The Internal Change Agent Approach to Export Training in Small Firms Available to Purchase

Government assistance to exporting small firms in the UK tends to be passive, providing information, contacts, access to subsidized consultancy and credit guarantees, rather than direct training. The system favours the larger company, and does little to address problems faced by many small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) whose owners have less clear strategic goals, react entrepreneurially to opportunities and have access to limited resources. The education system too has done little to promote vocational training in export management for SMEs. Graduates, particularly language graduates, from universities and colleges, have the potential to be good export managers, but seldom get the opportunity. Many end up unemployed, a considerable waste of human resources. Since the late 1980s the Scottish Enterprise Foundation, University of Stirling, has run programmes providing export management training for language graduates, involving project placements in small and medium‐sized companies, and leading to a diploma in Small Firms Exporting. Examines the impact of this course on participating firms and graduates. Results of a follow‐up survey show that, despite some problems, the overall effectiveness of the programme is promising,both in “capturing” language skills for industry, and in developing an international focus in companies.