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Graduates as strategic change agents in small firms: a case study of graduate placements and lifelong learning
Author(s) -
Jones Anne,
Woods Adrian,
Coles AnneMarie,
Rein Melanie
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
strategic change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1099-1697
pISSN - 1086-1718
DOI - 10.1002/jsc.501
Subject(s) - lifelong learning , business , work (physics) , marketing , management , sociology , economics , pedagogy , engineering , mechanical engineering
mall and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) are often resistant to the employment opportunities offered by skilled graduates. The Centre for Lifelong Learning at Brunel University ran a two‐year project aimed at encouraging local SMEs to consider unemployed graduates as suitable new employees through short‐term placements. The concept of workplace‐based learning was introduced into firms by the graduates acting as strategic change agents. A valuable learning experience can be gained by both small firms and graduates searching for work experience through the brokerage role of a university. There is a limit to the impact of external factors in generating organizational changes in small firms. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.