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This article surveys the status and potential of three small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in relation to the concept of the corporate university. It examines the dynamic context for their current training and development activities and their individual similarities and differences in emphasis and priorities. The study involves the use of taxonomies and model structures to articulate current status and to give pointers to further potential for corporate university or corporate academy development.

This paper explores a number of important issues surrounding accrediting work‐based learning for the award of university level qualifications. The paper is divided into sections. Section one of the paper defines accreditation and explores its historical development in the UK. This is followed in section two by a description of the various types of accreditation that are open to organisations, drawing on real life case histories. The paper concludes by highlighting a number of factors organisations should take into account when considering accrediting their corporate training and development activities.

This paper takes a critical examination of the process and management of innovation and the attainment of competitive advantage in the emerging enterprise. The ingredients for the successful management of innovation are explored using two case illustrations of companies that have attained profitable and sustainable business development against the odds in the pharmaceutical and fibre‐optics industries.

This paper explores the increasingly important issue of the accreditation of work‐based learning for the award of university level qualifications and divided into a number of sections. Defines accreditation and explores its historical development in the UK. This is followed by a review of the various types of accreditation options that are open to organisations drawing on real life case histories. Concludes by highlighting a number of factors client organisations and providers should take into account when considering accrediting corporate training and development activities.

This article explores the growing popularity and importance of client‐based management education. The article argues that an increasing number of UK organisations are seeking to develop partnerships with business schools to deliver and accredit their management development initiatives. The article describes a number of innovative developments in client‐based management education using case illustrations drawing upon the experience of Nottingham Business School’s Corporate Business Unit. The article concludes by providing guidance to organisations seeking to develop partnerships with higher education institutions.

Developing third stream activity is becoming increasingly important for business schools as they come under increasing financial pressure. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the strategies adopted by new university business schools and highlight the resources, capabilities and constraints under which they are operating.

The research conducted for this paper is based upon Yin's multiple case design methodology using replication logic. Six new university business schools were identified, where two cases would be literal replications (large schools with a large portfolio of third stream activity) and four cases designed to pursue different patterns of theoretical replication (large schools with small levels of third stream activity, and two small schools). In total 14 senior staff were interviewed in the six schools.

The overall picture that emerges from the research is of a complex market that is for the most part local and regional in nature, where the ability of individual schools to develop a coherent strategy towards growing third stream activity in a range of sub‐markets is constrained by their resources, capabilities and organisational arrangements, as well as market opportunities in their region. From the analysis it is possible to identify two distinct development paths. One where schools focus on delivering funded activity (funded for example by EU, regional development agencies, learning and skills councils and SSP's) and one where schools focus on more “commercially” based activity (in‐company programmes, accreditation, contract research for public and private sector organisations).

The paper is one of the first to highlight the resources and capabilities necessary to compete in this increasingly important market.

There is little hard evidence available highlighting the development of third stream activity in new university business schools.

The purpose of this article is to offer a contribution to enabling an understanding of the concept of the corporate university to be developed. This contribution is in the form of a conceptual framework, drawing on the significant concepts of knowledge management, organisational learning and learning organisation. The resulting framework – corporate university wheel – represents what might be termed an “ideal type”, in the Weberian sense, of a corporate university based human resource development strategy. Though the framework is offered as a descriptive and analytical device rather than as a prescriptive model, it highlights four core processes which, it is argued, represent the key functions that an ideal type corporate university should perform. The paper suggests that the success of corporate universities of the future could hinge on their ability to manage and harness the complex interaction of organisational learning subsystems and less on their ability to manage training and education programmes.

The relevance of business education is coming under increasing challenge from many quarters, who argue that business schools are not delivering research and programmes that are relevant to the needs of business and society. The purpose of this paper is to test these claims by evaluating the impact of a leadership development programme on middle managers within a city council organisation.

A qualitative methodology was employed within an evaluative research approach. Interviews were held with 32 line managers of the Leading Managers (delegates on the programme). A thematic analysis was undertaken using categories of “knowledge”, “skills” and “attributes”. Key stories were also collected as “vignettes” to illuminate where the line manager had considered the impact of the programme to have been particularly significant to their department or to the organisation as a whole.

The research was able to identify how the programme had benefited those managers who had taken part on the programme, and how the programme had positively impacted on the organisation as a whole.

The paper counters the claims that business schools and business education have little impact at organisational level. The paper provides evidence to support the value and relevance of training and development within the workplace.

There is little hard evidence available highlighting the impact of management education on organisations. This paper provides such evidence.

This paper first considers the role and characteristics of the small firm and its collective, the small business sector. A brief examination of the small firm discourse and research agenda is provided. The following section undertakes a critical examination of the small firm management context. A critical appraisal of the strategic management approach suggests that strategic activity in the small firm sector is much more informal, intuitive and invisible than has been previously suggested by design school advocates. The final part of the paper considers the role and development of policy and its effects on the survival, growth and performance of small firms.

Highlights the rapidly growing market for corporate management education, and the emerging role business schools are playing in this market. The article draws on 30 interviews conducted with both HR managers and academics from both new and traditional universities. The first part of the article, drawing on a number of case studies, highlights a number of emerging trends, while the second part of the article examines business school responses. The article closes by highlighting a number of implications for both business schools and organisations seeking company specific management education programmes.