Editorial

Citation

Matlay, H. (2001), "Editorial", Education + Training, Vol. 43 No. 8/9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2001.00443haa.001

Editorial

Last year we dedicated a special issue of this journal entirely to the topic of vocational education and training (VET) in the small business sector of the UK economy (Matlay, 2000). Although all the articles that were included in it focussed exclusively on the UK, the extended issue presented a comprehensive perspective on training, learning and knowledge management in a small business context. In addition, a number of articles submitted for it involved an international rather than a national perspective and a decision was made to postpone their publication until this year. It was relatively easy to ascertain the quality and relevance of the papers that were submitted by UK academics and researchers. The usual editorial control and the anonymous peer refereeing approach ensured that high standards were maintained throughout and that both theoretical and empirical articles were given an equal weighting in the selection process. In preparation for later publication, the international contributions were also evaluated and refereed to UK academic standards. However, a decision was made not to insist upon the usual standardisation of form, length and reference convention, in order to allow a freedom of expression that went beyond the narrow approach of the average international issue.

The success of the UK special issue was confirmed by the tremendous support and positive feedback that the editors and the publishers received, as well as the high rate of Internet visits that focussed specifically upon the themes and perspectives presented in these articles. There was obviously further demand and support for similar special issues and in particular for those papers that would present interested parties with international perspectives on, and country-specific approaches to, VET related topics in a small business context. The preparation of a special issue that sets out to bridge a number of distinct and well established academic disciplines requires a great deal of forward planning as well as extensive and sustained networking. Over the years, I have met a number of academics, researchers, practitioners and policy-makers who shared valuable insights on VET and related topics at prestigious national and international conferences, congresses and related workshops. During prolonged and heated debates I have become familiar with their varied perspectives and individual approaches. Just like in the UK, specialised research on VET topics invariably involves a multitude of perspectives, approaches and methodologies. Similarly, small businesses in industrially developed and developing countries are increasingly perceived as important contributors to the socio-economic and political stability of a nation. This is duly reflected in the quantity and quality of specialised research that links various aspects of entrepreneurship and small business development to a range of VET topics. Two of the articles included in this special issue approach VET in smaller businesses from a comparative perspective and outline the development of related topics across Asia and central and Eastern Europe. The other four papers critically review VET in the small business sectors of Australia, Germany, South Africa and Taiwan.

Over the next few years, special issues of this journal will be dedicated to contributions from a wide variety of socio-economic contexts and geographical locations. Personally, I hope that such contributions would inform the VET debate beyond the usual UK perspective and, in the process, enrich the insular and limiting dominant paradigm upon which relevant decision-making processes have relied for far too long. The decision regarding the appropriate combination of articles to be included in the 2001 special issue was dictated by a complex set of considerations and I, as guest editor, take full responsibility for it. I would like to thank the contributors and the referees for their hard work and commitment to this exciting and challenging aspect of academic research. Paula Fernandez and Richard Holden deserve special mention for their unfailing support, encouragement and humour, all of which focussed, motivated and kept me going throughout the challenging process of guest editorship.

Harry MatlayGuest Editor

Reference

Matlay, H. (2000), "Vocational education and training in small businesses: setting a research agenda for the twenty-first century", Education + Training, Vol. 42 No. 4/5, pp. 200-1.