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Purpose – Although the assessment of enterprise education activities has been widely highlighted as a key area of concern, it continues to be under represented in the literature. Questions remain as to how educators seeking to monitor student progression can capture quality data and measure relevant aspects of development, often leading enterprise education to be monitored rather than assessed. This article seeks to explore the challenges of assessing enterprise education in the secondary education sector. It aims to provide useful insights to help practitioners understand how to evidence the impact of enterprise learning by students. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first presents a critical review of the existing literature with insights from specialist practitioners sourced through an online survey and a seminar. This provides a broad review of the field from a practitioner standpoint focusing on current assessment techniques and standards. Using these data a conceptual pedagogy is proposed for the delivery of enterprise education and a methodology for its assessment, to be developed in future work. Findings – A critical review of the assessment of enterprise education is presented. This exposes challenges of a confused field, with pockets of good practice in schools often not shared or understood out of context. The development of a novel pedagogical model for teaching enterprise education is proposed, linked to a prototype assessment methodology which presents a new approach for enterprise teaching and learning. Research limitations/implications – The work is limited at this stage since participants in the research were drawn from one geographic area in the East of England, and examples of qualifications reviewed were not exhaustive, but these limitations can be addressed in future research. Practical implications – The paper provides a conceptual model for structuring enterprise education which may have relevance across the secondary sector and beyond. Originality/value – The article investigates the problems of assessing enterprise in secondary education, examining what does and does not work, and providing practitioners with useful guidance. In this important topic it is vital that new approaches are developed which can create a broader debate especially at a time of such great change in the educational landscape. This paper provides a platform for further development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 training needs for women-owned SMEs in England, based on quantitative data collected through 108 on-line questionnaires. It investigates needs and preferences for training among growth-oriented women-owned SMEs in East of England. It offers original primary research into contributory growth factors for women-owned enterprises in a representative area of Britain, identifies key issues, maps survival and success factors, and assesses women entrepreneurs' training needs and preferences. Findings of research are discussed which reveal that one fourth of respondents received growth-oriented training in the previous two years, with an average duration of 3-5 days per year. The result is limited to service sectors and sole proprietorships.

Purpose - This paper aims to provide an insight into how fashion designer businesses work and survive in London, with an understanding of business techniques and the survival strategies of British fashion designers. Design/methodology/ approach - The initial research demonstrated a need to define "innovation" as well as recognise the approach of "creative people" in business by exploring existing literature. This was followed by a series of structured interviews with nine British Fashion Designers in London, and three with intermediaries aimed at putting the designers'' activities within a business context: a fashion PR; a lawyer specialising in fashion business and a creative director of a fashion distributor. Findings - The research suggests ten survival strategies employed by fashion designers. The five fashion designers in a sustainable business all operated all of these principles. Those no longer in business operated between one and five of these principles. As designers gain experience and realise their "value", there is evidence that they can get leverage for contractual agreements with licensors, which has led to financial growth of the designers'' businesses. Strategies for diversification and consultancy, if managed without diluting design values, have also led to business growth and stability. Research limitations/implications - Further research is required to consider innovation and entrepreneurship in the different creative and cultural industries, particularly concerning issues and challenges for the creative person. Practical implications - The implications are that designers need to be quick to understand the business and wider environment in which they are operating. More published material needs to be widely available to them concerning role models and business models relevant to this unique and problematic industry. Originality/value - The value of this original research is to share experience and inform designers and practitioners of current practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides a review of the gap between student's entrepreneurial needs and aspirations and the entrepreneurship education offerings within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Leicestershire, UK. Utilises data from three surveys of university fresher students, held in 2001. Uses the findings as the basis to assess the gap between fresher students' entrepreneurial needs and aspirations and the capability of HEIs to meet them. Draws on multiple surveys from universities in Leicestershire and so will be of relevance to other HEIs with similar student demographics. Fulfils a need to take a strategic review of how HEIs can develop the capability to meet the entrepreneurial needs of new students in supporting their future aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Yorkshire universities together with Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency (RDA) for Yorkshire and Humberside, are collaborating on a graduate entrepreneurship programme. This paper outlines the national and regional context for the role of entrepreneurial education in producing new business and a climate in which creativity and innovation may thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the use of new technologies by entrepreneurial businesses in London, England. It states that social networks play a key role in the future of marketing and can transform the traditional focus on control with an open and collaborative approach that is more conducive to business success. Moreover, business innovation is influenced by the use Internet through expanding reach and minimizing the time-lag to market. It emphasizes that focus on innovation and building of brand relationships are required in modern marketing.