Paul Lynch, Richard Baty, Farouk Abdullah and Claire Seaman
To report on an investigation amongst small firm owner‐managers in the service sector into potential demand for an MBA.
Abstract
Purpose
To report on an investigation amongst small firm owner‐managers in the service sector into potential demand for an MBA.
Design/methodology/approach
Relevant recent literature is critiqued concerning small firms and learning, and MBAs and small firms. A description is given of the research methods employed involving a mail questionnaire sent to 600 small and microenterprises eliciting 99 completed questionnaires, and follow‐up interviews with a sample of 20 respondents.
Findings
Identifies a potential market for an MBA tailor‐made to the requirements of a “learning segment” of small firm owner‐managers. Finds owner‐managers have sophisticated product requirements to be satisfied which would necessitate significant changes in higher education course provision and processes.
Research limitations/implications
The research was not concerned with investigating price. Bridging the gap between meeting the educational needs of small firms and higher education provision would help to address issues of social exclusion and potentially enhance the competitive economy.
Practical implications
Higher education institutions need to make significant changes to course provision and teaching, learning and assessment processes in order to develop an MBA product appropriate for the small firm market.
Originality/value
Assists with planning and designing a small firm MBA. Furthers debate concerning small firms and lifelong learning in order to develop a more competitive economy.
Details
Keywords
To present empirical research on the adoption of workload allocation models (WAMs) within the UK university system and relate these to the broader context of the new public…
Abstract
Purpose
To present empirical research on the adoption of workload allocation models (WAMs) within the UK university system and relate these to the broader context of the new public management (NPM).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on the historical sociology of the professions to highlight the dilemmas posed by the adoption of WAMs.
Findings
University managers and academics are faced with some difficult choices. Managers are faced with a requirement to develop, implement and if necessary challenge a range of new tasks, business processes, projects to be managed and teams to be led. For staff, the choice is to accept the increased workloads or to lobby for increased resources. However, calls for “increased resources” is likely to entail further bureaucratisation. A more transparent and accountable approach to academic work may offer a more viable way forward than that implied by recourse to the fundamentally elitist notions of “collegiality”.
Originality/value
The paper presents new research on WAMs and NPM.
Details
Keywords
A regular feature giving news and comments on events and productions in the field of visual aids for technical and scientific teaching and training
Rebekah J. Maupin and Claire A. May
Empirically compares the emphasis given to writing topics bybusiness communication textbooks and business communication professorswith the writing topics that accounting…
Abstract
Empirically compares the emphasis given to writing topics by business communication textbooks and business communication professors with the writing topics that accounting practitioners believe are most important. Addresses the questions: (1) Is there an agreement between the perceptions of accounting executives concerning the importance of certain written communication topics and the space devoted to those topics in the business communication textbooks most commonly used by undergraduate accounting students? (2) Are business communication professors teaching accounting students the writing skills that accounting executives perceive to be the most important? Findings indicate that the business communication courses taken by accounting majors are not emphasizing the writing topics that accounting practitioners believe to be most vital to accountants. The implication is that these courses may not be teaching accounting students the practical writing skills they will need on the job.
Details
Keywords
Donald A. Klosterman, Richard P. Chartoff, Nora R. Osborne, George A. Graves, Allan Lightman, Gyoowan Han, Akos Bezeredi and Stan Rodrigues
A novel rapid prototyping technology incorporating a curved layer building style was developed. The new process, based on laminated object manufacturing (LOM), was designed for…
Abstract
A novel rapid prototyping technology incorporating a curved layer building style was developed. The new process, based on laminated object manufacturing (LOM), was designed for efficient fabrication of curved layer structures made from ceramics and fiber reinforced composites. A new LOM machine was created, referred to as curved layer LOM. This new machine uses ceramic tapes and fiber prepregs as feedstocks and fabricates curved structures on a curved‐layer by curved‐layer basis. The output of the process is a three‐dimensional “green” ceramic that is capable of being processed to a seamless, fully dense ceramic using traditional techniques. A detailed description is made of the necessary software and hardware for this new process. Also reviewed is the development of ceramic preforms and accompanying process technology for net shape ceramic fabrication. Monolithic ceramic (SiC) and ceramic matrix composite (SiC/SiC) articles were fabricated using both the flat layer and curved layer LOM processes. For making curved layer objects, the curved process afforded the advantages of eliminated stair step effect, increased build speed, reduced waste, reduced need for decubing, and maintenance of continuous fibers in the direction of curvature.
Details
Keywords
There will be few who complain of the importance of place which the subject of food hygiene has been given in recent years in the public health field, or of the striking advances…
Abstract
There will be few who complain of the importance of place which the subject of food hygiene has been given in recent years in the public health field, or of the striking advances which have been made. In the field of legislation, present food regulations are clearly an advance on any that have gone before ; hygienic practices and hygiene of person are covered in a way and with a completeness never previously attempted and it is difficult to see any further progress being possible in this direction, at least for some years to come. The results from the long campaign in health education have probably not reached expectations, not from want of effort on the part of those responsible but because the medium to be educated, in parts at any rate, is not an essentially receptive one. The larger and progressive concerns engaged in the preparation and packing of foods have been responsible for much that is good, particularly in instituting strict control in the places where harm can most easily be done. Not a few employ the “ no touch ” technique by workers throughout preparation if possible, and at every stage where it can be reasonably applied.
In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still…
Abstract
In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.
In answer to a question in the House of Commons, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Rt. Hon. D. Heathcoat Amory, M.P., referred to the recently published Report…
Abstract
In answer to a question in the House of Commons, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Rt. Hon. D. Heathcoat Amory, M.P., referred to the recently published Report of the Panel on Composition and Nutritive Value of Flour.
Perhaps the greatest peril to civilisation is the fragmentation of knowledge. Science often lends itself to easy application to technology and our economic systems are the result…
Abstract
Perhaps the greatest peril to civilisation is the fragmentation of knowledge. Science often lends itself to easy application to technology and our economic systems are the result of applying this knowledge to our resources. But our knowledge of how societies work lags significantly, and the economic system frequently multiplies our social problems. At the heart of the problem is the distinction between knowledge of universals – scientific laws for example – and knowledge of people, who are unique particulars. The paper examines some recent disputes in the social sciences and suggests how the gap might be filled and economic systems made more responsive to social problems.