Short-term and long-term benefits as determinants of the training behaviour of companies

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.