Competence and human resource development in multinational companies in three European Union Member States: a comparative analysis between Austria, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom

This CEDEFOP initiated study provides a global picture of in-company human resource development strategies and trends in qualifications and competence development. It is a comparative analysis of the subsidiaries of three multinational companies: Xerox; Glaxo Wellcome; and AXA Nordstern Colonia. The study shows that little agreement exists about working cultures and that despite the prevailing and even increasing consensus on the basic need to invest in employees and their training, the exact form of this investment and when, where and how it should be implemented, remain largely unanswered. The report is structured as follows: the first chapter provides an overview of the study, the theoretical background and European trends, and the methodology; chapter two provides a case study of Glaxo Wellcome; chapter three looks at Xerox (the document company); chapter four the AXA group; chapter five provides the conclusions; and the final chapter is a reference list.

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