Purpose: This study aims to examine managers' considerations for leveraging management research for their work and the implications of such considerations on using inquiry-based learning (IBL) in customised executive education programmes (CEEPs) offered by business schools (b-schools). Design/methodology/approach: The study proposes a conceptual framework that is validated using a single case study analysis. For the case study, semi-structured interviews were carried out with the top leadership of an organisation. Using the findings of the interviews, a survey was designed and administered to the managers of the organisation to further validate the findings. Findings: This study identifies four considerations of the managers for leveraging management research. It analyses how faculty members can use IBL to design CEEPs to meet these considerations and link management research with managerial work. Research limitations/implications: The single organisational context in which the study was carried out and the small sample size of the survey can be seen as a limitation of this article to produce generalisable considerations of managers. Practical implications: The findings in this study have practical implications on the design and teaching practices of using IBL in CEEPs. Originality/value: The main contribution of this study is the conceptual framework for deciding the teaching practices of IBL in CEEPs. Another contribution is its analysis at the level of individual managers, which provides novel insights about the relationship between management research and managerial work.