Presents results from a study examining approaches developed by seven governments to foster competitive intelligence practice in SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and compares them with the approach taken by the government of Quebec. Suggests a need for a better understanding of information needs and uses in SMEs. (Contains 22 references.)…

Provides an overview of innovation in United Kingdom firms based on a survey of 6,000 small and medium-sized enterprises. Includes case studies of the industrial clustering process, identifying factors connecting firms in the high-technology circuit. Discusses policy considerations for firms and government. (Contains 61 references/notes.) (JOW)

Results of research into the graduate recruitment and selection practices of 30 British small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the skills being sought by employers suggest that SMEs value transferable skills and that small employers expect an immediate contribution from graduate recruits. (JOW)

Analysis of Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises reveals that small business culture is a significant barrier to skill development. Other barriers include awareness, finance, and access to training. A welter of recent policy initiatives has added to a state of confusion about the role of training. (SK)

A case study of union initiatives to rebuild the training infrastructure for small businesses in the printing industry in Southwest England illustrates two points: (1) unions are responding to the individualizing tendency of globalization while maintaining collectivist traditions; and (2) organizational culture can inhibit the acquisition,…

A longitudinal study focused on the training needs of 6,000 small and medium-sized businesses in 6 formerly communist countries. Results showed owner/managers had positive attitudes to training, but the vast majority had provided no training in the past year. Difficulties included economic conditions and availability of relevant training.…

Small businesses dominate the tourism and hospitality industry worldwide and are of critical importance for the competitiveness of destinations. Small family hotel businesses are characterised by a number of specific business processes which generate particular training and educational needs. It is increasingly clear that small businesses are not…

Language patterns of family business owners were explored by identifying discourse styles and emphasized ideas in four presenting contexts: business, family, intersection of family and business, and business success. The content analysis supports the existence of a general discourse style within family businesses and of similarities and…

Rulemaking agencies commonly delegate the implementation and enforcement of rules to affected parties, but they rarely delegate rulemaking authority. Regulatory negotiation is an example of this uncommon behavior. Compared to conventional rulemaking, regulatory negotiation is thought to be an attempt to make bureaucracy more responsive to affected…

Following a review of assistance provision to New Zealand small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in 1998, the government established the BIZ programme. The purpose of the new initiative was to build management capability amongst SMEs by providing them with free access to a business needs assessment, followed by training and seminars, one-on-one…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a small business-mentoring project, which was delivered in regional Australia. Design/methodology/approach: This paper contains a case study of the mentoring project and focuses on the process and the outcomes of that project from different perspectives. Data collected in semi structured telephone…

This is an account the work of NetworkNorthWest, a [pound]1m project at the University of Salford that ran between 2004 and 2007 and was developed to address the issues relating to poor take up of traditional business support by small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and low levels of engagement of the business community with Institutes of…

Introduction: In this paper, we discuss the link between information sharing and organizational knowledge production in two very different organizations; a company that handles insurance claims and a small, entrepreneurial hi-tech company. We suggest that this link has not been adequately addressed by studies of information behaviour, though a…

The fact that small organizations have been slow to adopt elearning is not because of a lack of need--in fact elearning offers tremendous benefits for small organizations in the form of time savings, captured expertise, improved workflow and improved staff development--but rather because small organizations tend not to have the right components…

Purpose: This paper aims to appraise the delivery of an enterprise education course to a cohort of Polish students evaluating its impact in encouraging entrepreneurial activity. The Polish economy continues its expansion with adoption of free market economies post communism. To encourage this growth, entrepreneurial activity must be encouraged…