Industry engagement in work-integrated learning - exploring the benefits, challenges and realities

Abstract: The purpose of the paper is to identify benefits and challenges for businesses serving as hosts for business students involved in work integrated learning (WIL) initiatives. A student and educator perspective on WIL targeting businesses is also identified. A literature review is applied for analyzing work integrated learning in a business perspective. This perspective is supplied with statistical data from a survey of business students and business educators revealing the extent and relevance of connectedness to businesses within curriculum and learning process. Four gaps between business schools and businesses are identified, which should be closed for a successful WIL. These are related to institutional support systems, the student mentor at the business school versus the host firm mentor, the student versus the host firm mentor/business peers, and gaps between curriculum and business cases/tasks. The findings have primarily implications for the business school both on institutional level and on mentor level. It is assumed that WIL has a marginal focus within businesses unless students are directly contributing in solving real business problems. Literature employing a business perspective on WIL is limited, and calls for further empirical research in order to design realistic and relevant WIL assignment in a business context

WHEN TECHNO-INNOVATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BREAK UP WHAT HAPPENS TO THE NETWORK?

The aim of the paper is to explore how relationship ending between business partners contributes to changes in the structure of a technology based network. By studying how network structure is affected by the break-up of dyadic actor bonds, we seek to understand the stability of network positions. The study is empirically based on an organized industrial network, which focuses on market and technological innovation within the Norwegian oil and gas industry. We simulated relationship ending between companies and observed that the "disengaging" parties move towards the periphery of the network. This in turn reduces the stability and sustainability of the whole network. The findings have relevance for how companies manage their relationships, and how organized networks with the purpose of technology innovation are managed.Relationship ending, innovation, technology, dynamics, network, oil industry

Local content and struggling suppliers : a network analysis of Nigerian oil and gas industry

The study investigates how local content can be enhanced in the oil and gas industry in a developing country  like  Nigeria.  The  empirical  base  was  18  in-depth  interviews  of  professionals  directly  or indirectly  related to  the  Nigerian oil  and gas  industry. The interviews  revealed  barriers  for  indigenous companies   in   accessing   the   industry.   These   were   related   to   three   major   capabilities;   capital, competence and delivery possibilities. It is suggested that the barriers can be solved by recognition of the interdependencies between actors associated with these capabilities. The actors include in addition to  the  foreign  companies  and  the  indigenous  companies,  educational  institutions,  legal  system, educational  and  R  and  D  institutions,  financial  institutions,  industrial  regulators  and  providers  of infrastructure. The paper suggest framework for understanding the oil industrial network of Nigeria. The findings  have  implications  for  local  content  in  all  developing  nations  having  a  significant  natural resource extraction industr