Training in the Retail Trade in France. Report for the FORCE Programme. First Edition.

An international team of researchers studied the following aspects of training in France's retail sector: structure and characteristics, institutional and social context, employment and labor, changing conditions and their implications for skill requirements, and training and recruitment. Data were collected from an analysis of social and labor/employment statistics, literature review, and case studies of six medium and large retail companies representing a mix of company structures and products lines and including a group of independent store owners and a subsidiary of a department store. At three companies, training was designed to improve the company's commercial position, customer service, and efficiency. A fourth company was using training as a policy tool to increase homogeneity between stores within the group. Trade unions and staff representatives were not involved in developing training objectives or methods. Most training was targeted toward managers and focused on work methods/procedures. Three companies had programs combining in-company practical training with preparation for a certificate guaranteeing some general training that was recognized by the Ministry of Education. Overall, the retail sector was spending a much smaller proportion of its payroll than the average on training; however, investment in training was increasing. (Thirty-one tables/figures are included.) (MN)