Britain's Training Problems: The Search for a Strategic Human Resources Management Approach

Abstract This paper examines the roots of Britain's training problem, drawing links with long‐standing industrial decline and lack of competitiveness. It is argued that training has considerable strategic importance in this context, but major attitudinal and structural obstacles are restricting the ability of British management to implement the necessary changes in their human resource management. A major research program in the UK aimed at understanding and facilitating strategic change and human resource management is described in detail.