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Systematic literature reviews are common in social research for integrating and synthesising existing research. This paper argues that the outcomes of such reviews are affected by the choice of bibliographic databases. It presents evidence of substantial variation across three large electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO) in a study on employee retention and staff turnover. It considers the specific articles, numbers returned, numbers shared across databases and perceived quality of journals hosting the retrieved articles. Results show that only 130 articles (5.7% of 2267 retrieved) were found common to all three databases, suggesting that decisions on how and where literature is retrieved can substantially affect the results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The findings caution against the use of single databases and claiming comprehensiveness. The paper reflects on how additional literature search methods (e.g., contacting experts, citation indices) and their sequence of use can affect systematic review quality.

It has been widely argued that journal metrics are used in assessing publication records on resumes for academic jobs and assessments. Within that debate, two important considerations emerge. Firstly, academics belonging to different career cohorts may have different experiences which are reflected in their recommendations related to targeting and assessing publication records. Secondly, recruitment or assessment expectations that include publishing in highly rated journals may lead to the targeting of a smaller number of high rated publications, with perceived lower rated journal outlets being discouraged. Using an experimental design, an online survey collected data from 1011 academics across management and psychology disciplines in the UK and USA, exploring the association between journal ratings, the number of publications on a resume, and the length of time spent in academia. Analysis indicated that when assessing an academic resume, the discouraging of lower rated journal publications may be dependent on the length of time spent in academia. Specifically, in the context of exactly the same high rated journal publications on a resume, those who had been in academia for 10-20 years were less favorable towards the inclusion of additional low rated journals. The findings contribute to how we view the socialization of institutional influences on career decision making in higher education. The results add to emergent evidence of behavioral responses to the institutional pressures on academic careers, and how individuals at different career stages may be impacted differently. This has implications for the management of academic career progression and academic recruitment processes.

This article explores the characteristics, destinations and progression routes of early school leavers--specifically "exceptional entry winter leavers"--in Scotland. Exceptional entry allows students to enter college in the term before their statutory school leaving date--such young people attend college while formally remaining the responsibility of their school. Such arrangements represent an innovative model of supporting transitions to further education among a specific, potentially vulnerable client group, while also offering lessons for the development of school-college collaboration in other areas. Based on an analysis of official data, new survey research with schools and colleges, and in-depth case studies, this article identifies how schools and colleges work in partnership to support these early school leavers. We find that schools and colleges have developed a range of innovative approaches to engaging with winter leavers, and that the majority complete their programmes or achieve other positive end-of-year outcomes. However, the most disadvantaged young people remain least likely to progress. The article concludes by identifying lessons for good practice in school-college partnership-working and considering implications for policies to prevent young people from finding themselves not in employment, education or training. (Contains 2 tables and 4 notes.)

Surveys of 190 unemployed job seekers and interviews with 17 employers in the remote northern Highlands of Scotland found that the employability of many job seekers, particularly the long-term unemployed, was limited by significant gaps in their skills and work experience, their lack of connection to informal social networks used in job seeking, and the lack of formal employment services in remote areas. (Contains 49 references.) (SV)

Systematic literature reviews are common in social research for integrating and synthesising existing research. This paper argues that the outcomes of such reviews are affected by the choice of bibliographic databases. It presents evidence of substantial variation across three large electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO) in a study on employee retention and staff turnover. It considers the specific articles, numbers returned, numbers shared across databases and perceived quality of journals hosting the retrieved articles. Results show that only 130 articles (5.7% of 2267 retrieved) were found common to all three databases, suggesting that decisions on how and where literature is retrieved can substantially affect the results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The findings caution against the use of single databases and claiming comprehensiveness. The paper reflects on how additional literature search methods (e.g., contacting experts, citation indices) and their sequence of use can affect systematic review quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses recent developments in policies to promote the employability of unemployed and economically inactive people in the UK. It discusses the extent to which these policies reflect the dominant approaches of 'Work First', where programmes focus mainly on compulsory job search and short-term interventions to facilitate a quick return to work, or human capital development (HCD), where programmes tailor services to promote longer-term skills and personal development. Specifically, the article reports on case-study research into two recent pilot initiatives: Working Neighbourhoods (which targeted a range of intensive services in neighbourhoods characterised by high levels of inactivity) and Pathways to Work (which combines employability services and cognitive behaviour therapy-type approaches to help clients to manage health problems). While both pilots have retained strong Work First features, they potentially represent a shift towards a more HCD-oriented approach, through the delivery of more holistic 'coping and enabling' services. However, there remain concerns that, as with previous progressive policy initiatives, the positive lessons of these pilots will not be fully mainstreamed. We conclude that, if the UK is to balance Work First compulsion with high-quality services delivering progress in the labour market and HCD, a strengthening of 'coping and enabling' interventions is required, alongside a renewed commitment to training.

MCQUAID R. W (2002) Entrepreneurship and ICT industries: support from regional and local policies, Reg. Studies 36, 909-919. Many national, regional or local policies have been developed to support entrepreneurship both generally and in specific industries related to information and communication technology (ICT). Five perspectives on the meaning of entrepreneurship are considered, as: a function in the economy (with a three-stage model); a new business start-up; an owner-manager of a small business; a set of personal characteristics; and, a form of behaviour. These perspectives have differing implications for policies to promote entrepreneurship. These policies include: predominantly macro-level policies such as economic stability; taxation and regulations; micro-level policies focusing upon advice, training, finance, technology transfer, markets access, physical infrastructure and the characteristics of the locality; and creating an entrepreneurial culture. Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship definitions Economic development policy Information and communication technology (ICT)

Research indicates that unemployment results not merely from job skill/job availability mismatches, but also from mismatches between employer and job applicant expectations, which are further polarized due to information asymmetries between the two groups.

Accessibility and factors of production affect a firm's location decision at the marginal regions as shown in the 1991 and 1992 Stathclyde Regional Council survey in UK. Different types of firms respond differently to these factors.For the small, independent firms, accessibility to market was not as important as it was for the bigger firms. For those that moved out of the UK, aaccesibility to suppliers were of prime importance, but not for those that moved within the region. Results of the survey can inform the policies for transportation development being forged by the European Union., INTRODUCTION Policies for major improvements to transportation infrastructure within the European Union (EU), and elsewhere, have been partly justified as means to greater economic growth and convergence (COMMISSION OF THE [...]

Welfare to work interventions seek to move out‐of‐work individuals from claiming unemployment benefits towards paid work. However, previous research has highlighted that for over‐50s, particularly those with chronic health conditions, participation in such activities are less likely to result in a return to work. Using longitudinal semi‐structured interviews, we followed 26 over‐50s during their experience of a mandated welfare to work intervention (the Work Programme) in the United Kingdom. Focusing on their perception of suitability, we utilise and adapt Candidacy Theory to explore how previous experiences of work, health, and interaction with staff (both in the intervention, and with healthcare practitioners) influence these perceptions. Despite many participants acknowledging the benefit of work, many described a pessimism regarding their own ability to return to work in the future, and therefore their lack of suitability for this intervention. This was particularly felt by those with chronic health conditions, who reflected on difficulties with managing their conditions (e.g., attending appointments, adhering to treatment regimens). By adapting Candidacy Theory, we highlighted the ways that mandatory intervention was navigated by all the participants, and how some discussed attempts to remove themselves from this intervention. We also discuss the role played by decision makers such as employment‐support staff and healthcare practitioners in supporting or contesting these feelings. Findings suggest that greater effort is required by policy makers to understand the lived experience of chronic illness in terms of ability to RTW, and the importance of inter‐agency work in shaping perceptions of those involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Allam Ahmed, Ronald W. McQuaid Successful management in the new millennium requires developing new methods and approaches to suit the challenges and opportunities of this new era of globalisation. An entrepreneurial approach is seen by many scholars and policy makers as a major option to enhance organisational performance in this era. The concept of entrepreneurship is multi-dimensional and often unclear. Various perspectives have different implications for how entrepreneurship is related to and can help promote sustainable development (SD). This introductory paper to WREMSD will attempt to explore viewpoints from around the world on entrepreneurship, management, and SD. The key objectives are to explain different perspectives on what is meant by the term entrepreneurship in a global context and to provide an overview of SD in relation to entrepreneurship. The paper argues that it is essential that research and policy development fully takes account of the differing perspectives of entrepreneurship and make explicit the particular perspective(s) that they are taking. No single definition necessarily fully captures the concept, but by being clear about our meaning of the concept and the underlying assumptions, we can progress our understanding of entrepreneurship and its relationships to SD.