Thesis (Ed. D.)--Victoria University (Melbourne, Vic.), 2008.

A strategy for knowledge in business can prove to be important for business growth. Objective: This study aims to elucidate the knowledge of knowledge of two young companies with growth ambitions. A company was production oriented in a smaller city in central Sweden, the other company was a consulting firm in Stockholm. Method: The study is a qualitative case study inspired by (Eisenhardt, 1989). The material is 11 semi-structured transcribed interviews, and notes from the field study. The interviews are analyzed sentence by sentence. The results show a weak company awareness of Knowledge Management connection to company growth and sustainability. At baseline implementation none of the companies had a deliberately chosen strategy for knowledge management. The result also shows that employees have a desire for transparency in knowledge and sees personal development as an advantage of knowledge management / En strategi för kunskap inom företag kan visa sig vara av betydelse för företagens tillväxt. Syfte: Denna studie avser att belysa kunskapen om kunskap inom två unga företag med tillväxtambitioner. Ett företag var produktionsinriktat i en mindre ort i Mellansverige, det andra företaget var ett konsultföretag i Stockholm. Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ fallstudie inspirerat av (Eisenhardt, 1989). Materialet är 11 semi-strukturerade intervjuer som transkriberades, samt noteringar från fältstudien. Intervjuerna är analyserade mening för mening. Resultatet visar på en svag medvetenhet om kunskapshanteringens betydelse för företagets tillväxt och hållbarhet. Vid studiens genomförande hade inget av företagen en medvetet vald strategi för kunskapshantering. Resultatet visar även på att personalen har en önskan om genomskinlighet i kunskap och ser personlig utveckling som en fördel av kunskapshantering.

<p>Abstract</p><p>The aim of this paper is to, through interviews, examine what opinions teachers connected to "Ung Företagsamhet" (Young Enterprise, UF) have on the work of UF compared to contractual and traditional learning. The reason for this is to find out if UF´s way of working is successful in a world, where the definition of knowledge constantly changes. Through qualitative interviews the views of four UF teachers are scrutinised. The results of the interviews indicate that UF works in a way, which contains both contractual and traditional learning, where both directions complement each other in different stages of the learning process.</p><p>Key words: Contractual learning, pedagogical perspective, Young Enterprise, traditional learning</p> / <p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Uppsatsens syfte är att, genom en intervjuundersökning, klarlägga vilken uppfattning lärare</p><p>inom Ung Företagsamhet (UF) har om UF:s arbetssätt jämfört med traditionell respektive entreprenöriell</p><p>undervisning. Detta för att se om UF:s arbetssätt är bra i en värld där kunskapskraven</p><p>är i ständig förändring. Metoden som valts är att genom kvalitativa intervjuer undersöka</p><p>hur fyra UF-lärare ser på arbetssättet inom UF. Resultatet visar att Ung Företagsamhet</p><p>tillämpar ett arbetssätt med både entreprenöriella och traditionella undervisningsinslag, där</p><p>båda utgör ett komplement till varandra i olika kunskapsstadier.</p>

Abstract The aim of this paper is to, through interviews, examine what opinions teachers connected to "Ung Företagsamhet" (Young Enterprise, UF) have on the work of UF compared to contractual and traditional learning. The reason for this is to find out if UF´s way of working is successful in a world, where the definition of knowledge constantly changes. Through qualitative interviews the views of four UF teachers are scrutinised. The results of the interviews indicate that UF works in a way, which contains both contractual and traditional learning, where both directions complement each other in different stages of the learning process. Key words: Contractual learning, pedagogical perspective, Young Enterprise, traditional learning / Sammanfattning Uppsatsens syfte är att, genom en intervjuundersökning, klarlägga vilken uppfattning lärare inom Ung Företagsamhet (UF) har om UF:s arbetssätt jämfört med traditionell respektive entreprenöriell undervisning. Detta för att se om UF:s arbetssätt är bra i en värld där kunskapskraven är i ständig förändring. Metoden som valts är att genom kvalitativa intervjuer undersöka hur fyra UF-lärare ser på arbetssättet inom UF. Resultatet visar att Ung Företagsamhet tillämpar ett arbetssätt med både entreprenöriella och traditionella undervisningsinslag, där båda utgör ett komplement till varandra i olika kunskapsstadier.

The aim of this study is to gain more in-depth knowledge into what Swedish upper secondary school students perceive they learn, and the factors that students perceive affect learning, when they start and run mini-companies within the Junior Achievement Company Program.  The data is comprised of interviews with eleven students each of whom ran a mini-company with other students. Situated learning theory, experiential learning theory and theoretical concepts on reflection in learning were used to analyze and further understand the data. The results reveal that the students talk about, and appear to convey, equal importance upon learning general skills as learning business skills when doing their mini-companies. Students describe using general skills they improved while running their mini-companies in other school activities and non-school activities leading to better performance in these activities. Doing business activities triggers learning and provides students with an opportunity to further develop, and learn multiple aspects, of skills. Students identify many factors, such as time, autonomy, assessment, and deadlines, which they associate with their mini-companies. On the whole, they say these factors have a positive effect on learning both business and general skills, however some factors can also inhibit learning. An analysis of all the factors students identified reveals that they originate, or are influenced by, multiple contexts such as school, the Swedish Junior Achievement organization, and the business environment. Together these factors can be said to create a special school community of practice for their mini-company project. Students point out significant differences between their mini-company project, and other school projects they have previously done, thus providing valuable insight into the importance of project design in relation to learning skills and possible pedagogical implications regarding learning general skills in other school projects. / This thesis strives to gain further knowledge and understanding into what Swedish upper secondary students perceive they learn, and how they learn, when starting and running Junior Achievement mini-companies. The data is comprised of interviews with eleven students each of whom ran a mini-company with other students. Situated learning theory, experiential learning theory and theoretical concepts on reflection on learning were used to analyze and further understand the data. The results reveal that students talk about, and appear to convey, equal importance upon learning general and business skills. General skills students improved when doing mini-companies can benefit other school and non-school activities. Students perceive that learning is not only triggered by the business tasks they do, but is also influenced by a multitude of factors such as time, autonomy, assessment, and deadlines that affect what, and how they learn. Overall, students perceive factors that they associate with the mini-company project have a positive effect on learning skills, however some can also inhibit learning. Students point out many differences between the mini-company project and other school projects providing valuable insight into the importance of project design in relation to learning skills.

The aim of this study is to gain more in-depth knowledge into what Swedish upper secondary school students perceive they learn, and the factors that students perceive affect learning, when they start and run mini-companies within the Junior Achievement Company Program.  The data is comprised of interviews with eleven students each of whom ran a mini-company with other students. Situated learning theory, experiential learning theory and theoretical concepts on reflection in learning were used to analyze and further understand the data. The results reveal that the students talk about, and appear to convey, equal importance upon learning general skills as learning business skills when doing their mini-companies. Students describe using general skills they improved while running their mini-companies in other school activities and non-school activities leading to better performance in these activities. Doing business activities triggers learning and provides students with an opportunity to further develop, and learn multiple aspects, of skills. Students identify many factors, such as time, autonomy, assessment, and deadlines, which they associate with their mini-companies. On the whole, they say these factors have a positive effect on learning both business and general skills, however some factors can also inhibit learning. An analysis of all the factors students identified reveals that they originate, or are influenced by, multiple contexts such as school, the Swedish Junior Achievement organization, and the business environment. Together these factors can be said to create a special school community of practice for their mini-company project. Students point out significant differences between their mini-company project, and other school projects they have previously done, thus providing valuable insight into the importance of project design in relation to learning skills and possible pedagogical implications regarding learning general skills in other school projects. / This thesis strives to gain further knowledge and understanding into what Swedish upper secondary students perceive they learn, and how they learn, when starting and running Junior Achievement mini-companies. The data is comprised of interviews with eleven students each of whom ran a mini-company with other students. Situated learning theory, experiential learning theory and theoretical concepts on reflection on learning were used to analyze and further understand the data. The results reveal that students talk about, and appear to convey, equal importance upon learning general and business skills. General skills students improved when doing mini-companies can benefit other school and non-school activities. Students perceive that learning is not only triggered by the business tasks they do, but is also influenced by a multitude of factors such as time, autonomy, assessment, and deadlines that affect what, and how they learn. Overall, students perceive factors that they associate with the mini-company project have a positive effect on learning skills, however some can also inhibit learning. Students point out many differences between the mini-company project and other school projects providing valuable insight into the importance of project design in relation to learning skills.