A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Educational interventions for sustainable innovation in small and medium sized enterprises
Sustainability innovation research suggests that when the managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive sustainability as strategic, they undertake sustainable innovation. Educational interventions are, in turn, suggested to foster such views among these managers. But in the interaction between educators and managers, power matters for how knowledge is conveyed and educational interventions are understudied, especially when they are university-led. This article examines how actors' power affects the translation of knowledge between educators and SME managers. A conceptual framework combining translation and power-dependency theory is introduced and applied to the case study of a University-led competence development program offered to construction company managers in Sweden. The analysis reveals how imbalanced dependencies and power within interactions accumulated over time and came to interfere with the program's learning objectives. The study contributes practically by suggesting how mutual goals, time management, and relationship building can create a better context for educator-SME interactions and SME sustainability. The scientific contribution lies in introducing a new perspective on educational interventions for SMEs and providing a conceptual framework for future studies thereof.
Educational interventions for sustainable innovation in small and medium sized enterprises
Sustainability innovation research suggests that when the managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive sustainability as strategic, they undertake sustainable innovation. Educational interventions are, in turn, suggested to foster such views among these managers. But in the interaction between educators and managers, power matters for how knowledge is conveyed and educational interventions are understudied, especially when they are university-led. This article examines how actors' power affects the translation of knowledge between educators and SME managers. A conceptual framework combining translation and power-dependency theory is introduced and applied to the case study of a University-led competence development program offered to construction company managers in Sweden. The analysis reveals how imbalanced dependencies and power within interactions accumulated over time and came to interfere with the program's learning objectives. The study contributes practically by suggesting how mutual goals, time management, and relationship building can create a better context for educator-SME interactions and SME sustainability. The scientific contribution lies in introducing a new perspective on educational interventions for SMEs and providing a conceptual framework for future studies thereof.
Educational interventions for sustainable innovation in small and medium sized enterprises
Stål, Herman (author) / Babri, Maira (author)
2020-01-01
Scopus 2-s2.0-85072888366
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
DDC:
690
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