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This article draws attention to the European Social Survey (ESS) database that widens the horizon of cross-cultural studies. The ESS has the potential to overcome several weaknesses of earlier data sets used for cross-cultural analysis -it provides unique opportunities for the analysis of differences between regions within nation states, and the data are representative of entire populations. We aim to develop a measurement tool of cultural dimensions based on the ESS that enables a deeper comparison of European regions besides country-level analysis. For creating ESS-based indicators, the initial indicators were selected based on Hofstede (2001), using the double classification method. Latent variables of cultural dimensions were computed using confirmative factor analysis. The results enable us to evaluate cross-cultural differences between regions inside the nation state as well as to figure out culturally close regions across nation state borders. The results of our analysis confirm that countries may be much more heterogeneous in terms of cultural variation than several cultural studies presume. Cultural heterogeneity varies across countries, and there are some quite homogeneous countries in the meaning of cultural dimensions, but most countries face cultural differences between its regions that have to be taken into account. It is also very important that the deeper the subdivision, the larger the differences. In some cases, border regions are remarkably less similar to the rest of the regions of the country than to the neighbouring regions of another country with a common border. In the case of countries with high cultural homogeneity, the use of nation-level cultural indicators may be justified, but in the case of highly heterogeneous countries a regional approach could be suggested instead.

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to map the current situation of entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions (HEIs) of 22 European transition economy countries. Design/methodology/approach -The approach taken was an internet survey and analysis covering 774 HEIs of the region. Findings -In 332 institutions, entrepreneurship-oriented courses, modules or curricula are offered. Croatia and Slovenia are the leading countries in terms of the coverage of teaching entrepreneurship in universities and colleges, followed by the Baltic countries and the Czech and Slovak Republics. The highest entrepreneurship orientation is found in new and private universities and colleges. In a majority of schools, the theory of entrepreneurship is taught but practice-oriented training in entrepreneurship is rather limited. The current number of centres of entrepreneurship in the region is small, and the research-oriented model of entrepreneurship education is used in three to five institutions only. Practical implications -The paper provides a useful source of information for entrepreneurship education researchers, developers and education policy makers. Originality/value -The paper maps the HEIs entrepreneurship teaching in post-communist European countries.

The barriers to higher education–industry cooperation (HIC) have been studied extensively. However, it is not yet clear which barriers affect which partner firms, which barriers may prevent cooperation altogether or which drivers help to overcome which specific barriers. To answer these questions, the authors conducted an original survey (a novel sample that included micro firms and small and medium-sized enterprises) and looked at HIC barriers in relation to firm characteristics and cooperation drivers. More than half of the survey sample had engaged in HIC. The results suggest that small export-oriented firms may not find suitable competences in higher education institutions and are therefore less likely to engage in HIC. Larger companies do engage in cooperation, but find strategic differences (goals, stances, time allocated) to be significant issues in cooperation. From the viewpoint of firms, possible solutions (drivers) include easy access to more information on HIC opportunities as well as support and training for student mobility.