This chapter reports on two studies conducted in both Hong Kong and Australia. The purpose of these research studies was three-fold: first, to evaluate the secondary business education curriculum; second, to explore its role in both Hong Kong and Australia, in order to determine the future directions in the light of perceived social, environmental, technological and political changes; and third, to make appropriate recommendations to policymakers in the respective countries. The results of the two studies demonstrated that the current secondary business education curriculum in Hong Kong and Australia has moved towards, but is not yet fully conversant with the need for, a paradigm shift from a predominantly skills-based curriculum to a dynamics-based curriculum. The notion of competence and its origin are discussed. A move towards a more holistic perspective of competence, that is, an interpretative-relational perspective is proposed and illustrated for business education. The introduction of competency standards for the clerical-administrative occupations in private industry tends to restrict the curriculum to the achievement of skills and outcomes, rather than move towards a broader base. It is recommended that the aims of secondary business education be under constant review; the image of business education be updated; there be an increased emphasis on vocational education, provision of resources, and opportunities for professional development for business education teachers. Implications for research, policy and practice including a business education curriculum based upon an interpretative-relational model of competence are drawn.
[Copyright © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.]

This study identifies pre-service business teachers' conceptions and ways of teaching business subjects by using phenomenographic and grounded theory research methods. All 25 students who were completing the Business Studies major of a four-year full-time BEd programme in Hong Kong were the research participants. The researcher observed how the participants conducted their business lessons in the practicing school, and asked them to describe good teaching of business subjects and the ways in which they taught. The participants displayed five conceptions of teaching business: (1) knowledge delivery, (2) cognitive skills development, (3) attitude and moral cultivation, (4) interaction promotion and (5) application enhancement. These conceptions were multi-faceted, and can be conceptualised into three dimensions: performance, personal and integrated. The two broad teaching approaches, teacher-centred and student-centred, were strongly related to the conceptions that the teachers held. Hence, it is recommended that pre-service teachers should be provided with up to date subject knowledge base and open learning environments to increase their understanding of teaching.
[Copyright © 2005 Common Ground, Christina, Wai Mui Yu.]