Program Planning in Enterprises. Case Studies on Multiple Stakeholders, Diverging Interests, Conflicting Logics and their Impact on the Training Programs.

Author(s):

Tina Roebel(presenting / submitting)Aiga von Hippel

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

02. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

02 SES 13 B, Transitions in Partnerships in VET

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-11

11:00-12:30

Room:

324. [Main]

Chair:

Fernando Marhuenda

Discussant:

Andreas Saniter

Contribution

This paper presents the results of a study financed by the German Research Foundation and carried out between June 2013 and May 2015. The purpose of the study is to explore the process of program planning in German enterprises: In what way is it influenced by different stakeholders? What are the links between process (program planning) and output (training program)? Continuing vocational training (CVT) is extremely important in Germany. 70 % of the education and training activities (formal and non-formal) covered by the Adult Education Survey, conducted in 2011 by the European Union, are carried out during paid working hours or are at least partially paid for by the employers. Nevertheless, the differing interests of all stakeholders involved in the planning process have not yet been researched in detail. The results of the study are an important contribution to a professional approach to potential conflicts of interest regarding program planning.

The theoretical approach draws, on the one hand, on the governance analytical framework as adapted for the German education system by Kussau/ Brüsemeister 2007. On the other hand, a critical view on program planning as first formulated by Cervero/ Wilson 1994 is taken up and transferred to CVT. The understanding of program planning as such is based on the works by Gieseke 2003/2008. Other categories crucial to the analysis include Funktion (function/s assigned to CVT by the different stakeholders within the enterprise), Begründungslogik (raison d´être, i.e., modes of justifying learning, Robak et al. 2014) and Planungspartizipation (the opportunity and ability to actively participate in program planning; cf. Robak et al. 2014; cf. Rodehuth 1999).

These categories add another dimension to the discourse on the benefits of lifelong learning as they not only take into account the perspectives of the different stakeholders involved, but also reflect the very specific context of CVT.

Method

The research design includes three case studies. Each case study combines nine to twelve qualitative interviews with different stakeholders on different hierarchy levels with an analysis of the training program. This allows not only to cover the perspectives of all stakeholders involved, but also to reveal the impact on the program itself. Following the maxims of the Grounded Theory as formulated by Strauss/Corbin 1997, the enterprises were selected one by one from diverse industrial branches to ensure theoretical sampling. Two of the enterprises are based in Germany, whereas the third enteprise is part of an international group with headquarter in a different European country. The analysis uses both the coding techniques described in the Grounded Theory and the Qualitative Content Analysis (Mayring 2000).

Expected Outcomes

First results indicate that, indeed, multiple stakeholders are at play when it comes to designing educational programs within enterprises. The process of program planning is to a large extent dependent on the degree of coherence of the functions assigned to CVT by the stakeholders. "Funktion" and "Begründungslogik" are analyzed for each case and investigated in a cross-case analysis. At the current state of the analysis six different functions assigned to CVT have been identified. The different stakeholders that are involved in the process of program planning seem to focus on different functions. Also they operate with at least four different logics of reasoning. The next step of the analysis will be to relate "Funktion" and "Begründungslogik" as influencing factors on the planning process to the output of the process - the training program.

References

Altrichter, Herbert (Hg.) (2007): Educational Governance. Handlungskoordination und Steuerung im Bildungssystem. 1. Aufl. Wiesbaden: VS Verl. für Sozialwiss (1). Bäumer, Jens (1999): Weiterbildungsmanagement. Eine empirische Analyse deutscher Unternehmen. München: R. Hampp (1). Cervero, Ronald M.; Wilson Arthur L.: The Politics of Responsibility: A Theory of Program Planning Practice. In: Adult Education Quarterly 1994 (45), S. 249–268. Gieseke, Wiltrud (2008): Bedarfsorientierte Angebotsplanung in der Erwachsenenbildung. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann. Heuer, Ulrike (2010): Betriebliche Weiterbildungsentscheidungen: Aushandlungsprozesse und Bildungscontrolling. Fallstudienbericht. Bonn. Mills David P.; Cervero, Ronald M.; Langone, Christiane A.; Wilson Arthur L.: The Impact of Interests, Power Relationships and Organizational Structure On Program Planning Practice: A Case Study. Adult Education Quarterly 1995 46: 1. In: Adult Education Quarterly 1995 (46), S. 1–16. Robak, Steffi; Rippien, Horst (2014): Zentrale Ergebnisse der Teilstudie "Analyse der Modellierung des Programmplanungshandelns". Projekt "Wirkungen von Bildungsurlaub und Steuerungseffekten". Bremen, 06.02.2014. Schönfeld, Gudrun; Behringer, Friederike (2013): Betriebliche Weiterbildung in Deutschland im europäischen Vergleich. Ergebnisse der dritten europäischen Erhebung zur betrieblichen Weiterbildung (CVTS3). Unter Mitarbeit von B. Käpplinger. Hg. v. Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB). Bonn (Schriftenreihe des Bundesinstituts für Berufsbildung). Umble, Karl E.; Cervero, Ronald M.; Langone, Christiane A.: Negotiating About Power, Frame, and Continuing Education: a Case Study in Public Health. In: Adult Education Quarterly 2001 (51), S. 128–145.

Author Information

Tina Roebel (presenting / submitting)

Humboldt University of Berlin

KSBF, Erziehungswiss., Erwachsenenbildung

Berlin

Aiga von Hippel

Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany

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