Bill Richardson, Luiz Montanheiro, Sonny Nwankwo and Joanne Ashcroft
The introduction of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs)represents a unique opportunity to promote the “skillsrevolution” initiative of the CBI (in partnership with…
Abstract
The introduction of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) represents a unique opportunity to promote the “skills revolution” initiative of the CBI (in partnership with the Government) and the broader service framework for small business organizations. Describes some preliminary research which seeks to provide an indication of the cumulative effect of national and local TEC marketing initiatives on small business firms in the Sheffield area. Takes an early look at the issue around the question of TECs′ success. Findings indicate that, although general awareness about TECs is low among small business organizations, those who have used a TEC service have experienced satisfactory and quality service encounters. However, TEC marketing campaigns have been less than totally effective, to date, and more attention needs to be paid to the issues of target market‐related needs, attitudes, and promotional strategies.
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João Nunes and Luiz Montanheiro
In recent years, Portugal has followed the example of other Western countries, first by regulating access of private initiative into a variety of economic activities starting with…
Abstract
In recent years, Portugal has followed the example of other Western countries, first by regulating access of private initiative into a variety of economic activities starting with banking in 1985 and lately, selling state‐owned companies in 1989. Privatization has been seen as a key issue in the former Portuguese Prime Minister Cavaco Silva's reforms to enable Portugal to achieve a better socio‐economic performance. These reforms started before 1986, the period of European Union membership, having as main goals: economic growth, modernization of economic units, and increase of competitiveness within the European context. Indeed, within many of the privatization objectives, it is partly recognized that privatization played an important role in the Portuguese government's strategy, which was complemented by price liberalization, taxation, and financial system reforms.
David Laughton and Luiz Montanheiro
Although BTEC has considerably refined its approach to the development and embedding of common skills (core skills) within its Higher National Programmes in recent years, argues…
Abstract
Although BTEC has considerably refined its approach to the development and embedding of common skills (core skills) within its Higher National Programmes in recent years, argues that there are still a number of problems associated with the practical operation of this strategy and obstacles to a deeper acceptance of the common skills pedagogy within a higher education context remain. From a survey of students who completed a Higher National Diploma at Sheffield Business School in 1993 the crucial issues in this respect were seen to be the complexity of the common skills strategy, difficulties in the area of assessment, the value placed on subject knowledge by students, the lack of an acceptance of a common skills profile when applying for jobs, interviews, and further study, the fact that students thought some skills to be more important than others, and the fact that the development of skills was not undertaken with sufficient reference to probable future contexts where they could be utilized.
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The paper contends that in contrast to its well‐recognized role in assisting case users in the teaching/learning process, the teaching note’s importance in case writing has been…
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The paper contends that in contrast to its well‐recognized role in assisting case users in the teaching/learning process, the teaching note’s importance in case writing has been inadequately appreciated. While accepting that its role to date, i.e. in supporting class‐room discussion on the case study, is extremely valid, it is suggested that if developed and formulated to its near final stage, the teaching note can provide an ideal template within which the planned case can be written. The proposition that the process of writing the teaching note in advance of the case is defended on two grounds: marketing theory and, perhaps the best of all reasons, “that it works”!
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The classic case for competitiveness as a force driving change was made by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species by Natural Selection (1859). Adaptation, the ability to react…
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The classic case for competitiveness as a force driving change was made by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species by Natural Selection (1859). Adaptation, the ability to react successfully to a changed environment, accounts for multiplicity in the world of nature. Long billed birds are better able to dip beneath the surface of shallow lagoons for their food; the sharp, hard, short beaks of certain finches allow them to crack nuts and seeds. Darwin's reading of nature, so immediately popular and at the same time so controversial, fit well within the goals of nineteenth‐century scientific thought. Tracing the causes of change to fixed, logical patterns allowed scientists to remove non‐objective elements from their equations for evolution. Such issues as value, valor, or virtue held no place in a system of analysis unless they had survival value.