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The article discusses a research paper, which focuses on issues in the adoption of new technology in small technology oriented firms, based on surveys of small information and communication technologies (ICT) oriented firms in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It explores issues which smaller firms face with the adoption of new technologies. It reveals how pressure to adopt new technologies largely emanates from within the small firms and shows what can happen where an owner-manager is or is not willing to listen, learn and provide appropriate resources to ensure the smooth adoption and implementation of new technologies.

The article discusses a research paper which focuses on development of a collaborative learning environment through technology enhanced education (TE3) support. It reports on the development of a knowledge transfer project, part funded through TE3, designed to encourage innovation and improve the capability of SMEs in the West Midlands region of the UK. It outlines a proposal for a collaborative learning environment which will provide value to designers of virtual learning environments and funded support providers. Findings reveals that firms that efficiently tap into all relevant sources of knowledge are likely to thrive and those which cannot may struggle.

Purpose - This paper seeks to investigate the provision of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Small Ethnic Minority Businesses (SEMBs) operating in the West Midlands region of the UK. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative approach is employed, involving in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 66 owner/managers of small ethnic minority businesses located in the West Midlands region of the UK. The research sample included 26 graduate entrepreneurs and 40 non-graduate respondents. Findings - Most of the SEMB owner/managers in this study exhibited a positive attitude towards VET. A large proportion of the respondents, however, admitted not to have provided any training during the previous 18 months of trading. Training provision appears to be affected by both "directly" and "indirectly" relevant factors. The majority of the SEMB owner/managers in the research sample do not have specific human resource strategies, audits, plans or related budgets, and training was offered largely on a reactive rather than proactive basis. Research limitations/implications - Caution is advised in the use and generalisation of results that emerge from qualitative research that involved a small sample of respondents chosen from a restricted area of the UK. Originality/value - The paper makes an original contribution of exploring the area of vocational education and training in small ethnic minority businesses that is at the forefront of discussion in academic and industry in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a research paper, which focuses on financial education in small ethnic minority businesses in Great Britain, based on portal survey of owner/managers in 64 ethnic minority small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and a control sample of 23 non-ethnic SMEs of United Kingdom. It evaluates the financial education needs of ethnic minority SMEs in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It makes an empirically rigorous contribution to a relatively under researched aspect of SME research. Results of research are discussed which show that owner/managers of micro-businesses have lower educational achievements as well as higher financial education needs than their counterparts in small and medium-sized firms.