The growth and competitiveness of any business, especially micro and SMEs, will increasingly depend on the ability to apply new knowledge, organisation and working methods, as well as the capacity to engage in the commercialisation of research and development to develop new products, services, or processes. In the information society, the…

This article provides an overview of the literature that contributes to the study of the key factors that explain the process by which university graduates enter the labour market. It is approached from the standpoint of the Spanish experience but also discussesother European initiatives. Understanding this process is paramount for the…

Concept mapping is a technique to represent relationships between concepts that can help students to improve their meaningful learning. Using the cognitive theories proposed by Ausubel (1968), concept maps can help instructors and students to enhance their logical thinking and study skills by revealing connections among concepts that can simplify…

This publication highlights the role of the tutor (a person providing on-the-job training to new hires and persons moving into new jobs while still functioning in the same or a similar job, rather than being a full-time trainer) in industry through a comparative study of these four European countries: Austria, France, Germany, and Spain. Following…

The Spanish university system has grown substantially in numbers of students, faculty, and facilities in recent decades, but no firm policies have been developed for teacher training, and the departmental structure, schedules, financial support, and employment practices have not been modernized despite legislative efforts since 1970. (MSE)

This synoptic table provides an overview and comparison of employment trends and policy measures for each member state of the European Community. Information on the following countries is presented in eight chapters: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and United Kingdom. Chapter 0…

A meeting was held to discuss the findings of case studies examining the role of companies in generating qualifications and the training impact of work organization in Germany, Denmark, Spain, and France. New forms of work organization (NFOT) were identified and examined from the standpoint of sources of organizational change, the main areas of…

Reports on the development and recognition of environmental protection qualifications in the chemical and metal industries in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom were synthesized. The synthesis focused on companies' and social partners' current and planned strategies and obligations of companies regarding recognizing…

A study examined training in the retail trade in Spain. Employment, work, and training patterns in Spain's retail sector were researched, and case studies of five retail firms were conducted. Two retailers were too small to afford their own training organization but had formulated personnel policies providing for training. The third case was a…

As part of a larger effort to pinpoint emerging training needs, case studies of the telecommunications and administration/offices sectors were conducted in Spain, Italy, and France to identify new information technology (IT) competencies required of employees in those fields and determine whether IT has similar consequences in individual European…

Work and learning in microenterprises in the car repair industries of four European Community (EC) countries were examined through 21 case studies of firms with 10 or fewer employees (6 firms in Ireland and 5 each in Greece, the Netherlands, and Spain). Structured interviews were conducted with each firm's owner and 60 motor vehicle mechanics at…

Work and learning in microenterprises in the printing industries of four European Community (EC) countries were examined through 17 case studies of firms with 10 or fewer employees (5 firms in Finland and 4 each in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain). Structured interviews were conducted with each firm's owner and a total of 90 staff at the 17…

One of the primary aims of the Spanish educational system is to provide training for productive work within the regular educational system. The educational system in Spain is designed to make a basic general education accessible to everyone. Other goals of the system include the provision of professional training as a means of initial preparation…

This book contains nine papers devoted to the psychological experience of youth employment and its role in shaping future employment experiences and expectations. "Introduction" (Julian Barling, E. Kevin Kelloway) emphasizes the diversity of young people as a group and the diversity of individual youth's employment experience. "The…