conference: Futures Oriented Technology Analysis 2011, held at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville on 13 May.

Impactful FTA starts with the selection of the appropriate methodologies and skills for the specific anticipatory task. Arguing on the basis of experience, the authors point out that the effective impact of FTA projects on decision‐making depends on a strong grasp of the principles of foresight and project design, an educated client with clear expectations and a strong commitment, well‐developed communication efforts throughout, and considerable managerial capacity both on the demand and supply sides of the process.

By bringing the evidence of experience to bear, this article adds value to existing academic and practitioner discussions of the effectiveness of FTA for decision‐making. The article provides an original vantage point on key questions being posed by both users and suppliers of forward‐looking activities.

The purpose of this final paper in the special issue is to extend the critical conversation that has run through this journal about the meaning and practice of responsibility. It will draw together material from the other papers, summarise what is meant by responsibility and offer suggestions for further research.

The paper takes the form of a critical analysis of the concept of responsibility in relation to practice.

The paper argues for the importance of a holistic view of responsibility focused in individual and organisational practice of the virtues.

The paper argues for increased dialogue between key stakeholders about the practice and development of responsibility, and for developments in pedagogy that will connect all aspects of ideas, values and practice.

There is typically a low level of appreciation of what responsibility means. This paper raises this awareness and identifies what responsibility looks like. It emphasises the importance of engraining a responsibility culture in the organisation, and continued dialogue between within, and beyond institutions.

The paper provides a virtue‐based approach that is based in critical dialogue, extending responsibility beyond conventional CSR thinking and providing the basis of what is a form of universal responsibility. This leads to a unique view of responsibility in culture and the curriculum.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to understanding of responsibility – specifically exploring responsibility in higher education.

The paper details a research project undertaken in a higher education institute (HEI) in the UK. The research adopted a case study approach and gathered data through 15 semi‐structured interviews.

The paper discusses four key findings. Major differences in how responsibility is understood and communicated by students, staff and leaders are highlighted, together with the challenges this creates. A model is proposed that may assist with a greater understanding of responsibility.

The research is a small‐scale study involving 15 interviews in one HEI in the UK, therefore generalisations must be treated with caution. The research offers valuable insights into this under‐researched area, together with recommendations for further research.

The paper highlights key factors that HEIs may wish to consider in terms of how responsibility is understood, adopted and communicated.

There is typically a low level of appreciation of what responsibility means. This paper raises this awareness and identifies what responsibility looks like within higher education. It emphasises the importance of engraining a responsibility culture in the organisation that not only takes account of staffs' and students' immediate responsibilities, but also their responsibility towards broader global issues.

There is a paucity of exploration concerning responsibility within higher education and this paper highlights some specific areas of focus which have been drawn from research in this field.