The role of work-based learning is a pivotal part of developing the learning region. With rates of employment at their highest for many years across Europe, the need for up-skilling the workforce in many areas will be essential to retain competitiveness and employability. This paper will focus on quality management up-skilling in small to…

Active learning has attracted considerable attention in higher education in response to concerns about how and what students are learning. There are many different forms of active learning, yet most of them are classroom based. We propose an alternative to active learning in the classroom through active learning outside of the classroom in the…

This quantitative study explored the relationships among workplace learning, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment (OC) in the context of small to midsize information technology companies in Taiwan. Twenty-six companies participated in the study, and a total of 206 valid surveys were collected and analyzed out of 450 that were…

As the country emerges from the recession, the Government of Canada must make difficult but critical decisions about where to invest public resources. Federal investments in research are overwhelmingly directed to pure or discovery research, with little support to applied research tied to commercialization. Innovation for the marketplace and the…

This paper explores the role that action learning might play in micro and small enterprise development. It is divided into two parts. The first part focuses upon the distinctive characteristics of smallness and ownership and their implication for management development processes in the owner managed firm. In particular the impact of personal…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a prospective entrepreneurship training model based on experiential learning which will enable the "production" of small business owners or entrepreneurs which is not being achieved by the current methods. Design/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual paper. It analyses the current…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore graduate training through SME-based project work. The views and behaviours of graduates are examined along with the perceptions of the SMEs and academic partner institutions charged with training graduates. Design/methodology/approach: The data are largely qualitative and derived from the experiences of…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present empirical evidence outlining the ways in which small businesses orientate themselves towards the training market. The primary aim is to illuminate the factors influencing small firms' (non-) participation in formal, externally-provided training. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected via…

So far, e-learning has primarily been used when there are many learners involved. The up-front investments related to e-learning are relatively high, and may be perceived as prohibitive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some e-learning is, however, getting less expensive, and some e-learning models are more suited for small-scale…

Criminal activity involving computers can range from minor vandalism to million-dollar theft. Most alarming is the vulnerability of small business. (RM)

Discusses the importance of special preparation for entrepreneurs of knowing how important they are to the economy. Describes the characteristics of entrepreneurs. (JOW)

This paper draws upon policy-based research that was conducted for the SBS South East to provide a meta-review of academic literature that examines the role of e-mentoring in entrepreneurial education and support. Four education and training relevant themes are explored: What is e-mentoring in SMEs? How effective is e-mentoring in SMEs? What…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the entrepreneurial attitudes of undergraduate students enrolled in the Small Business Institute[R] (SBI) program at multiple universities in the USA. Research has encouraged a continuous study and refinement of the entrepreneurial profile, particularly for young adults. Past studies have linked certain…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the needs and preferences for training among growth-oriented women-owned SMEs in the East of England. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative data were collected through 108 on-line questionnaires, and the means analysed using SPSS. Qualitative data collected in response to open-ended…

This study sought to determine the relationship between four independent variables educational level, longevity, gender, type of enterprise, and the dependent variable respondents' perception of culture toward organizational learning readiness. An exploratory correlational research design was employed to survey 498 employees in seven small…