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In the highly gendered academic sector, womens’ high participation rates have not translated into equal career progression with men. Existing literature suggests that early career publication success is a good indicator of long-term publication success. This research is intended to provide a better understanding of whether the notions of success espoused by neo-liberal universities align with the subjective measures of what constitutes academic success for women ECRs (early career researchers).

The study examines the perceptions of nine successful women ECRs at an Australian university. It uses collaborative autoethnography with thematic analysis of participants’ self-reflective narratives on being a successful ECR.

Five themes were identified. One focussed on objective academic success, which included publications, grants and citations. The other four themes – living a balanced life, making a difference, labour of love and freedom and flexibility – offered more subjective views of success. These included: research making a contribution to society, undertaking research they are passionate about, having autonomy in their role and achieving work-life balance.

The findings demonstrate that women define success in broader terms than neo-liberal universities, and future studies should consider these divergent definitions. Universities committed to equality should understand differences in how women may approach career progress and incorporate this into support processes and in alignment of individual and university goals.

This research offers unique insights into the experience of post-doctoral employment for women in the academic environment and the factors influencing their success in this early career phase.

The rapid evolution of Internet technology has created the ability to disseminate new information nearly instantaneously to a world‐wide audience. Many business and finance organisations have already applied this capability. Examples are real‐time stock quotes, on‐line news wires and e‐commerce.

The Centre for Community and Lifelong Learning (CCLL) at the University of Wales, Newport has been offering a Summer School Scheme for community based students since August 2008. This, as an intervention strategy within a widening access framework, offers a “university experience”, whereby students and their families are given the opportunity to study and enjoy a short experience on a university campus – some families being offered residential places. The aim of the paper is to introduce data collected which shows how this summer school challenges the barriers that are often associated with campus provision.

In this paper the authors will introduce data collected through an ethnographic, mixed methods approach which shows how this summer school challenges the barriers that are often associated with campus provision, such as perception of academic institutions and personal ability.

The Summer School also offers many community students a significant opportunity to realise self potential within a campus context but within a supportive and familial framework. What continues to make this event all the more “unique” is that, from the developments of the first event, there is a growing recognition of the importance of the family dimension to the summer school.

Gorard et al. suggest that the early experiences of families can deeply imbed a reluctance to enter into post‐school learning and as such can be transmitted across the family and through generations. This is supported by Chowdry et al. who suggest that “poor attainment in secondary schools is more important in explaining lower HE participation rates amongst students from disadvantaged backgrounds than barriers arising at the point of entry into HE”.

Given pressures both to share and to protect personal information in inter‐agency service provision, this article reviews the ways in which policy and legal influences shape interorganisational information exchange and highlights key developments in government guidance that are designed to promote better information sharing.

Reports on the uncovering of a small‐firm reality where the self‐gratifying behaviour of the owner/manager threatens the survival of the organization. Takes a “middle‐range thinking” approach to mould ethnographic data, and demonstrates and develops, via a case study, models of change within organizations. Identifies the importance of power in such change‐resistant contexts, and draws conclusions from the work which suggest that in such contexts “second order” change is unlikely to be achieved and only “pseudo‐colonization” can be sustained in the long term. It is the authors’ view that this context is a common one and is worthy of further research since there may be far‐reaching implications for a whole range of stakeholders associated with such an organization.

Addresses the issue of business failure. Identifies different types of business failure and provides a framework for further research into this aspect of strategic management. Draws from the management literature to describe the causes and processes of each of the failure contexts covered and provides case illustrations to contextualize them.

In a world afflicted with hyper‐competition, dynamic and increasingly rapid market changes, and global economic crises, there still exist, however rare, exceptional companies that have found a way to weather the storm and position themselves for a bright future. This study investigates success factors of top performing companies and drivers of innovativeness and corporate success.

Based on a research study of over 700 European companies, this article explores ways in which many top companies have surged passed their competitors and achieved sustained corporate success. A synthesis of scientific studies, practical experience, and numerous conversations with successful entrepreneurs and senior executives, the results of the project are discussed in order to direct readers' attention to those levers that can help companies create, maintain and strengthen a competitive edge.

The study identifies the pillars of success of high‐performing companies and shows how leadership, entrepreneurship culture, market orientation, core competences and leadership influence innovativeness and corporate success.

Based on a large‐scale empirical study success factors are identified and it is shown how they work together. Examples of successful companies and interviews with senior executives give insights into the secrets of success of top performers.

Drawing on research based on interviews with small firms in north‐east England, looks at the process of learning in and by small organisations (with 50 or fewer employees). Finds that the dominant culture of small organisations points to the need to develop alternative approaches to HRD that do not rely on business plans or training needs analyses. Examines small organisations in terms of five key characteristics: adaptability; planning; information and knowledge; human resource development; and growth. Finds that small organisations are characterised by: a paternalistic culture; an informal approach to planning; the importance of an individual’s ideas and character; learning by working with others (rather than formal training); and a belief in the importance of growth. Calls into question the validity of the often quoted “training deficit” from which small organisations are said to suffer and suggests that the networking function of the entrepreneur may be less important than other functions and qualities.

The Children Act 2004 provides for the establishment of information‐sharing databases. This has provoked some controversy, particularly the inclusion of ‘flags of concern’. This article argues that the Government needs to tread carefully to achieve the right balance between confidentiality and information‐sharing.