International briefing 8 Training and development in France

Two main features characterise training and development in France: the influence of the school‐based model and a strong institutionalisation of continuing vocational training which is regulated by law and collective bargaining at national and sectoral levels. In the last decade training has been affected by four major changes: the development of alternating training programmes for young people and unemployed persons; a process of decentralisation which gives to regions an essential role of coordination; strengthening of links between training and employment; and an increasing responsibility of firms in the management of training. As a result, training is on an upward trend yet large inequalities in access still exist.     

Subcontracting chain and workers’ participation in continuing vocational training: findings from the French,quantitative, linked employer–employee survey of training and career paths

This article discusses the correlation between cascading subcontracting and employees' participation in continuing vocational training. Based on a capability approach, it uses the French quantitative linked employer–employee survey on training and career paths (DEFIS) to question to what degree inter‐firm relations influence their employees’ training opportunities and processes. The results suggest cascading effects in training participation, considered from the angle of taking part both in training and training decision making. It addresses public policy issues arising from inequalities in employee participation with respect to the subcontracting relationship and thereby questions the liability of pure principal contractors.     

新形势下高校教师培训面临的问题及对策

随着我国社会经济、政治、文化的巨大发展和高等教育改革的不断深入,传统的高校教师培训模式面临着教育环境改变所产生的巨大挑战,其自身存在的观念落后、模式单一、内容陈旧等弊端也逐渐暴露出来。在此新形势下,我国高校教师培训应从建立培训导师队伍、完善教师继续教育体制、加强教师职业训练和实践活动、促进教师可持续发展等方面进行改革。同时,还应建立高校教师发展制度,以确保新的培训方式得以落实。     

A look inside: teacher information search for personal finance instruction

Drawing on the information search perspective of the consumer behaviour literature, this study assesses the predictors of teacher information search. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the case of personal finance instruction is examined. Findings suggest three levels of involvement in information search among personal finance teachers. Participation in continuing education courses, combined with a heightened interest in personal finance, were the strongest predictors of a high‐information strategy. The findings speak to the usefulness of continued teacher training that is sensitive to information acquisition behaviour.     

International briefing 9: Training and development in the United Arab Emirates

This article explores the training and development strategies and practices of large business organisations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The survey reveals that Emirati companies are very aware of best training and development practice as implemented in their foreign counterparts, and that they generally adopt similar methods and strategies. The article considers the influence of national culture, religion, government policies, education and the economic environment upon the training and development strategies and practices of companies in the UAE. It is argued that despite the negative effects of a dwindling oil sector, the UAE's companies are well placed to maintain their current regional success and that they will soon be playing an increasingly important role in international trade, thus significantly contributing to the continuing economic growth of the country.     

British Ethnic Minorities and Employment Training: Redressing or Extending Disadvantage?

The reasons which have been offered to explain the low labour market success encountered by ethnic minorities in Britain include their possible lack of motivation, lack of qualification and training opportunities, and discrimination in the labour market. Whilst discrimination as a contributory factor to labour market exclusion has been widely discussed in the literature, the efficacy of Government sponsored training schemes designed to equip ethnic minorities with skills which may improve their competitiveness and reduce their disadvantage has been subjected to less scrutiny. This article provides an evaluation of the role of Government sponsored employment training programmes in reducing ethnic minorities’ disadvantaged position in the labour market. It argues that training programmes designed to improve employment opportunities are failing members of the ethnic minority communities and are in some cases helping to extend their disadvantage. It identifies the reasons for the failure as (1) the constant changes in Government policies with the development of sometimes contradictory policies, and (2) the inefficiency and prejudice of the training and employing organisations which are involved in the process. The article concludes with an assessment of the consequences of continuing discrimination against ethnic minority communities.     

The Training of Jobseekers by Non‐profit Organizations: An Analysis Based on Data from the Upper Normandy Region of France

There is now an extensive academic literature on non‐profit organizations (NPOs). The hypothesis that these organizations are different from for‐profit organizations (FPOs) is one that is frequently adopted. Nevertheless, a number of recent studies have suggested that many factors may cause NPOs to lose their specificity. The aim of this paper is to assess the influence of these variables empirically with regard to the continuing training sector. Our results lead us to conclude that, while some of these variables do indeed have an impact on the behavior of NPOs, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that they do behave differently from FPOs.     

A study to identify the training needs of life insurance sales representatives in Taiwan using the Delphi approach

This article reports a study conducted to identify the needs for continuing professional development for life insurance sales representatives and to examine the competencies needed by those sales representatives. A modified Delphi technique was used. Most life insurance companies in the USA implement an education and training plan advocated by the Life Office Management Association. Insurance companies in Taiwan implement similar education and training plans, but they do not seem to result in the successful performance of their sales representatives. Besides augmenting knowledge of various financial products and marketing approaches, this study also suggests that life insurance companies need to train their sales representatives to an adequate standard in competencies of problem solving, communication, information technology utilization, culture compatibility, emotional intelligence, collective competence and ethics.     

The relationship between employer endorsement of continuing education and training and work and study performance: a Hong Kong case study

Based on psychological contract theory and expectancy disconfirmation theory, we posit that if employers support their staff by endorsing their continuing education and training, these employees will in turn be more satisfied and will perform better not only in their studies but also in their jobs. We also propose that such an endorsement will have a positive disconfirmation effect on employees' job satisfaction and performance when their perceived organizational support is relatively low. Using 434 part‐time postgraduate students in Hong Kong, China, as our survey sample, we found support for our propositions.     

Financial Capability for All: Training Human Service Professionals to Work with Vulnerable Families

This essay explores the potential for social workers and other human services professionals to build the financial capability of vulnerable populations. These professionals routinely work with the financially vulnerable and are uniquely positioned to provide basic financial guidance and support. Their education in human development, family dynamics, organizational and community functioning, and social policy prepares them to be key partners in creating solutions to financial vulnerability. However, human service professionals need additional training. Although there has been significant progress in developing curricula, additional resources, such as assessment models and practice tools for serving specific populations, would facilitate financial practice. Academic degree programs and continuing education in financial capability must be developed, along with greater clarification about career pathways and credentialing. Building the financial capability of vulnerable families is an ambitious agenda, but one that is essential to well‐being in the 21st century.     

Transfer of learning from management development programmes: testing the Holton model

Transfer of learning from management development programmes has been described as the effective and continuing application back at work of the knowledge and skills gained on those programmes. It is a very important issue for organizations today, given the large amounts of investment in these programmes and the small amounts of that investment that actually translates into an improved individual and organizational performance. This paper describes the testing of the Holton model of learning transfer and suggests amendments to the model where appropriate. A sample of participants on a management development programme within the Irish health service completed the Learning Transfer System Inventory based on the Holton model. The data obtained were analysed using multiple regression and partial correlation techniques. Results indicate that the model does adequately represent the effects of its factors, although a slightly revised model is presented. Important relationships between factors are identified, and the central role of the learners’ personal capacity for transfer (hitherto unreported in the literature) and their motivation to transfer in facilitating transfer is highlighted. In practical terms, the tested model can be used as a diagnostic tool by identifying individual, training design and work environment transfer issues in need of attention and by developing strategies to deal with them. It can also be used as a framework for the evaluation of training and development interventions, examining factors outside the traditional range of most training evaluation efforts and providing a more complete picture of the success or otherwise of that intervention.     

Adult consumer education across Europe – redressing the market or reaching the vulnerable consumer

Consumer education is an important EU and United Nations priority. In most countries’ formal education systems, it is not a single discipline in its own right, but a cross‐curricular subject involving many areas of the school curriculum. Adult consumers are expected to be critical and informed consumers but may not know how to acquire the appropriate skills. The formal school system in many countries has failed to deliver these skills and values and adults need consumer education through both formal and informal means. With increasingly varied societies consumer education will help to produce active socially responsible citizens and citizenship is an essential element of the delivery of consumer education to adults. It is particularly important that consumer education should reach the vulnerable groups in society. Increasing globalisation and business power necessitate ethical and sustainable business practices; an informed, educated and empowered consumer will strengthen the market place to the benefit of both consumers and business. Unlike school education, adult education across Europe is fragmented with a mixture of formal education, including training for vocational qualifications, continuing and community education, and informal education, an essential contributor to life‐long learning delivered through media, women's groups, consumer groups and many other large and small organisations. The issues have been addressed by the EU Socrates supported CEA (Consumer Education for Adults) project which has 10 partners from 7 European countries drawn from non‐government organisations, teacher training and adult education institutions, universities and research institutes. The project has produced a training manual for adult consumer education, a training module, piloted in Vienna, which includes a handbook of teaching materials and a video, and has initiated a dialogue between consumers, consumer educators, business and producers.     

Supporting worklife learning at work to sustain employability

The concept of employability extends beyond initial occupational preparation into the ability to remain employable as, inevitably, occupational capacities and workplace requirements change frequently across working lives. Hence, the need to continually learn to remain occupationally current and respond to changing workplace requirements becomes paramount. The evidence suggests that much of that learning arises through individual efforts and the support of co-workers through work activities. So, there is a need to understand how that learning can be supported to sustain employability across lengthening working lives. Drawing on an Australian study, reported here are perspectives from managers and workers in diverse workplaces about current modes of continuing education and training and about how workers are assisted with their learning to meet personal needs and qthose of employers. Employers want an occupationally current workforce that can meet specific workplace needs; workers want the capacities to remain employable, which may extend to advancing their careers elsewhere. The data indicate differences in perceptions about what is being provided, how frequently the provisions are used, and the worth of its certification. Whilst the findings indicate shared concerns about the importance of learning, there were clear differences in views about the models and processes used to support that learning. Across both sets of informants can be seen distinctions between ‘training solutions’ and ‘learning solutions’. A more nuanced analysis suggests that the training solution is appropriate and effective at some point in workers' worklife trajectories but in other circumstances, learning through practice is proposed as being more efficacious.     

Applying a Danish version of the Learning Transfer System Inventory and testing it for different types of education

The purpose of this study was to answer two research questions. First, will an exploratory factor analysis of a Danish version of the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) result in a factor structure which is consistent with the original American LTSI factor structure? Second, does the mean score in the factor analysis vary in a statistically significant way across different types of education, suggesting that the LTSI may be more suitable a measure in some educational contexts than others? To answer these questions survey data from 411 students following four different types of formal education – adult vocational training, academy profession programs, diploma programs and master's degree programs – were analysed. Principal component analysis was used to answer research question one. Factorial ANOVA was used to answer question two. The analysis resulted in fewer factors than in the original American LTSI. The study also found that the mean score differs in a statistically significant way between the different types of education. Specifically, LTSI may be more suitable in measuring transfer systems and therefore promoting transfer in relation to short courses offering training in specific skills than in relation to long‐term continuing education.     

企业持续创新理论研究评述

通过对近年来中外关于企业持续创新理论的研究现状进行评述,重点对企业持续创新的重要性、概念、与企业发展的关联以及持续创新动力、能力、实现等方面进行了深入的评述,提出绿色持续创新与可持续创新是企业持续创新理论未来的重点研究方向,并对企业绿色持续创新与企业可持续创新的研究现状及其关联进行了分析。     

Reducing Consumer Disadvantage: Reassessing Access in the Retail Environment

Abstract

Extensive interviews about the food shopping experiences of one disadvantaged group—wheelchair users in South Wales—enables a reassessment of the access dimension of consumer disadvantage following a period of pronounced retail changes and improvements associated with the Disability Discrimination Act. Although a slim majority of wheelchair users felt that they had proper choice over their shopping locations, many expressed continuing experiences of consumer disadvantage. Residual consumer disadvantage remains particularly in older, more traditional shopping locations, while the large supermarkets offer advantages because of their dedicated car parking spaces, their spacious aisles, special facilities and staff training. For the wheelchair user, superstore growth has had a beneficial effect on accessibility, reducing consumer disadvantage.     

Building on formal education: employers’ approaches to the training and development of new recruits in the People's Republic of China

Conceptions of modern management and of skill in China have developed out of quantitative, production oriented traditions that have tended to downplay the human side of management, training and development. Based on recent survey and case study research this paper argues that some organisations are moving away from such narrow definitions. These tend to be resource rich, larger enterprises, often in modern growth sectors and organisations exposed to foreign practice (either by virtue of foreign ownership or investment, or as a result of exposure to the pressures of global competition through operation in international markets). Skills shortages are faced by organisations throughout China. However, employers do not generally feel that the education system is serving to address these skills needs. The varying conceptions of modern management shape the manner in which organisations recruit from, and build, on formal education provision. Many resource rich employers are using formal education as a selection mechanism, selecting the educational elite and continuing to develop them. Those organisations that have limited access to highly qualified recruits are also least likely to be in a position to provide extensive or high quality training. Consequently the divide between resource rich and resource poor organisations, in terms of both organisational resources and employees’ opportunities for skill acquisition, learning and development, seems likely to widen.     

Managing multi-business firms: A comparison between Korean chaebols and diversified U.S. firms

We identify and examine the efficacy of organizational mechanisms through which diversified firms are effectively managed without loss of control. Building on the resource based view of business groups, we argue that business groups in emerging markets use these mechanisms more often and derive more benefits from the use of these mechanisms than the diversified U.S. firms. Empirical results based on samples from Korea and the U.S. show that structural mechanisms such as strategic control and contingency arrangements, do not affect divisional performance, whereas socio-cultural mechanisms, such as shared values and corporate-level training, have significant effect on divisional performance. We also find that Korean chaebols have leveraged socio-cultural mechanisms better than large U.S. firms, and thus, have an advantage in continuing to diversify.     

What Skills Are Needed to be a Humanitarian Logistician?

Logistic skills are of importance for employment and career development, and prior research has highlighted differences in skill requirements for different logistics functions as well as for different groups of logisticians. However, the continuing incidence of natural disasters and complex emergencies and their associated challenges including the requirement to build relationships with diverse stakeholders, has increased the demand for humanitarian logisticians—but there is, as yet, little understanding of which skills are important in this context. This article develops a conceptual framework for skills in the field of humanitarian logistics, and evaluates the framework through a content analysis of job advertisements with a special focus on the 2010 Haiti earthquake. This analysis concludes that humanitarian logisticians need a broad spectrum of functional skills (such as procurement, and warehouse and transport management) that must often be held in some depth. In addition, however, humanitarian logisticians need “contextual” skills that reflect their particular field of employment (such as security management and a comprehensive knowledge of donor regulations). It is suggested that such contextual skills are likely to feature in other areas of logistic employment, and that further research to identify these would lead to improvements in training and education programs.     

Service Uses in a Major Shopping Centre: Change in Nottingham

This analysis of the growing presence of service uses in Nottingham's central shopping area begins with a brief review of the continuing debate on this issue. Analyses of a decade of change across zones used for planning purposes show several cases of continuing relocation within the central area even after apparent saturation has been reached. Generally an absence of adequate models of services change is highlighted, and there is particularly a danger of viewing services from a retailing-dominated perspective. Planning controls appear especially lacking of a fully developed appreciation of the service sector relative to prime trading locations.