Sitting on the Fence: Adapt or Import? - A study on Training Activities of Foreign Multinationals in Germany

Even though Germany has been an attractive location for foreign investors for many years and foreign subsidiaries in Germany create a significant number of jobs on an intermediate qualification level, whether and how these foreign companies act regarding training at their German locations is largely unknown. Therefore the paper asks the question how multinational companies, which are socialized in differing skill-formation systems, practice training in their subsidiaries in Germany, where the German dual apprenticeship system is predominant. The focus lies on multinational companies from France, Japan and the United States, as these countries are significant in terms of direct investments in Germany and as the selection follows a ‘most different design’ regarding their respective skill-formation system. Qualitative methods, i.e. expert interviews and a qualitative content analysis, were used in order to adequately reflect the explorative approach of the study. Using neo-institutionalist organisational theory, the study first examines how companies act in the area of training and recruiting on the intermediate skill level and second how they are influenced by the two different country environments. The differing training practices of foreign multinational companies in Germany are presented, and the influence of environmental conditions on adaptation towards local practices is discussed.