National Training Laboratories
Encyclopedia
Kurt Lewin
founded the National Training Laboratories, known as NTL, an American
non-profit behavioral psychology center, in 1947. NTL became a major influence in modern corporate training
programs, and in particular developed the T-Group methodology that remains in place today. Lewin died early on in the project, which was continued by co-founders Ron Lippitt, Lee Bradford, and Ken Benne, among others. The NTL produced or influenced other notable and influential contributors to the human relations movement in post-World War II management thought, notably Douglas McGregor
(who, like Lewin, also died young), Chris Argyris
and Warren Bennis
.
The NTL continues to work in the field of organizational effectiveness
.
The original center in Bethel
, Maine
continues to operate, but the organization has moved its headquarters to Arlington, Virginia
.
Kurt Lewin
Kurt Zadek Lewin was a German-American psychologist, known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology....
founded the National Training Laboratories, known as NTL, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit behavioral psychology center, in 1947. NTL became a major influence in modern corporate training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
programs, and in particular developed the T-Group methodology that remains in place today. Lewin died early on in the project, which was continued by co-founders Ron Lippitt, Lee Bradford, and Ken Benne, among others. The NTL produced or influenced other notable and influential contributors to the human relations movement in post-World War II management thought, notably Douglas McGregor
Douglas McGregor
Douglas Murray McGregor was a Management professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and president of Antioch College from 1948 to 1954. He also taught at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. His 1960 book The Human Side of Enterprise had a profound influence on education practices...
(who, like Lewin, also died young), Chris Argyris
Chris Argyris
-Bibliography:* Chris Argyris: Personality and Organization, 1957* Chris Argyris: Some Limitations of the Case Method: Experiences in a Management Development Program.” Academy of Management Review 5: 291–298, 1980...
and Warren Bennis
Warren Bennis
Warren Gamaliel Bennis is an American scholar, organizational consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership studies....
.
The NTL continues to work in the field of organizational effectiveness
Organizational effectiveness
Organizational effectiveness is the concept of how effective an organization is in achieving the outcomes the organization intends to produce. The idea of organizational effectiveness is especially important for non-profit organizations as most people who donate money to non-profit organizations...
.
The original center in Bethel
Bethel, Maine
Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,411 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
continues to operate, but the organization has moved its headquarters to Arlington, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.