David Devins

A Conceptual Model of Management Learning in Micro Businesses: Implications for Research and Policy

Purpose – This article proposes the development of a conceptual model to help understand the nature of management learning in the micro business context and to inform research and policy discourse. Design/methodology/approach – The model is developed on the basis of a literature search and review of academic and grey literature. Findings – The model highlights the unique nature of the micro business learning environment. Meeting the diverse interests of micro business managers is a major challenge for agencies seeking to promote and deliver management and leadership skills. An intervention approach founded upon the relationship between the micro business manager and the intervention agency is crucial to the successful design and delivery of relevant services. Research limitations/implications – The research identified a lack of literature associated with learning in the micro business context. The model should therefore be considered as partial, to be tested in practice and subject to revision as new understanding unfolds. Practical implications – The conceptual model suggests that the foundation of successful intervention should be the interests of the managers themselves. Closer relationships between a flexible supply-side and the micro business manager provide the foundation to improve the relevance of these interventions in the micro business context and to encourage access to learning opportunities amongst the employed workforce. Originality/value – The research subject and the development of a unique conceptual model may be of use to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.(Publication abstract)

Social constructionism: a theoretical framework to underpin support for the development of managers in SMEs?

Policy documents stress the importance of learning and knowledge to the competitiveness of the economy. The documents draw attention to the positive impact on economic performance although the link between management training and small firm performance remains empirically contested. Many outside agencies, and particularly those which are publicly funded, face significant difficulties in bringing new learning to smaller organisations. In particular, generalised notions, recipes and tool‐kits of techniques for how small business managers should be developed can easily be dismissed as irrelevant by the small business managers themselves. This would suggest a methodological gap which highlights the failure of many interventionist frameworks. Argues that this gap can be bridged by taking a social constructionist view to supporting small business managers and the development of their organisations. Provides an introduction to the key ideas of social constructionism and their relevance to understanding the support process underpinning the development of managers in smaller businesses. Concludes with a discussion of the implications of social constructionism for those involved in researching, evaluating and developing services to support management development in small business organisations.

Employer characteristics and employee training outcomes in UK SMEs: a multivariate analysis

Workforce development is becoming a higher priority for government, both as a means of addressing social exclusion and raising competitiveness. However there is limited evidence of the contribution of training to the success of individual firms and even less evidence of the impact of such training activity on small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) employees. This paper draws on a survey of 1,000 employees to investigate the impact of a training intervention on employees in SME workplaces. It explores issues associated with the equity of provision of training in the workplace and the impact of training on the employability of SME employees in the labour market. The results suggest that training interventions lead to positive outcomes for the majority of SME employees, particularly those working in organisations with relatively formalised training practices. It concludes by suggesting that there should be a greater focus on the employee dimension in research and policy regarding training in SMEs.

Training and Development Activities in SMEs Some Findings from an Evaluation of the ESF Objective 4 Programme in Britain

As the government strives for full employment, the development of the employed workforce continues to emerge as a policy priority. Smaller businesses account for the vast majority of enterprises in the economy and their reluctance to become engaged in external training activities continues to present a policy challenge. This article draws on a survey of 211 employers to explore the impact of the European Social Fund (ESF) Objective 4 (O4) Programme in Britain (1998-2000). ESF O4 supported the development and delivery of a range of training and development interventions predominantly aimed at developing human resource capacity and training and development activity in SMEs. The article examines the provision of training in participating SMEs and the impact of the O4 intervention on training and business performance. The article concludes with the implications of the analysis for policy makers.

“Cracking the tough nuts”: mentoring and coaching the managers of small firms

A recent learning programme funded by Sheffield TEC, targeted specifically at “tough nuts”, i.e. small organisations with no history of formal training and development for those in management positions, is examined. The background to the approach based on mentoring and coaching is explained. Findings from an impact study of 20 case organisations are presented.

Engaging SME managers and employees in training: lessons from an evaluation of the ESF Objective 4 Programme in Great Britain

This paper draws on a telephone survey of 116 independent SMEs to explore the impact of a variety of training interventions on human resource (HR) practices and business performance in Great Britain. The paper investigates the extent to which targeting such interventions on the managers of SMEs affects the impact and the likelihood of changes in HR practices but finds no statistically significant relationship. The research findings suggest that whilst training interventions have positively contributed to the establishment of HR practices and are perceived by SME managers to have met the needs of the organisation, their impact on a range of business performance indicators is fairly modest. Furthermore the research identifies the propensity of SMEs who are currently engaged in training to become involved in these interventions whilst the majority of SMEs who are not engaged in external training activities remain untouched by the policy intervention.

Lifelong Learning and Digital Exclusion: Lessons from the Evaluation of an ICT Learning Centre and an Emerging Research Agenda

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are playing an increasingly important role within society. There are concerns, however, about unequal access to ICTs and the dangers of digital exclusion. The UK government has prioritized the development of ICT skills and access to learning through ICTs, the key policy instrument being a network of ICT learning centres in deprived communities. This article reviews the evaluation of a local ICT learning centre, focusing on the impact of the centre in relation to reducing digital exclusion and impact on skills development. The evaluation highlights a number of policy tensions and areas for further investigation.

Enterprise in deprived areas: what role for start-ups?

The promotion of enterprise in deprived areas is a key element of the UK governments policy to improve economic performance and social inclusion. This paper focuses on a key aspect of the agenda – the formation of new businesses (including self-employment) – and provides an overview of the development and implementation of New Labour policy before exploring the regional dimension and progress to date. The paper concludes with some implications for policy which question the rationale underpinning intervention, and draws attention to some issues which need to be considered if the policies are to meet the aspirations of government to the benefit of local communities.

Different skills and their different effects on personal development: An investigation of European Social Fund Objective 4 financed training in SMEs in Britain

This paper examines a data set that has its origins in European Social Fund Objective 4 financed training programmes in small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Britain to examine the extent to which three different personal development outcomes are attributable to different types of skills acquired during the training process. The three outcomes in question are: whether an individual gains more confidence at the workplace; whether an individual obtains a qualification; and whether an individual quits the company at which the training took place. To the extent that it is possible to isolate one skill dimension from an inherently multi‐dimensional bundle, it is observed that some of these skill dimensions have important, if sometimes different, impacts on the likelihood that the outcome in question occurs.

Re-conceptualising talent management and development within the context of the low paid

Those working in organisations have choices to make associated with not only the goods and services they produce but also their wider social and economic impact. The number of employees in low-skilled/low-paid jobs and the high proportion of companies adopting business strategies based on low-specification goods and services are a concern for many developed and developing economies. Addressing this problem is not traditionally the concern of Human Resource Development; however, we argue that through exploring the role that a wider, more balanced approach to Sustainable Talent Management and Development (S-TMD) may play within the context of the low skilled in the UK provides a crucial link to enhancing an organisation’s performance and responsibility to society. At the heart of this approach lies a shift to appreciate the collective endeavour of work practices, an enhanced role for stakeholders and identification of, and participation in skills ecosystems to support sustainable development. The paper identifies the opportunity for S-TMD to move from a predominantly individualist, managerial and unitarist understanding to one grounded in the value of tacit and embedded development processes undertaken to reflect a pluralist, multi-voiced approach to understanding of a skills ecosystem.