WINNER TAKES ALL - AN EVALUATION OF ADVENTURE-BASED EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING

In the current turbulent business climate, teamwork is the ultimate co mpetitive advantage (Tjosvold, 1991). In an attempt to achieve better teamwork some organizations have turned to adventure-based experientia l training (ABET). This study evaluates outcomes from a case study of one particular ABET provider and examines what factors might affect su ch outcomes. A total of 157 individuals, randomly assigned to teams (n = 20), attended a residential ABET programme. The outcomes, measured in a pre- and post-test design, were perceptions of team effectiveness and perceptions of personal benefits derived from the training. Overa ll, results showed that there had been no improvements on both of thes e measures. However, this concealed significant variation between team s, with some teams improving while others deteriorated. Four moderatin g variables were considered to explain this variation: the team 'make- up' in terms of learning styles and team roles, neither of which expla ined any variation; and the weather and the team's position in the sta ged competition, both of which were found to predict outcomes.