Noting the failure of large, centralized production systems in developing countries, this journal issue describes the functions, types, and strategies of micro-enterprises in the modernization process of developing countries, especially in Africa. The journal analyzes the characteristics and failures of micro-enterprises and informal industries,…

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training's (CEDEFOP) activities and research relating to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have focused on three areas of action: (1) development of training for SMEs; (2) information on the training provision available in the member states; and (3) promotion of the exchange and…

A study of four European countries (France, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain) was conducted to gather data on the business start-up process and its impact on the generation of jobs, small business start-up support programs, training and counseling programs, and characteristics of successful business starters. (The original aim of the study was to…

In 1984, the Swedish National Board of Education inaugurated a major research program on decentralized school administration. The research undertaken at the University of Lund focused upon regional and local school administration: county education committee, local education authority, local education office, and head teachers. Results are…

Major British, French, and German industrial companies are increasingly recruiting higher education graduates (HEGs) for middle management posts, traditionally filled through promotion of operatives. This new form of recruitment does not occur on the same scale or at the same rate in all the companies using it, and it is closely tied to the…

While disparities in access to training are identified as a weakness of the training system initiated by the Continuing Training Law 1971 in France, public sector agents--one-fourth of all employees in France--seem better off. However, this hardly means generosity of the public sector's training policy is the sole cause or that training procedures…

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 16, Improving Human Resource Development (HRD) Practice through Research, of the Academy of HRD 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Why HRD Practitioners Can Lack Respect: Sizing the Credibility Gap between What Top Managers Want and HRD Professionals Deliver" (Robert L. Dilworth, Timothy…

This information bulletin is one in a series devoted to adult education and learning in Slovenia. The bulletin is organized in four sections. The first section, SIAE [Slovenian Institute for Adult Education] Events, contains the following articles: "Proposals for Making the Year of Languages" (Sonja Klemencic); "Evaluation of the…

The results of current research in higher education in Finland are described in 11 articles, published with the aim of reinforcing contacts with international researchers. Articles' titles and authors include: "University Development, Social Change, and Regional Policy" (Ari Antikainen); "Research on the Economics of Higher…