Companies as Business Laboratories

Abstract

This paper shows how an effective business education program at the university level can be organized. The underlying philosophy of the program is that business education for students who will be employed by smaller companies which feature de-specialization of job tasks, resource poverty, and self-employment must be different from business education for larger companies. As part of their business education, students should gain managerial experience during their studies. Within the program described, entrepreneurs and small business owners or managers train students, and students (with the help of academicians solve real business problems. The program unites academicians and managers or entrepreneurs in pursuit of the same objective: effective small business education and training.

Key Words:

• Small business
• education
• action learning
• industry-university cooperation
• Slovenia