Structures in small and middle-sized establishments that encourage or discourage further training

Abstract

"This study revolves around the observation of individual segments of a particular size of establishment in connection with their participation in training and the comparison of factors that influence training activities. This is being undertaken because in small and middle-sized establishments (KMU) - and here in the very smallest and small establishment-size segments (up to 50 employees) - the variety of both the landscapes of the establishments and of the activities, qualifications and occupations is particularly high. Descriptive and multivariate investigations for separate establishment-size segments were undertaken using the IAB Establishment Panel. These analyses from the IAB Establishment Panel fundamentally confirm already known results and show that, independently of the size of the establishment, a significant effect on commitment to education results from the qualified labour structure, in particular the share of academics among the employees, as well as the investment behaviour exhibited by the establishment. When establishments undertake training and further training they often account for a clearly lower share of academics than establishments which train in a substitutive manner but on the other hand invest more both in information and communication technology as well as in business equipment and production plants. Between the establishment-size segments it was possible to show certain differences in relation to the various influential factors. That the size of an establishment and the qualifications of its employees are the key to in-house training activities is not new: however it gains a new weight in the light of the differentiation between substitutive and complementary training patterns - especially against the background of demographic change and the requirement for qualified labour connected to this." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku)

Cite article

Hartung, S. (2011): Bildungsfördernde vs. bildungshemmende Betriebsstrukturen in KMU. In: W. Hacker, U. Pietrzyk & U. Debitz (Hrsg.) (2011): Wissen erfolgreich weitergeben : Lösungen für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen im demografischen Wandel, p. 1-6.