Training and Competitiveness: An Asian Firm Perspective. Survey of Asia Business Council Members. An Asia Business Council Report.

The Asian Business Council surveyed 40 large Asian businesses on training strategies, emerging skill shortages, government investment in training, and the quality of the education and training sector. Of the 25 businesses that responded, 23 had their head office in Asia and all but 3 had more than 500 employees. Although the responding businesses generally believed that they have a responsibility to invest in training, they emphasized that individuals also have a responsibility to invest in their own training. Lifelong learning was considered very important. The following factors were deemed the biggest influences on firms' training agendas: the increasing use of computers and information technology; the need to attract and retain staff; the emergence of the knowledge economy; and the marketplace's increasing competitiveness. The skills that the respondents mentioned most often when asked about emerging skill shortages were as follows: leadership skills; soft skills; advanced technical skills; and information technology and computer-related skills. Most responding organizations had a skills acquisition/training plan to address future needs. Emerging skill shortages were being covered primarily by in-house training, with increased onus on individuals to invest time and effort in keeping their skills up to date and the employer acting as a facilitator providing online or computer-based training for self-paced learning. (Contains 72 references.) (MN)