A survey of 250 British science and technology students showed that 84% had not considered employment in small/medium-sized businesses, partly due to the influence of university career services and the perception that salaries and advancement prospects are lower. Better information on small business opportunities is needed to improve their use of…

Comparison of two initiatives to bring modern management to China, one U.S. and one European funded, found that both succeeded to an extent in establishing business-administration education. Only the European effort has left a permanent presence in what is now China's leading business school. (SK)

The attempt to transfer Western management knowledge to China is unlikely to be effective if a cognitive model of management knowledge is used. A community model or socially constructed model is better aligned with the Chinese cultural and business environment. (SK)

Highlights the influence of Confucianism on Chinese thinking, learning style, and cultural values and the impact upon classroom behaviors. Corrects misconceptions Western teachers may have about the meaning of these behaviors. (SK)

Current models of management education in China include national training, on-the-job technical training, and the national master's of business administration supervisory committee. Effective strategies being used include teamwork, process skills, action learning, cross-cultural management learning, and competency-based management development. (SK)

To sustain growth requires changes in the Chinese economy and society. The Asian financial crisis shows that independent institutions and individual freedoms are necessary to stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation. Conservative social values often promoted by the education and training system could hinder economic growth. (SK)

A value-added analysis of business and community mentoring in seven British secondary schools found that mentored girls outperformed both boys and control-group girls in General Certificate of Secondary Education performance in four of seven schools. There was a small, positive impact on the attainment of mentored students overall. (SK)

Different methods should be used to determine the costs of institutional versus enterprise-based vocational training. Training costs are influenced by such factors as technology, teachers, program length, and scale of operation. Vocational education is generally more costly than academic education, and preemployment training costs more than does…

Contains precis of 18 articles on strategic management issues, including management development, on-the-job training, corporate scholarship, educational technology, coaching, investing in intellectual capital, and knowledge management. (SK)

A telephone survey of nearly 2,000 small businesses in Britain showed employers had positive attitudes about training but 85% had not provided any for at least a year. Interviews with 200 cited market position, economic conditions, and lack of training availability as causes. They felt national training policies lacked focus, coherence, and…

Canadian business graduates (n=217) saw Canada facing economic difficulties but many felt optimistic about their own career prospects. Those who were optimistic also reported more positive work outcomes, fewer work stressors, and greater psychological well-being. (SK)

Universities, being asked to train academic staff in teaching methodology, are confronted with the need to balance competency-based training and academic education, to avoid overloading staff time, and to reconcile internal and external requirements. Scotland's Robert Gordon University has found ways to deal with these competing demands. (SK)

Cooperative-education experiences of 80 Australian, 107 Dutch, 50 English, and 50 Scottish students were compared. Australian students expected higher workplace involvement, greater control, and more work pressure than did Dutch students. The Dutch had lower expectations of the social climate. Scottish students expected more autonomy on the job.…

Experience in Europe shows that success in work-experience programs requires these key strategies: (1) emphasis on integration; (2) development of training requirements; (3) fine tuning of educational supply with industry demand; (4) local problem-solving procedures; and (5) recognition of the responsibilities of both education and industry. (SK)

Government and corporations are not the most effective implementers of community development. Mediating structures such as universities can play this role by bringing together people with diverse interests, providing access to historical materials, and emphasizing social action. (SK)