The Industrial Training Act and Management Training, with Particular Reference to the Needs of Small Firms

Abstract

The provisions of the Industrial Training Act, 1964, are reviewed and
this is followed by a study of the impact of its main instrument, the
Industrial Training Boards upon the management training and development
of small firms (employing up to 250 people).

The replies to two postal questionnaires (one of which was completed
by twenty-two Boards having a significant proportion of small firms in
scope, and the other of which was completed by the chief executives of 99
firms which paid levy to one or other of these Boards) are analysed and
conclusions are drawn from the findings.

The response to the questionnaires revealed a) that the majority of the
firms in the sample would opt out of scope if free to do so and b) the
Boards themselves were not, in general, satisfied with the progress of
management training in the small firms.

Following a consideration of the management-training needs of small
firms, and of the various methods to facilitate their fulfilment, suggestions
are put forward as to the means by which the Boards could provide a more
effective management-training service and thereby improve the image
which many small firms hold of them. To this end, it is recommended
that the Boards provide on-the-job (consultancy) field service to the small
firms, and considerably reduce the administrative and paper work expected
by the Boards from the small firms.

Proposals, including a syllabus, are submitted for a training course to
facilitate the development of the Boards' field training advisers in the
diagnosis of the management-training needs of small firms and in
providing on-the-job assistance to fulfil them.
Finally, within the context of this study, reviews are made of the Report
of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms and of the proposals in the
Government Green Paper 'Training for the future’.

Date of Award	1972
Original language	English