Kourosh Dini

Unleashing ethnic entrepreneurship: proactive policy-making in a changing Europe

Amid mounting concerns in post-2004 Europe about economic growth and competitiveness in global markets, immigrant/ethnic entrepreneurs successfully incorporate and manage new businesses that satisfy ethnic needs, create new jobs, buttress other businesses, stimulate competition and contribute to national coffers. Instituting appropriate immigrant/ethnic entrepreneur-centred policies and initiatives that encourage greater use of co-ethnic, multi-ethnic and host-country business networks could nurture this entrepreneurial activity. This study, incorporating literature and publications within several countries in Europe and elsewhere, reviews entrepreneur interdependence from the networking perspective since, traditionally, immigrant/ethnic entrepreneurs have been self- and mutually reliant. It recommends appropriate policies and initiatives be developed and implemented to promote this mutual reliance to ensure ethnic/immigrant enterprises are (a) increased in number, (b) aided to survive and thrive, (c) accelerated in their growth and (d) facilitated to become more competitive nationally and internationally. Six action areas are proposed.

Do engineering students perceive that different learning and teaching modes improve their referencing and citation skills

The present work explores the research question: do capstone engineering students perceive that different learning and teaching modes improve their referencing and citation skills? Two different teaching and learning modes of instruction were implemented for demonstration and training on the use of engineering databases and bibliographic information retrieval resources: i.e. small group and large group. A survey was conducted of students’ perception of the mode of instruction in both a large class format and the small-class hands-on environment. Analysis of the survey data yielded an overall positive response from students to the implementation of computerised bibliographic software for both class formats. However, this study found compelling evidence that students highly value the intensive instruction in a small group to assist them in improving their use and understanding of citations in written documentation.