ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the fundamental analysis: what is the justification for the claim that the changing corporate environment has created new opportunities for the training profession. It shows how the development of people could become the new source of competitive advantage. The chapter focuses closely at the underlying business and organizational trends that have given rise to this possibility. It examines the perspectives offered by some influential commentators. The chapter summarizes the major issues and questions facing the profession and individual training managers. However, current thinking on competitive strategy has given the phrase a new credibility. A new competitive model is emerging, in which training has a significant role to play. This new competitive model is central to the promotion of training nationally as an examination of Government policy statements demonstrates. In 1994 the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) together with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) published Competitiveness – How the Best UK Companies are Winning.
