Emerald

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review critically the HRD literature in the small business context in order to identify the main barriers to employee training and learning and recommend ways to overcome them.

The paper highlights the potential barriers to training and learning among small firms, looking at organizational constraints such as lack of time or limited financial resources, as well as negative attitudes towards employee training and its importance for business survival.

The available studies indicate that better access to information on the applicability and usefulness of HRD to small firms can be crucial to overcoming the barriers to skills development that exists among such firms. The analysis suggests that a key challenge for policy makers in this area is to facilitate changes in owner attitudes, improve access to training interventions and create the necessary institutional conditions to encourage SMEs to move to high value‐added trajectories.

SMEs need to invest in innovation to face fierce national and international competition and achieve an above‐average return. This article provides guidance for implementation of innovation practices that may help SMEs to overcome some of the barriers to successful innovation.

The human resource development (HRD) literature has tended to focus on larger organizations in order to develop an understanding of workforce skills development. However, it has been acknowledged that a healthy small business sector is fundamental to every corporate economy. This article helps to explore the HRD processes in these types of organizations.

This paper introduces a hybrid learning framework as part of a specifically designed reflective learning experience internship program.

This paper identifies challenges/barriers and offers solutions on how to design a learning driven internship program, which satisfies the needs of all stakeholders. Following on from this, initial learning constructs are discussed before future stages of development are considered.

The initial feedback from the key stakeholders suggests support for the framework as a mechanism to connect industry, the student body and the education provider.

Through the implementation of this framework key stakeholders can combine to provide an important learning environment for future employees whilst still adding value to their own business. This model also provides a context in which both industry and academia can combine to nurture and mentor the society of tomorrow.

The value of this paper is to provide the reader a better approach to engaging and sustaining work related learning opportunities for students.

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Many thousands of words have been written on the subject, many, many hours of academic research expended. The truth is now out. You don't develop management skills and competencies away from the workplace. “Abstracted competence” is a myth. Competence, and the development of management skills, is reliant on context. In layman's terms, to become an effective manager get out of cloistered university surrounding and immerse yourself in the real world of work.

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to digest format.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Innovation and creativity are prerequisites to successful development of both new processes and new products. Therefore, these attributes are essential for companies wishing to remain competitive. But where do these necessary attributes come from? Is it through good management? Is it by hiring the most creative individuals? Does it require an institutional culture that fosters creativity? These are all important questions that need to be addressed by firms wishing to increase creativity and competitiveness. Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SME) may be particularly keen to discover how they can compete with larger companies by becoming more innovative and creative than their larger competitors.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to digest format.