Many contemporary courses in educational management extol the virtues of action research. In this paper, the author asks why so few students, on completing their studies, continue to use an action approach in their subsequent school and college management practice. This, if true, is particularly confusing given that so many had testified to the great personal value of having been involved in action research during their studies. In exploring these and related issues, the author draws upon some of the work of Esland on the notion of `managerialism' and an in-depth case study of the experience of one recent graduating student, `Gerard'.
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