Work and Learning in Micro Car-Repair Enterprises. A
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 426 229 CE 077 862 AUTHOR van den Tillaart, Harry; van den Berg, Sjaak; Warmerdam, John TITLE Work and Learning in Micro Car-Repair Enterprises. A Comparative Study on the Relationship between Technological and Organisational Developments and Training Activities in Micro Car-Repair Enterprises in Four European Countries. Synthesis Report. CEDEFOP Panorama. INSTITUTION European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Thessaloniki (Greece). ISBN ISBN-92-824-1514-7 PUB DATE 1998-01-00 NOTE 122p.; For a related document, see CE 077 863. AVAILABLE FROM Bernan Associates, 4611-F Assembly Drive, Lanham, MD 20706-4391; Tel: 800-274-4447 (Toll Free); e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.bernan.com (catalogue no. HX-19-98-504-EN-C: free). PUB TYPE Reports Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Auto Mechanics; Case Studies; Comparative Analysis; Continuing Education; Economic Development; *Education Work Relationship; Educational Attainment; Educational Trends; Employee Attitudes; Employer Attitudes; Employer Employee Relationship; *Employment Practices; Entrepreneurship; *Foreign Countries; Informal Education; Job Training; Labor Market; Needs Assessment; Networks; Nonformal Education; Skill Development; *Small Businesses; Synthesis; Technological Advancement; Trade and Industrial Education; *Training Methods; Trend Analysis; Work Environment IDENTIFIERS *European Community; Greece; Ireland; *Microenterprises; Netherlands; Spain ABSTRACT Work and learning in microenterprises in the car repair industries of four European Community (EC) countries were examined through 21 case studies of firms with 10 or fewer employees (6 firms in Ireland and 5 each in Greece, the Netherlands, and Spain) .Structured interviews were conducted with each firm's owner and 60 motor vehicle mechanics at the 21 firms. Firms were not selected randomly; rather, they were selected because of their active use of training to adapt their staff to technological, economic, and organizational change. The sample included franchise and nonfranchise firms. All 21 microfirms studied were simultaneously pursuing growth strategies and the strategy of specialization in networks. Of the 60 mechanics interviewed, 43 had initial vocational education for the sector. Except for the apprentices, all 43 mechanics participated in continuing training during the previous 3 years. Of the 17 mechanics with no initial training for the sector, 10 (59%) had participated in continuing training and only 7(41%) reported learning a great deal from that training. Many employees developed skills through incidental learning (including learning by solving problems individually or with colleagues, learning by regular rotation of tasks, and learning under the boss or an experienced worker). (Contains 23 tables/figures) (MN) IU.. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Otli of Educational Research and Irnprovemen EDU ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIC CENTER (ERIC) 0his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organizatior originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCEAND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIALHAS BEEN GRANTED BY in micro TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER(ERIC) -- car-repojr- 77: enter.rises ' A comparative study on the relationship between technological and organisational developments and training activities in micro car-repair enterprises in four European countries Synthesis report Work and learning in micro car-repair enterprises A comparative study on the relationship between technological and organisational developments and training activities in micro car-repair enterprises in four European countries Synthesis report This report was prepared by: Harry van den Tillaart, Sjaak van den Berg, John Warmerdam January 1998 on behalf of CEDEFOP - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training Based upon case studies and reports developed by: Dominique Tuite, Tom Martin Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin Karsten Kruger CIREM Barcelona M. Thomadakis, N. Patsatzis Athens Sjaak van den Berg, Harry van den Tillaart ITS Nijmegen Edited by Tina Bertzeletou under the responsibility of Stavros Stavrou, Deputy Director - CEDEFOP Thessaloniki 1998 Published by: CEDEFOP - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training Marinou Antipa 12, GR-57001 Thessaloniki Postal address: PO Box 27 Finikas, GR-55102 Thessaloniki Tel. (30-31) 49 01 11 Fax (30-31) 49 01 02 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.cedefop.gr Interactive: http://www.trainingvillage.gr The Centre was established by Regulation (EEC) No 337/75 of the Council of the European Communities, last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 251/95 of 6 February 1995 and Council Regulation (EC) No 354/95 of 20 February 1995. A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1998 ISBN 92-824-1514-7 © European Communities, 1998 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Luxembourg Table of Contents Foreword Ill 1. Introduction 1 2. Case studies 11 2.0 Introduction 11 2.1 Component dealerships 14 Case 1: The Spanish Bosch and Lucas dealership: specialists in diesel pumps 16 Case 2: The Dutch Bosch dealership: 3 sections each run by specialists 18 Case 3: The Irish 'Lucas dealership': car-electrics specialists 20 2.2 Make dealerships 22 Cases 4 and 5: Two small dealerships of small-engined cars: workshop as after-sales instrument 24 Case 6: The PEUGEOT dealership: transition from independent to franchised firm 31 Case 7: The NISSAN dealership: from after-sales service to a profit centre 35 Case 8: The DAEWOO dealership: from low-tech to high-tech cars 38 2.3 Authorised workshops 42 Case 9: The KIA workshop: from independent to authorised workshop 44 Case 10: The authorised Peugeot workshop: transition from family firm to business 48 Case 11: The authorised ROVER workshop: becoming dependent on the car manufacturer 52 2.4 Non-franchised workshops with a strategic concept 56 Case 12: The ALFA ROMEO workshop: from authorised to independent 58 Case 13: The total mobility firm 61 Case 14: The independent total workshop service 65 2.5 Non-franchised workshops with some specialisation 67 Case 15: The CITROEN sub-dealership: continuing vocational training as survival strategy 69 Case 16: The IVECO workshop: focusing on mechanical repairs and learning by doing 73 Case 17: The OPEL diesel workshop: the entrepreneur as trainer 76 Case 18: Workshop specialising in Mitsubishi space wagons 79 2.6 Non-franchised workshops without specialisation 81 Case 19: More craftsman than entrepreneur 82 Case 20: More self-employed worker than entrepreneur 84 3. Results and conclusions 89 3.0 Introduction 89 3.1 Characteristics of the car repair sector in the four countries 90 Significance of micro enterprises in the European Union 90 Differences in motor vehicle density and in motor vehiclesper mechanic 91 Other important differences 92 3.2 Innovations, adaptation and transition processes in thecar repair sector 93 Innovations in the car repair sector 93 Consequences for workshops and mechanics 93 Adaptation and transition processes in micro car firms 94 Two main strategies: growth and/or specialization in networks 94 3.3 Initial and continuing vocational training 96 Relationship between initial and continuing training 96 Differences in the four countries 97 Training and specialization 97 3.4 Incidental learning 98 Variety of methods 99 Effectiveness 99 Relationship with initial vocational education 101 Learning by self-tuition and by coaching 102 3.5 Learning capacities of mechanics and learning opportunities of work situation 102 3.5.1 Strategy of manufacturers and importers 103 3.5.2 Strategies of non-franchised micro car repair workshops 103 Negative specialization: few prospects for skills development 103 Make-orientation to obtain (training) support 104 Customer-orientation instead of make-orientation 106 3.5.3 Strategies of franchised micro car repair firms 108 Manufacturers offer important support in training matters 108 Manufacturers exert influence on the organization of work as well 109 Manufacturers also limit the learning opportunities of mechanics 110 6 II Foreword The present report is the third synthesis to be published within Cedefop's project "Work and learning in micro-enterprises in various sectors". Three sectors have been analyzed, the Retail, the Car Repair and Printing sectors, all in the perspective of the organizational changes which occurred in those firms and their learning potential. We have chosen to focus on the micros because they are generally less studied. Micro firms are confronted with important ongoing changes as every other organisation at this end of the century, where internationalisation affects directly or indirectly all aspects of our life. But what makes them more interesting to analyse is their specific nature which is distinguished by the role of the owner and his/her constant passage from entrepreneurial to managerial tasks, as they mingle, the micros not having distinctive departments or people to deal with either. This does not mean that we limit ourselves to the owners and their roleinthe development