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Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate hotel industry employers' expectations of, and satisfaction with, graduate competencies in comparison with graduate perceptions of what is required for their roles and their satisfaction with how well their education experience prepared them. Design/methodology/approach – The research involved a questionnaire survey of 41 employers and 33 graduates in the Irish hotel sector, supplemented by a series of interviews. This sector was chosen because it represents the main destination of graduates who specialise in hospitality and tourism management. Findings – The competencies consistently regarded as important across both samples related to interpersonal and professional knowledge skill domains. However, a number of gaps were evident with regard to satisfaction with how the education experience prepared graduates for careers in the industry. Research limitations/implications – The study was confined to graduate and employer views on hospitality and tourism management education in Ireland. Its findings would benefit from a future comparative analysis including generic business graduates, as well as support from different national contexts. Practical implications – The findings highlight the need for greater collaboration and partnership between the industry and education providers in preparing students to meet the needs of the hotel industry. In particular, the focus of the curriculum and the pedagogical approaches used need to be reviewed to ensure closer alignment. Originality/value – The research focuses not only on the critical competencies needed by hotel managers but also on the level of satisfaction experienced by both graduate and employer samples.

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This study identifies and empirically tests factors that may influence learners' use of a computer-based training support system (TSS). The areas of research and theory were drawn from human-computer interaction, information and business management, and adult education. The factors suggested in the literature that may affect learner's use of a TSS were developed in an instrument using 12 subscales. Four hundred and forty six government employees responded to the survey instrument. Multiple regression was used to test the factors that influenced the employee's use of the TSS and the relationships among the factors. Implications of the findings for further research and for human resource development managers are discussed.

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Outlines the key areas which manufacturing organisations should consider in order to improve the effectiveness of training programmes for production operators. The authors carried out a study of UK-based manufacturing companies to identify current evaluation methods, and identify the predominant barriers to the implementation of effective training programmes. The research concluded that most of the companies believed that their training programmes did not realise the full potential in terms of higher productivity, better on-the-job performance, and improved quality. Causal factors were found to be inadequate training objectives and evaluation mechanisms, which stem from a number of barriers. Proposes a training programme measurement model, which has been adapted from existing concepts, and could be applied by manufacturing organisations as a framework for carrying out appropriate evaluation activities. Concludes with some recommendations for future policy, and areas of further research in the implementation of training programmes in manufacturing organisations.

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Introduces the special issue 'Human resource development: sectoral and invention-level evidence of human capital accumulation'. Reviews the concepts and definitions of intellectual and human capital. Considers human capital from individual (employability, performance and career development) and organization (investment, ownership, skills and knowledge management) perspectives. Looks at each of the papers in the special issue, relating them to its theme. Highlights the implications for human resource development, both at individual and organizational levels.

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Articles from the special issue are indexed from TD/TNC 80.370 to TD/TNC 80.372 and from TD/TNC 80.380 to TD/TNC 80.382. Show less

Purpose – The aim of this article is to describe the scenistic approach to training with corresponding activities and the theory bases that support the approach. Design/methodology/approach – Presented is the definition of the concept of scenistic training along with the step-by-step details of the implementation of the approach. Scenistic methods, while clear examples of situated cognition and learning, are derived from several other important theory bases to include constructivism, experiential learning, mental models, transformative learning, and action theory. Findings – The theory base offers support for the activities and steps contained in scenistic training methods. The theories, in combination, address motivation, distinct learning tasks and activities, and the regulation of learning. To an extent, scenistic methods invite the trainee to create and manage learning with guidance and support from trainers. This delegation of responsibility to the trainee has powerful motivational consequences. Research limitations/implications – In this article a detailed presentation of the concepts and theories that support the development and use of scenistic training methods is offered. Even though the efficacy of scenistic methods are supported with empirical research, the theory-base for the methods has not been carefully explained. Practical implications – Most of the development of scenistic methods has taken place in the past 10 years, a time period in which there has not been a lot of interest displayed in new training approaches. This article seeks to illuminate the concept for practitioners and scholars of training as well as to offer detailed theory grounding for scenistic methods. Originality/value – Originality and value are combined in the expression of the details of a somewhat generic model of scenistic methods as well as a reasonably broad perspective of theories that help to explain the dynamics of the steps in the approach.

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Purpose - This study aims to identify managerial competencies required for successful middle managers in China. Design/methodology/approach - First a questionnaire survey was distributed among MBA and EMBA students at a major university in China, and then two case studies were conducted to collect more in-depth data. Findings - The findings of this study suggest that team building, communication, coordination, execution and continual learning are critical competencies for the success of middle managers in China. Implications for future research and practices are also discussed. Originality/value - The literature review shows that although previous leadership competency studies are extensive, little research has been conducted to explore the competencies required for middle managers. This study would contribute to fill the gap in the literature.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a synthesis based on a review of the existing literature with respect to the variations in training practices and attitudes across national cultures. Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis technique was adopted with a comparative cross-cultural management perspective as a backdrop to address the occurrence of differences in practices and attitudes across various national cultures. Findings – Most of the extant literature remains distant from providing a systematic and analytical repertoire on the subject. In efforts to bridge this gap, a synthesis of the literature has been elaborated, identifying a range of variations that have been grouped around the following categories: importance of organizational training; access to organizational training; different types of training provided to employees; actors involved in organizational training; and organizational support for training. Research limitations/implications – The heterogeneity of the literature impeded the use of a theoretical training management framework for the present review. Practical implications – Organizations operating overseas and [human resources management/human resource development] HRM/HRD practitioners should consider the complexity of diverse cultural differences, while managing employee training in culturally diverse settings. Nations ought to be aware of training practices abroad to observe trends and changes caused by globalization, as they may influence the shaping of national training practices and regulations. From a theoretical point of view, it is important to undertake conclusive research by further examining training practices and attitudes through the various national cultures with the objective of better circumventing the differences and by highlighting their prominent characteristics and implications. Originality/value – The present contribution is the first documented synthesis of the literature on the subject.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that both the supply-based model and the demand-based form of vocational education and training (VET) have their limitations and propose a 'third way' in which reflective learning in the workplace is a central ingredient. Design/methodology/approach – The data was collected from several studies of VET programmes in Sweden based on individual and group interviews, a survey and continuous participation in developmental work. The paper uses an interactive research approach in the research design. Findings – The paper proposes a 'third way' that tries to overcome the deficiencies of both the supply- and demand-based strategies for VET by developing a more equal balance in the relationship between the education and workplace systems. Collaboration and partnership between education providers and progressive workplaces are core elements. Research limitations/implications – The paper tries to connect activities and changes at the organisational, inter-organisational and institutional levels of the VET system. It is argued that changes at different levels are strongly interconnected and necessary to an understanding of the prerequisites for workplace learning. These vertical relationships form the main focus of future research. Practical implications – It is argued that changes in the VET system should be initiated using a 'bottom up' approach, start at the local level, and include change at all levels. The 'bottom up' approach should include a combined employer, employee and service-user perspective. It requires that learning issues are solved in a partnership that represents both the supply side of education and the demand side of working life. Originality/value – Inter-organisational relations need to be based on equal, mutual and trustful relationships between the education and workplace systems in order to support a sustainable change process.

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In this paper, the author analyses the different patterns of learning one can find in the organisations of two contrasting economic fields representing different contexts for learning. The analysis concentrates on two different occupational groups at the medium skills level: specialists in the IT sector and skilled workers in the timber and furniture (T&F) sector. One of them belongs to the 'new' and another to the 'old' economy. He explains some of the reasons for the emergence of different patterns of learning and consequences they might have on the development of the organisations and individual workers. Also treats workplace learning as a means to overcome the gaps between the skills and competences 'required by the job' and the competence workers have. The author tries to argue that learning, competence development and identification in cases of IT specialists and skilled workers in the T&F sector with one's work is mutually closely connected, and 'space of work values' determined by the identification patterns can be a factor as facilitating as well as limiting the learning and competence development in these cases.

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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of already existing skills and competence ontologies to benefit European transparency tools and especially the implementation of the European Qualification Framework [EQF]. Furthermore, it asks whether any of them could serve as a starting point to develop an International Standard Classification of Skills and Competences to supplement [International Standard Classification of Education] ISCED and [International Standard Classification of Occupations] ISCO. Design/methodology/approach - This contribution contains a comparative analyses of three systems providing ontologies of skills and competences - DISCO, O*NET and Taxonomy_DB - under terminological and pragmatic aspects. Findings - The analysis identifies O*NET as the most promising candidate to serve European transparency instruments and the EQF. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the development of an International Standard Classification of Skills and Competences, that is suitable for statistical purposes as well as appropriate for practical applications in human resource management and in the area of education, would have to integrate very diverging demands, which so far are being best met by O*NET and DISCO.

Research/limitations/implications - The depth of the analysis is not sufficient to serve as an exhaustive guideline to design an International Standard Classification of Skills and Competences. Practical implications - The paper shows the potential of a future International Standard Classification of Skills and Competences for the EQF, for European transparency tools, and for statistical purposes. Originality/value - This article brings a new topic, namely ontologies for skills and competences, into the European debate about competences and their visibility and validation.

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