Publications

Mitnik, F. (Coordinator)
Policies and training programmes for small enterprises. A multidisciplinary analysis from theory and experience

Montevideo: Cinterfor/ILO, 2006
375p. (Tools for change, 29)

ISBN: 92-9088-201-8
Bibliography included
US$ 18.00

(Full text only available in Spanish)

 

From a theoretical perspective -in the first part- the objective is to analyse labour training for small enterprises by using a multidisciplinary approach that covers economy, sociology, learning psychology, the history of training, organisational psychology and the theories of management. The presentation of ideas from different fields of knowledge aims at describing several approaches to the diagnosis, design, execution, assessment and continuous improvement of training policies and programmes oriented to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and contributing to the essential dialogue among specialists of several areas.

In the second part, experience is explored through the "Programme of training workers at enterprises" developed in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. Such programme included a "Training bond system" that operated two mechanisms oriented to encourage enterprises to acquire training activities: one information system on the supply and demand of training from the business perspective, and a subsidy system for the demand of labour training activities on behalf of enterprises. It also included a "System of human capital diagnosis" which was both to design an IT process that enabled to identify the problems of firms, define which could be solved by training and suggest possible training actions; and, on the other hand, grant subsidies for such diagnoses. In both cases, subsidies were provided through bonds.

The paper is oriented to those who, from the public or private sector or social organisations wish to obtain a general view of the perspectives offered by the main disciplines that analyse labour training. This view is expected to contribute to continuous learning and the improvement of the institutions that execute policies and programmes oriented to small firms.

 

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

About this paper

FIRST PART: THEORETICAL ASPECTS

1 Economic perspective of training
Félix Mitnik, Ricardo Descalzi and Guillermo Ordóñez
Why investing on training?
An institutional arrangement: training market
The flaws of the training market
The flaws of the State

Annex 1
Chart 1.1

2 Subsidies: ¿efficiency or equity?
Félix Mitnik and Ricardo Descalzi
Provision models and training production
Financing sources of training
Subsidy and perfect competition
Subsidy and market flaws
The mechanism of subsidy through bonds

Annex 2.A.
Annex 2.B.
Annex 2.C.
Chart 2.1

3 Subsidies for small enterprises: from the economy to the policy
Félix Mitnik and Ricardo Descalzi
Training bonds for small enterprises
From theory to policy: are subsidies justified?
From policy to theory: are subsidies justified?

Chart 3.1

4 A sociological perspective of economic practices
Andrés Matta and Eduardo Bologna
Assumptions from a sociological perspective
Cultural capital: meanings and functions

Chart 4.1
Chart 4.2

5 A sociological perspective of the training market
Andrés Matta and Eduardo Bologna
Small enterprises and labour training
Labour training: policies and institutionality

Chart 5.1
Chart 5.2
Chart 5.3
Chart 5.4

6 A historical perspective of labour training
Félix Mitnik and Adela Coria
Making history to understand the present time
From the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution
The 20th Century

Chart 6.1
Chart 6.2
Chart 6.3
Chart 6.4

7 Learning to work at new scenarios
Félix Mitnik and Adela Coria
Multiple, complex and integrating understandings
The impact of technologies
A milestone in the history of training in Argentina

Chart 7.1
Chart 7.2

8 Expectations and failures in training for enterprises
Félix Mitnik, Adela Coria and Juan Torres
Expectations and successful events
Expectations and disappointing events
Explaining the results: multiple understandings
Explaining the results: tacit knowledge
Explaining the results in small enterprises

Annex 8
Chart 8.1
Chart 8.2
Chart 8.3
Chart 8.4

9 Rebuilding hopes: training quality
Félix Mitnik, Adela Coria and Corina García Goette
Training quality
A model to plan transfer

Chart 9.1
Chart 9.2
Chart 9.3

SECOND PART: FINDINGS

10 The bond system: execution and findings
Andrés Matta
Monitoring at an organisation that is learning
Bond system diagnosis and design
Findings from demand
Findings from supply

Annex 10
Chart 10.1
Chart 10.2
Chart 10.4

11 The bond system: problems and findings
Andrés Matta
The training bond
Repetition in the use of subsidy
Problems arising from losing focus
Impact of indirect costs
Main findings

Annex 11.A.
Annex 11.B.

12 The diagnosis system: problems and findings
Félix Mitnik and Ricardo Descalzi
Prior considerations
Diagnosis system design and implementation
The instrument
Application strategies of the first version
Assessment of the first version

Chart 12.1

13 The diagnosis system: findings and redesign
Félix Mitnik and Ricardo Descalzi
Prior considerations
Main concepts
Diagnosis structure in the second version
Application of second version
Findings and challenges

14 Impact assessment: initial measurement
Eduardo Bologna and Vanina Fraire
Assessment conditions and possibilities
Assessment design
Results of the ex ante study: conditions in 1999

Annex 14.A.
Chart 14.1
Chart 14.2
Chart 14.3
Chart 14.4

15 Impact assessment: ex post measurement
Eduardo Bologna and Vanina Fraire
Assessment of the training bond system
Assessment of the diagnosis system
Verification of the achievement of the policy objective

Annex 15
Chart 15.1
Chart 15.2
Chart 15.3
Chart 15.4

16 Final considerations
Félix Mitnik
Complexity and tailor-made designs
The need for systemic interventions
General training and education
Towards integral actions

Bibliographic references (quoted in the paper)

Bibliographic references (without any specific reference in the text)

 

 

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