Movement pattern analysis
Encyclopedia
Movement Pattern Analysis (MPA) is a comprehensive system for assessing an individual’s core motivations in decision-making processes, based on the disciplined analysis of nonverbal behaviour. MPA has a wide range of applications, from management consulting
to career guidance, and over 30,000 individuals – primarily those involved in senior management
– have made use of MPA-Profiles over the last 50 years.
throughout all stages of a decision-making process. "Intrinsic motivation" refers to inner drive, as opposed to extrinsic motivation – responding positively or negatively to external factors (eg., wages, punishment). "Decision-making process" is used here to refer to the whole chain of actions involved in thinking through, making choices and implementing decisions. MPA is used by companies and individuals to ensure compatibility between people and areas of responsibility and to improve team-balance.
.
Typical applications of MPA in Management Consulting include: Personal-, leadership-, and team-development; MPA-Coaching and self-management
; recruiting and (re-) definition of roles; planning-structures for meetings and long-term strategies.
in the 1940's and ‘50’s, building upon the innovations of movement theorist Rudolf Laban
and one of the UK’s first management consultants, F. C. Lawrence. Warren Lamb
assisted Laban and Lawrence in their groundbreaking research within British industry – first among factory workers – then focusing on management
.
Laban and Lawrence realised early on that certain aspects and qualities of thinking are echoed in other kinds of bodily movement – and vice-versa. Warren Lamb went on to synthesise these and his own findings and develop a solid framework and consistent method – now known as MPA – for analysing core initiatives in decision-making.
Warren Lamb’s unique contributions (and notably, the identification of what he dubbed “Posture-Gesture Mergers”) are unprecedented in the field of nonverbal behaviour and have been used consistently in management consulting for over a half a century.
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
to career guidance, and over 30,000 individuals – primarily those involved in senior management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
– have made use of MPA-Profiles over the last 50 years.
Motivational Analysis
MPA maps out how people are intrinsically motivated to take action and interactInteraction
Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect...
throughout all stages of a decision-making process. "Intrinsic motivation" refers to inner drive, as opposed to extrinsic motivation – responding positively or negatively to external factors (eg., wages, punishment). "Decision-making process" is used here to refer to the whole chain of actions involved in thinking through, making choices and implementing decisions. MPA is used by companies and individuals to ensure compatibility between people and areas of responsibility and to improve team-balance.
Management Consulting
Professional MPA-Practitioner training has allowed MPA to spread to a wide range of fields, although its main application has been in management consulting, spanning over 30 countries. Some companies and multinational corporations have continued to use MPA consistently for over three decades, which is rare in the often trend-seeking private sectorPrivate sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
.
Typical applications of MPA in Management Consulting include: Personal-, leadership-, and team-development; MPA-Coaching and self-management
Self-management
Self-management means different things in different fields:* In business, education, and psychology, self-management refers to methods, skills, and strategies by which individuals can effectively direct their own activities toward the achievement of objectives, and includes goal setting, decision...
; recruiting and (re-) definition of roles; planning-structures for meetings and long-term strategies.
History
MPA was developed by Warren LambWarren Lamb
Warren Lamb, born in England, is a management consultant, teacher and lecturer. He is a pioneer in the field of nonverbal behavior, having created Movement Pattern Analysis, a motivational assessment tool based on movement observation.-Early life:...
in the 1940's and ‘50’s, building upon the innovations of movement theorist Rudolf Laban
Rudolf Laban
Rudolf von Laban aka Rudolf Laban was a dance artist and theorist whose work laid the foundations for Laban Movement Analysis and other more specific developments in dance notation...
and one of the UK’s first management consultants, F. C. Lawrence. Warren Lamb
Warren Lamb
Warren Lamb, born in England, is a management consultant, teacher and lecturer. He is a pioneer in the field of nonverbal behavior, having created Movement Pattern Analysis, a motivational assessment tool based on movement observation.-Early life:...
assisted Laban and Lawrence in their groundbreaking research within British industry – first among factory workers – then focusing on management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
.
Laban and Lawrence realised early on that certain aspects and qualities of thinking are echoed in other kinds of bodily movement – and vice-versa. Warren Lamb went on to synthesise these and his own findings and develop a solid framework and consistent method – now known as MPA – for analysing core initiatives in decision-making.
Warren Lamb’s unique contributions (and notably, the identification of what he dubbed “Posture-Gesture Mergers”) are unprecedented in the field of nonverbal behaviour and have been used consistently in management consulting for over a half a century.