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"This paper adopts an economic perspective for an investigation of the correlation between cost-benefit aspects and company decisions regarding training. A differentiation is drawn between the basic decision about whether a company should provide its own training and the stipulation of the number of trainees. The basis of the data used is information on the cost-benefit aspects of training from a survey conducted by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in 2001, the information being supplied by companies which provide training and companies which do not provide training. It becomes apparent that cost-benefit aspects are highly significant in both phases of the company training decision. Possible starting points for vocational education and training policy primarily emerge from encouraging additional companies to provide training rather than from increasing the number of training places at companies already providing training, however. In overall terms, longer-term benefits appear to be accorded more importance than short-term cost aspects." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Kurzfassung (deutsch) Executive summary (English)

"In this paper the further training behaviour of firms is explained using a double hurdle approach: the first hurdle is that the further training of employees is worthwhile for the firms in general, the second hurdle is that demand for further training arises. The empirical test is conducted using data from the IAB establishment panel: by combining the balanced panel for three waves into a cross-section it is possible to determine the effect of extending the observation period for the provision of further training (probit estimates) and the intensity of further training (quasi-likelihood estimates). The results confirm the double hurdle approach: variables for capital intensity, innovation orientation and the employee structure have a significant impact on whether further training is generally worthwhile for the firms, and investment in data processing and in the field of communication as well as organisational changes are significant motivations for providing further training." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Kurzfassung (deutsch) Executive summary (English)

"Whilst in applied empirical research, training in general human capital is mainly explained by structural characteristics of firms, this paper introduces business expectations as an additional explanatory factor. Business expectations are strictly time-variate and firm-specific and reflect both a firm's development in competitive markets and in the business cycle. We assume that a firm's business expectations strongly modify the cost-utility concept for firms' decisions as regards providing apprenticeship places. When controlling for firms' structural characteristics, static econometric models support our assumption that a change in business expectations leads to an asymmetric adjustment process of firms' qualitative decisions regarding apprenticeship training. Concerning the quantitative decision as to how many apprenticeship places a firm provides we found a significant but not asymmetric response to a change in business expectations. A dynamic approach confirms the results obtained in the static models of a symmetric quantitative adjustment process in a short-term perspective. In a longer perspective the dynamic model supports the assumption of an asymmetric quantitative adjustment process. Further on an application shows that an increasing uncertainty regarding business expectations tends to reduce the apprenticeship training at firm level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Kurzfassung (deutsch) Executive summary (English)

"This paper presents a regional case study of the labour market and its surrounding of Vinh City in central Vietnam, based on surveys conducted in 1999 and 2005. By including the time dimension and surveying samples with over 6000 individuals respectively it is possible to identify precisely the changes that have taken place within six years. The results reflect an enormous development process. Incomes increased fast and many structural parameters of the economy adapted to the new institutional setting of a market economy. The absolute level of income and of the standard of living is still low, however. A key finding of the analyses is that vocational training is meeting with large demand in private enterprises and is therefore of considerable importance for Vietnam's development process. Another important finding is that educational investments pay more in private enterprises." (author's abstract) Der Beitrag präsentiert eine regionale Fallstudie des Arbeitsmarkts der vietnamesischen Stadt Vinh. Mittels zweier Studien aus den Jahren 1999 und 2005, die mehr als 6000 Individuen einbeziehen, wird der Wandel, der sich in diesen sechs Jahren vollzogen hat, nachgezeichnet. Die Ergebnisse belegen einen enormen Entwicklungsprozess. Die Einkommen stiegen schnell und zahlreiche strukturelle Parameter haben sich an die neuen marktwirtschaftlichen Bedingungen angepasst. Dennoch sind das absolute Einkommensniveau und der Lebensstandard nach wie vor niedrig. Ein wichtiges Ergebnis der Untersuchung ist die zentrale Bedeutung der Berufsausbildung für den vietnamesischen Entwicklungsprozess, da die Berufsausbildung dem großen Bedarf in der Privatwirtschaft entgegenkommt. Ein weiteres Ergebnis ist, dass sich Bildungsinvestitionen in Unternehmen der Privatwirtschaft stärker auszahlen. (IAB)