Increasing the digital literacy skills of regional SMEs through high-speed broadband access
- Authors: Ollerenshaw, Alison , Corbett, Jennifer , Thompson, Helen
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Small Enterprise Research Vol. 28, no. 2 (May 2021), p. 115-133
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Universal challenges exist for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in regional and rural areas to utilize digital technologies for entrepreneurial advancement. Barriers include insufficient understanding of digital technologies and a lack of skills necessary for digital adoption. In Australia, training programs were introduced to enhance the digital uptake for the business and community sectors. Research was conducted to examine the impact on participants’ perceived digital literacy awareness and knowledge of online services, and their skills development. Survey data was collected from program participants (n = 101) comprising SMEs and not-for-profit organizations (NFP), and from program mentors/facilitators (n = 9). The findings show that training supports knowledge transfer, learning and skills development, fostering confidence about digital technologies. It is recommended that ongoing training is delivered regionally so that SMEs and NFPs can exploit digital innovations within their businesses and organizations.
Old dogs, new tricks : Training mature-aged manufacturing workers
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Smith, Andy , Selby Smith, Chris
- Date: 2010
- Type: Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Workplace Learning Vol. 22, no. 5 (2010), p. 277-291
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- Description: Purpose – This paper aims to examine the employment and training of mature-aged workers, so that suggestions for improving training for mature-aged workers may be offered. Design/methodology/approach – Six expert interviews were carried out by telephone, and three case studies involving company site visits were completed. Each company case study involved interviews with managers, trainers and mature-aged workers. The study was confined to the manufacturing industry. Findings – Mature-aged workers bring many advantages to workplaces and some employers show a definite preference for them over younger workers; but in some cases training needs to take account of lack of confidence and literacy and health issues. However, there is great diversity among mature-aged workers. Research limitations/implications – The research is confined to shop-floor workers in manufacturing, and does not address training of mature-aged managers and professionals. The research is small-scale but provides new insights, and importantly the voices of the workers themselves. Practical implications – The paper identifies managerial and training practices that can immediately be implemented. Originality/value – The paper identifies some issues that can be taken up at a policy level as well as within companies. For example, the preference for qualification-based training at a national level is not necessarily consistent with what mature-aged workers prefer.
Perceptions of the effectiveness of training and development of 'grey-collar' workers in the People's Republic of China
- Authors: Hutchings, Katherine , Zhu, Jiuhua , Cooper, Brian , Zhang, Yiming , Shao, Sijun
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Human Resource Development International Vol. 12, no. 3 (2009), p. 279-296
- Full Text: false
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- Description: An important human resource development (HRD) implication of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) rapidly expanding economy has been the emergence of a critical shortage of grey-collar workers (GCW). Although ‘grey-collar’ has been commonly used in the West to describe an aging population within the workforce, in China it refers to people who are neither white nor blue collar workers but technicians. The shortage of GCW constrains the PRC's economic and developmental sustainability, and has been recognized in central and provincial government initiatives to increase training and development of employees within these fields. While acknowledged as a policy and organizational problem, there has been no research investigating what organizations are doing to develop these employees. Drawing upon a survey of 310 semi-skilled and skilled employees in Beijing, our findings suggest that while the surveyed organizations are investing heavily in both on- and off-the-job training, employees' perceived value of such differs markedly according to age and position. The research has important implications for China's HRD strategy in suggesting links between training and other human resource management (HRM) functions are yet to be evidenced.
Learning to control : Training and work organization in Australian call centres
- Authors: Smith, Andy , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Industrial Relations Vol. 50, no. 2 (2008), p. 243-256
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The organization of work in call centres has been the centre of study and debate for a number of years. This article explores the adoption of nationally-recognized training (based on formal qualifications) in Australian call centres, which is now becoming quite widespread, and its relationship to work organization and human resource management practices. The article draws on a national research project that explored the take up of nationally recognized training by Australian employers. A number of call centres were included in this study that forms the basis for the present article. One of the major attractions for call centre employers, apart from the financial incentives involved in adoption, is the close fit between nationally recognized training and work organization. Because of its on-job nature, such training fits the close quantitative controls that characterize almost all call centres. Because of its integration into the workplace and into work organization, nationally recognized training seems to be moving human resource management processes towards an increased emphasis on employee development.
Perceived managerial problems in SMEs: Evidence from Botswana
- Authors: Temtime, Zelealem , Pansiri, Jaloni
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Development and Learning in Organisations Vol. 20, no. 5 (2006), p. 15-17
- Full Text: false
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- Description: C1
The E-factor : Advancing women entrepreneurs in the digital economy
- Authors: Braun, Patrice
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Asian Pacific Women's Information Network Center Vol. 8, no. (2006), p. 99-109
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- Description: With the rise of globalisation, technological innovation, diffusion of information via the Internet, and related changes in business values and beliefs, countries, regions, governments and institutions everywhere are facing changing conditions for competitive advantage (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2000). Globalisation allows companies of all sizes, even micro and small and medium size enterprises (SME) which were once unable to compete with larger firms, to participate in new markets and reduce costs. Deregulated markets allow for more competition as well as better product offering and prices for small businesses.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003002171
New management practices and enterprise training in Australia
- Authors: Smith, Andy , Oczkowski, Edward , Noble, Charles , Macklin, Robert
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Manpower Vol. 24, no. 1 (2003), p. 31-47
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The widespread implementation of new management practices (NMPs) in industrialised countries has had a significant impact on employee training. Examines five NMPs: the learning organisation; total quality management; lean production/high performance work organisations; teamworking; and business process re-engineering. Focuses on the relationship between organisational change and training at the enterprise level. The research identified important findings in six key areas: small business; the use of the vocational education and training system; the importance of the individual; the nature of training; the importance of behavioural skills; and organisational change. The study confirmed that workplace change is a major driver of improved training provision in enterprises. It showed unambiguously that most NMPs are associated with higher levels of training. The integration of training with business strategy was found to be the most important factor in driving training across a wide range of training activities and appears to lead to an across the board boost to enterprise training in all its forms.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003007186