The rapid advancement in information and communication technologies (ICTs) has brought enormous business opportunities as well as challenges. One of these challenges is the demand for ICTs skills and expertise in adopting and implementing these emerging technologies. Coping with skills shortage poses a serious challenge across all European countries. Lack of ICTs skills and knowledge is more evident in small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As training is regarded as the most effective way of improving skills and enhancing knowledge, this paper attempts to address skills shortage at pan-European level by identifying SMEs' needs on ICTs training in the UK, Portugal and Poland. The investigation focuses on the most needed training areas, the required training levels and the preferred training delivery channels. The paper summarises findings from three-country investigations and highlights the implications of findings for the design and development of a Web-based training system for the use of ICTs in SMEs.

The literature contains a number of studies exploring factors impacting on cleaner production, but few studying these factors simultaneously. This study has identified these factors in the literature and represented their relationships with cleaner production in a conceptual framework. The key factors included in this framework are ISO14001 certification, eco-innovation of product and process, industrial and government regulations, and environmentally-friendly culture. Nine major Chinese pharmaceutical companies in Tianjin, China, have been used as case study companies to explore the impact of these key factors on cleaner production. The analysis reveals that companies that have ISO14001 certification are likely to be one step ahead; however ISO14001 certification is not the only factor leading these manufacturing companies to be active in cleaner production. It is green process innovation rather than product innovation that directly impacts on cleaner production. The environmentally-friendly culture significantly influences the promotion of cleaner production. It is concluded that the industry needs to promote process-oriented innovations and build environmentally-friendly culture in order to be more active in cleaner production in the long-run. This paper provides case-based insight for cleaner production and environmental sustainability researchers and the strategic direction for manufacturing companies to achieve cleaner production and environmental sustainability.

No abstract

No abstract

It is suggested that a quantitative analysis of the risks inherent in a specificproject can be easily carried out using spread-sheet models. This is to be preferred to the application ofa blanket hurdle rate, which is the usual procedure when IRR is used to assess the viability of an investment in new technology. The methodology suggested is applied to the analysis of a projected investment where a conventional machine shop and flexible machining system are the alternatives.