This cross-cultural study examines early childhood professionals' perceptions of their social status, working conditions, and public appreciation in seven countries/territories: Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, and the United States of America. One hundred eighteen participants, consisting of preschool and elementary school educators, program directors, child psychologists, and professors of early childhood education, responded to six questions through electronic, printed, and face-to-face contacts. The cross-cultural data revealed a high degree of agreement on these professionals' perceptions of their social standing, income, work responsibilities, and public appreciation. Results indicate that participants felt discouraged and underappreciated in their current circumstances and aspired to additional financial and emotional support, as well as greater respect from their governments and society.
[Copyright of Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10901020701366764]

Private and public organisations play a significant role in the development of entrepreneurship education. They give schools support of various kinds including the provision of seed capital and first-hand and latest information about the business sector. The fast growth of entrepreneurship education worldwide is largely due to the efforts of the private and public sectors, and Hong Kong is no exception. The major entrepreneurship training programmes that have taken place in recent years have all been organised by private and public organisations, and they have provided a large number of students with the opportunity to receive entrepreneurship education. This study surveys the major entrepreneurship education programmes offered by private and public organisations in Hong Kong, outlines their common objectives, and assesses their perceived effectiveness.
[Copyright of Journal of Vocational Education and Training is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13636820802305595]