The small and medium enterprise (SME) sector is receiving increasing recognition and, as part of this, its human resources needs is a comparatively neglected area. This study of 300 companies consisted of a comprehensive investigation of all aspects of human resources. The focus here is on the...

The boundaries of living in the last millennium have disappeared. Time, distance and space have new meanings and make new demands. Structures which gave purpose and stability to the world of work are losing their relevance. We need to build wind turbines, not shelter walls, if we are to harness...

IT training has assumed a pivotal role in the corporate world. Yet official bodies such as the Institute of IT Training claim that much of the investment will be wasted because courses are poorly conceived, over‐reliant on technical input, and fail to take into account the basic drivers which...

Whilst globalisation has led to increasing international mobility, the contemporary expatriate management literature has focused on managers and corporate executives who are sent on an overseas appointment by their employers. By comparison, self‐selecting expatriates remain an...

Argues for the importance of developing social capital in organisations. If training stays focused on the individual (human capital) level it may be missing out on important changes in developing organisational performance. The use of self managed learning (SML) is examined through reference to...

Suggests that the only way to get the right person in the right job at the right time is through understanding the unique make‐up of the employee and using that knowledge to satisfy the operational needs of the organization and the motivational needs of the individual. The failure of...

Introduces maximizing the benefits of coaching at a strategic level, rather than focusing purely on individual development, using The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBSG) as an example. Highlights how many organisations are failing to capture the broad benefits of coaching by seeing it purely as...

The pressures on managers today are increasing and what was current yesterday may be quite different from the uncertainties of tomorrow. Top level leadership may be transient and organisational structures are changing but one element of constancy is probably that most people at work continue to...

Presents a case study looking at the challenges faced by the author, a consultant, in finding the key to open a way through the barriers and ensuring a senior manager was strong enough to sustain and develop her newfound aptitudes. Describes the methodology, its application and what was...

Purpose – This paper proposes to illustrate how organisations can successfully establish a blended learning environment. Design/methodology/approach – Provides a structure for combining formal and informal learning resources within a blended learning model and outlines the eight key steps...