Globalisation and new technologies are changing traditional work processes. To reflect changes in the profiles of managerial jobs, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training has initiated a research project with the aim to establish similarities and differences between commercial and management occupations. This collection of essays documents a specialist workshop held to mark the start of the project. It contains the revised talks supplemented by the contributions of participants to the discussion sessions. In addition, there are two contributions from discussants which helpfully broaden the spectrum of the workshop's discussion. At the end of the volume the programme of the workshop and summaries of all the discussion sessions are included.

The Editors
Rainer Brötz and Franz Schapfel-Kaiser are members of the scientific staff of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in Bonn.