BACKGROUND
Future airport leaders require a deeper understanding of current issues and critical concerns as seen from the top of an airport organization. There are few low-risk settings where airport executives can exercise self-evaluation of leadership and decision-making skills with a group of their peers and mentors, and further develop the business acumen needed to direct public- and private-sector organizations in the airport industry. Airport leadership development programs exist in the industry but many have broader goals or present fundamental knowledge to entry-level executives. Research is needed to assist existing and future airport leaders to assess, obtain, and refine their individual leadership skills. Such programs exist in other industries and participants frequently derive long-lasting resource relationships from contact with other participants and instructors that will benefit continued growth. Moreover, such experiences and the skills that are developed are often portable throughout the industry.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research is to design, develop, pilot-test, and evaluate a complete airport leadership development program that can be used by others to assist existing and future airport leaders assess, obtain, and refine airport-industry leadership skills.
