E-Learning in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises across Europe
- 22 December 2009
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship
- Vol. 27 (6), 743-767
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242609344244
Abstract
There is little doubt that e-learning has had a major impact in large companies, both in allowing the extension of training provision and in facilitating professional development activities. However, the picture is far less clear when it comes to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Technology and attitudes of managers and employees seem to form potential drawbacks to e-learning initiatives in SMEs. Questionnaire data have been gathered from more than 400 owner-managers of SMEs in 7 European countries. Furthermore, 105 owner-managers and 5 employees from 105 of these firms have been interviewed on aspects of e-learning in their company. The overall picture of e-learning in small firms across seven European countries was fairly negative: owner-managers generally did not show positive attitudes towards technology, learning and training in companies. These attitudes are strongly related to technology infrastructure in the company and vary among companies of different size and from different economic sectors.This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
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