The current debate about work process knowledge in numerous European countries has been stimulated by fundamental changes that are taking place in work organisation and in the use of new technology in European industry and services. The speed of corporate restructuring processes has increased, leading to complex results which have major implications for European VET (cf. Drexel 1998, p. 58). Although there is no uniform pattern of industrial change - a situation which has led sociologists to speak of a "new obscurity" ("neue Unübersichtlichkeit", Schumann 1998) and a "delayed transformation" (Huys & van Hootegem, 2002), most European enterprises share a common perspective: they are realising that the knowledge possessed by all levels of their workforces is a major driver of economic success (Lundvall & Johnson 1994). In a recent sociological survey among skilled workers in Germany, Martin Baethge et al. (1998, p. 5) observed that the traditional skilled worker profile of manual craft skills is changing to include tasks such as problem- solving and regulating the work system. These new profiles include coping with critical situations in decentralised work systems and even involve the search for problems of product or process quality. The authors came to the conclusion that an understanding of economic relations as well as extended competences for the acquisition and use of knowledge is a necessary prerequisite for such new profiles. Knowledge needs to be communicated not only within narrow communities of practice but also between company departments and even within the producer-customer-matrix of interrelations (Weilnböck-Buck et al. 1996). With respect to education and training, it becomes necessary for the occupational profiles of skilled workers to expand to include issues of theoretical understanding. It also becomes necessary for VET to take account of the social-communicative skills and problem-solving competences that are embedded in the organisational and social context of the company, and in the labour force more generally (Baethge et al. 1998). In brief, the concept of work process knowledge can be introduced as a way of describing the kind of knowledge which employees need for working in these contexts - specifically, in organisations which have developed more flexible structures, and which have introduced new technology in search of greater competitiveness. The concept of work process knowledge is increasingly used in discussions exploring the relationships between work, learning on-the-job, organisational development, individual knowledge, collective knowledge and occupational competence. The concept signals more than practical know-how or "procedural knowledge", for this way of knowing also encompasses theoretical understanding. For this reason, the concept is a generative one which provides a framework for understanding how contradictions between theory and practice - and contradictions within practice - are resolved in the context of work, and for building effective partnerships between vocational education carried out in institutional settings and on-the-job (Boreham et al. 2002). The acquisition of work process knowledge can be conceptualised within an interpretative framework consisting of the following bipolar dimensions: " individual learning (in the context of biographical strategies) versus collective learning (in the context of participation within a community of practice); " the accumulation of implicit learning on the pathway to personal mastership versus exchange of explicit knowledge within the life-world of a company; " given working conditions and technical artifacts versus their subjective (individual and collective) appropriation, and furthermore their social shaping in order to adjust technology and work to human competence; " experiencing and exploring events at work versus comprehending their theoretical explanation; " national education systems oriented towards learning on the job versus national systems oriented towards disciplines-based education. . The proposed symposium addresses important elements of the contemporary European VET landscape within this framework. Contributors to this symposium focus on three aspects of work process knowledge: theoretical foundations, policy issues and matters of teaching and training. The theoretical foundations of the concept are analysed on a comparative basis, drawing on the diverse European intellectual traditions that have contributed to the current way of thinking about work process knowledge. This part includes an analysis of the epistemological assumptions of work process knowledge and approaches towards its analysis (see Boreham's and Rogalski's contributions). Strongly connected to these epistemological considerations is the need to explore the tacit dimension of learning and work-related knowing (see Neuweg's contribution). As work process knowledge has an undeniable tacit dimension, the question has then to be answered whether and how it can be transmitted and what implications this holds for the further development of VET in Europe. These three contributions form the first part of the symposium, which addresses the theoretical foundations. In the second part, the authors deal with work process knowledge as a significant dimension of private and public policy making. Using the example of the Spanish steel industry, Karsten Krüger identifies work process knowledge as a crucial element within labour relations, in particular within power games in companies. In addition, a recent empirical investigation in the European chemical industry shows that companies implement measures of organisational learning in order to stimulate the creation and exchange of work process knowledge within the workforce (see Mariani's and Röben's contribution). Also on an institutional level in different countries there have been and there are attempts to integrate work process knowledge into the definition of occupational profiles and vocational curricula (see Fischer and Rauner). This leads to the consideration of teaching and training matters, which forms the third part of the symposium: Can this kind of knowledge be taught, and can learning environments be designed to provide experience of it? Waldemar Bauer and Ludger Deitmer describe how a work process orientation has been adapted in the German pilot project programme "New Learning concepts within dual vocational education and training." Rainer Bremer presents an empirical analysis revealing how such a work process orientation has influenced the development of competences among German apprentices. Finally, a study from the Netherlands explores the relationship of work process knowledge and entrepreneurial learning (see Hoeve, Mittendorff & Nieuwenhuis). The symposium concludes by comparing the different European deployments of the concept of work process knowledge, the different European contexts of its use and by discussing the general implications of work process knowledge for vocational education and training on the European level. References Baethge, M., Baethge-Kinsky, V. & Kupka, P. (1998): Facharbeit - Auslaufmodell oder neue Perspektive? SOFI- Mitteilungen (1998) 26, Mai 1998. http://www.gwdg.de/%7Edgsf/index.html (12.11.01). Boreham, N.C., Samurçay, R. & Fischer, M. (eds) (2002) Work Process Knowledge. London: Routledge. Drexel, I. (1998): Das lernende Unternehmen aus industriesoziologischer Sicht. In: P. Dehnbostel, H. Erbe & H. Novak (Hg.): Berufliche Bildung im lernenden Unternehmen. Berlin: Edition Sigma, 49-62. Huys, R. & van Hootegem, G. 2002). A Delayed Transformation: Changes in the Production Concept in Industry and the Implications for the Quality of Working Life. In N. Boreham, M. Fischer & R. Samurcay (eds.) Work Process Knowledge. London: Routledge, 83-200. Lundvall, B.-A. & Johnson, B. (1994) The learning economy. In: Journal of Industrial Studies, December 1994, Vol. 1, No. 2, 23-42. Schumann, M. (1998): Industriearbeit zwischen Entfremdung und Entfaltung. SOFI-Mitteilungen (1998) 26 http://www.gwdg.de/%7Edgsf/index.html (12.11.01). Weilnböck-Buck, I./ Dybowski, G./ Buck, B. (eds.) (1996): Bildung - Organisation - Qualität. Zum Wandel in den Unternehmen und den Konsequenzen für die Berufsbildung. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann. Programme of symposium Chairpersons: Martin Fischer, Bremen, Germany Nicholas Boreham, Stirling UK Janine Rogalski, Paris, France Discussants: David Guile, London, UK Teresa Oliveira, Lisbon, Portugal Barry Nyhan, Thessaloniki, Greece Symposium, part I: Theoretical foundations: the origins of work process knowledge in diverse European academic traditions Chair: Martin Fischer Epistemological aspects of work process knowledge (Nicholas Boreham, Stirling, UK French approaches towards the analysis of work and learning (Janine Rogalski, Paris, France Implicit and explicit dimensions of learning and knowing: The tacit knowing view (Georg Neuweg, Linz, Austria Discussant: David Guile, London, UK Symposium, part II: Work process knowledge as an element of European VET policies Chair: Nicholas Boreham Partnership for a New Work Organisation: Process Knowledge and Power - a forgotten aspect? (Karsten Krüger, Barcelona, Spain) Work process knowledge and organisational learning (Michele Mariani, Siena, Italy & Peter Röben, Karlsruhe, Germany Work process knowledge and curriculum development (Martin Fischer & Felix Rauner, Bremen, Germany Discussant: Teresa Oliveira, Lisbon, Portugal Symposium, part III: Work process knowledge and the practice of vocational education and training Chair: Janine Rogalski New learning concepts within the dual vocational education and training in Germany: Towards work process orientation (Waldemar Bauer, Bremen, Germany Work process knowledge and competence development of German apprentices (Rainer Bremer, Bremen, Germany Innovative learning in small companies: A privilege for the entrepreneur? (Aimee Hoeve, Kariene Mittendorff & Loek Nieuwenhuis Wageningen, Netherlands Discussant: Barry Nyhan Each part of the Symposium lasts 90 minutes, each contribution is allocated 15-20 minutes Abstracts of contributions Nicholas Boreham Epistemological Aspects of Work Process Knowledge The concept of knowledge has occupied European philosophers for more than two millennia. Today, they have a new task - understanding the kinds of knowledge needed by workers in the complex employment landscape that is appearing throughout Europe. This landscape is configured by informatisation, automation, flexible labour markets, complex person-machine systems and organisational change such as the replacement of hierarchical and segmented work organisations by decentralised and networked ones. The concept of work process knowledge, developed in the context of a European research network which operated from 1994 to 2002, is an analytic tool for understanding these developments and their implications for vocational education and training. It synthesises ways of thinking drawn from the traditions of the Latin, Scandinavian, English-speaking and Germanic participants in the network. As such, the concept can be claimed as truly European, and as one which is suited to the analysis of the 'modernisation' policies currently being advocated by the European Commission. This paper will " introduce the European concept of work process knowledge " trace its fundamental components to their roots in different European scholarly traditions " situate the concept within the emerging field of industrial epistemology " demonstrate its pragmatic sense-making capacity by applying it to a range of European education and training situations Janine Rogalski French approaches towards the analysis of work and learning We will present a framework for analysing work activity and learning which results from articulating several research domains and theoretical approaches: theory of activity for work analysis (Leontiev, Galperin), Vygotsky's developmental theory, and professional didactics. First, the main points in activity analysis is summed up. Then, the process of competence development is briefly analysed in the line of Vygostky's developmental approach. Finally the issue of training is presented from the point of view of professional didactics. For tackling the related learning and training issues, the notion of competence is a key theoretical component. It is conceptualised as subjective resources for acting in (a class of) work situations, and the dimensions for analysing competence are presented. As work process knowledge, competence as a whole develops through a dialectics between experience at work and training. Thus, the issues of " learning situations " and " training situations " are deeply related. As concerning the content of learning, and competence development, three key points are stressed in our approach : 1) conceptualisation both as a result of cognitive development, and as a process in work situation management ; 2) pragmatical concepts constructing from and for work situations, 2) the role of instruments not only for control and command of the objects-to-be acted- on, but also operative cognitive tools as mediators in cognitive activity. These points will be illustrated / referred to empirical studies in various types of work situations. Georg Hans Neuweg Implicit and explicit dimensions of learning and knowing: The tacit knowing view In ascribing knowledge to working people, we usually impute to them not mentally stored knowledge of this or that sentence, but the ability to perceive, to think, and to act skilfully. We are interested in knowledge in use (knowing) rather than in knowledge as a state. The tacit knowing view focuses on the relationship between knowing and its articulated counterpart. Given that experts always know more than they can tell and even more than anyone could ever formalise, it seems clear that expert knowledge cannot be transmitted by prescription alone. What must be left unspoken is to be attained through personal experience and be transmitted within master- apprentice relationships and cultures of expert practice. However, in most cases, learning involves some see-saw between relatively controlled, analytical and more spontaneous, integrative processes, the right blend varying both with the person and the subject being learned. Furthermore, the emphasis on tacit knowledge should not seduce us into underestimating the necessity of a broad theoretical background for skilful action. Theoretical as well as experiential learning might therefore benefit greatly if connected in parallel. If the two fall wholly apart we risk the danger of a lack of comprehension in both realms. Karsten Krüger Partnership for a New Work Organisation: Process Knowledge and Power - a forgotten aspect? Some of the main questions of the reorganizing of the work processes are which characteristics will take the new labour processes, which competencies will be required by the workers and in which labour condition they will work in the future. The answers of the enterprises to these questions are the results of a multilevel bargaining process. In this presentation, we want to formulate these questions in another way around: Which role play the labour relations for the introduction of new forms of work organisation? Considering the work process knowledge as an important resource in power games in the organisational restructuration we try to sketch answers to this question making reference to the modernising processes on the enterprise level in the Spanish Steel, which took place between 1995 to 2000. Michele Mariani, Peter Roeben Work process knowledge and organisational learning The transfer and improvement of Work Process Knowledge (WPK) are the goals of two chemical companies studied in a European research project in which measures of Organisational Learning were thoroughly investigated . In this contribution we will discuss which are the different practices that the two chemical companies adopted to achieve such goals, with a special focus on newcomers' training. The two companies were located in Germany and Italy. The German company is a production plant while the Italian company is mainly devoted to research and development. In both sites the tasks of how to train new comers and improve WPK are embedded in different organisational practices. In Germany the primary goal is to provide new comers with enough WPK so that they are able to operate the plant in a very safe way. In Italy the goal is not only limited to transfer WPK from the old to the new workforce but also to use this transfer to keep this knowledge actual and living. In addressing these goals, both sites established different organisational practices which can be conceptualised as practices for Organisational Learning. Our contribution will have three parts: 1. Which problems were faced by both sites? Which practices were established to solve these problems? 2. In which way Organisational Learning in both cases is related to WPK? 3. Which conclusions can be drawn in terms of private and public policies for both cases? Martin Fischer & Felix Rauner Work Process Knowledge and Curriculum Development This paper characterises important approaches towards curriculum development in vocational education and training (VET) reaching from historic developments in Germany to modern American suggestions for designing a curriculum. It is argued that the concept of Work Process Knowledge (WPK) marks a fundamental change for developing VET- curricula. On the level of the guiding principles and political aims the WPK-concept allows for the implementation of a shaping-oriented VET (that is developing the capacity for actively shaping the work environment taking responsibility at the social, ecological and economic level) in the context of pedagogical action and curriculum development. WPK represents action-oriented, explanatory and reflective knowledge thus re-directing two shortcomings of reductionist VET approaches: behaviour-oriented training of Behaviourist origin, science-oriented preparatory instructions and systematised curriculum. It is also concluded that WPK represents an important of vocational educational theory that can be seen as a key anchor for a shaping-oriented didactic in VET. Waldemar Bauer New learning concepts within the dual vocational education and training in Germany: Towards work process orientation In 1997, a new curricular framework for vocational education and training schools called 'learning fields' was implemented in Germany. As a result, vocational curricula with their elements and contents must relate to work and business processes and described on the basis of competences. Regarding the German tradition of curricula a paradigm shift can be observed, because earlier curricula were organised according to disciplines. In 1998, a pilot programme was launched which focused on 'new learning concepts within the dual vocational education and training system', and involved projects in the construction of 'learning fields' which were implemented in VET schools. These projects developed concepts for the empirical analysis of work processes or tasks and identified the competences required as a basis for curricula, in order to link qualification research with curriculum development. By analysing the different approaches, it became clear that an integration of the analysis of work and the transformation of the empirical results into curricula is necessary. This work also implies a model of competence development, because the focus of this VET research is ultimately teaching and learning practices in VET schools. Research in these areas has to be domain specific, because it deals with the content and expertise in an occupational field and therefore requires an in-depth understanding of knowledge and skills in these fields. Rainer Bremer Work process knowledge and competence development of German apprentices Among several attempts to improve the German dual system there was one to bridge the gap between the VET itself and the real processes of industrial work (production as well as maintenance). The severe problem to be solved was that the enterprises had to train and to teach the apprentices twice: 1th for the final exam, 2nd for the demands of the workplaces. A lot of methods and instruments had been developed and implemented as an exemplary innovation to give the VET a new structure and effectiveness. One of the most important ideas was that the new curricula should be based on conditions given by the development of the apprentices as well as on the core of the work processes of about 5 occupational profiles. We developed a method to study the progress of the apprentices regarding two criteria: the stage of professional competencies and the stage of vocational identity. We watched this progress of about 250 apprentices within 31/2 years by confronting them with "developmental tasks". So we are able to identify and show typical problems of the development apprentices have to solve on their way from novice to expert. 205 Aimee Hoeve, Kariene Mittendorff, Loek Nieuwenhuis Innovative learning in small companies: a privilege for the entrepreneur? This paper focuses on the relation between innovative learning by entrepreneurs and learning by their employees. In high-tech greenhouse farming the learning process is concentrated with the entrepreneur. He (or she!) is the pivot in innovation and learning processes. Learning an innovation in this sector is organised in external networks of colleague-entrepreneurs and knowledge institutes. The role of employees in this process is marginal (cf Gielen, Hoeve & Nieuwenhuis, 2003). This is in sharp contrast with learning processes in small and medium sized metal engineering and installation engineering companies, in which the learning of employees used to be organised explicitly (cf. Nieuwenhuis & Streijvers, 1994; Nieuwenhuis, 1999). An explanation of the differences in the organisation of learning has to be sought in the different organisation of work processes and the mental ownership of the production process. In the greenhouse farming the greenhouse itself and the organisation of work can be seen as extensions of the mental and physical capabilities of the entrepreneur. He owns the work process, he designs it and he invents his work process, but for some parts of the process he needs ´´hands´´ to do the routine jobs. Whereas in engineering, each worker should be able to do single jobs from start to finish, so they have to oversee the work process as a whole. In the paper empirical evidence will be presented to support this analysis, based on surveys and interview with greenhouse entrepreneurs and engineering branch representatives. This will lead to conclusions on institutional aspects of work process knowledge. References Gielen, P.M., A. Hoeve & L.F.M. Nieuwenhuis (2003). Learning Entrepreneurs. Learning and innovation in agricultural SMEs. In European Educational Research Journal Vol. 2. No. 1. Nieuwenhuis, L.F.M. (1999). New developments in qualifying strategies for sectoral and regional innovation. In: B. Sellin (ed): European trends in the development of occupations and qualifications. Tessaloniki: Cedefop. Nieuwenhuis, A.F.M. & J.R.L. Steijvers (1994). Installation Technology. In: Vocational Training in the Netherlands: Reform and Innovation (p. 166-186). Paris: OECD.