Introduction

Abstract

According to a recent White paper from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ‘the competitiveness of industry and commerce depends on our ability to harness the energy, develop the intelligence and promote the enterprise of our people, especially amongst the young’. ‘Bridging the historical divide between business and education’, it continues, ‘is vital to encourage the enterprise culture, to encourage young people to work in industry and commerce, to bring greater relevance to their education, and to prepare them better for working life’ (Department of Trade and Industry, 1988, p. 19). We must ‘bring business into education and encourage education to consider the needs of business’, and to do this we must ‘combat the past anti-enterprise bias of British culture’ (ibid, p. 3). As part of this project, the DTI also wishes ‘to ensure that young people become aware of the value of information technology (I.T.), and that I.T. is used across the curriculum… Where young people are regularly using technology to enter, use and manipulate information at school, they will be better placed to help industry and commerce to compete effectively’ (ibid, p. 20).

‘Suppose the question is misconceived. What if we reject the premise behind this whole discussion, that industrialism fosters political and economic progress?’ (Christopher Lasch, 1985, p. 41)