Investing in human capital : Poland"s transition to a market economy

This report describes management training needs of three key clusters of private enterprises -- small- and medium- scale enterprises, the banking/finance sector, and the housing and agribusiness sectors -- and the capacity of training institutions and business support organizations to meet these needs. Institutions assessed include universities and other institutes of higher education, specialized and Western-oriented training institutions, local management training institutions, and business associations. Major findings are as follows. (1) Small- and medium-scale enterprises are the heart of Poland"s private sector and consist of two different clusters: traditional entrepreneurs, who desire only practical, not formal, training; and "new-style" entrepreneurs, who have much interest in developing advanced business skills. (2) The banking and finance sector has enormous technical assistance and training needs, ranging from office operations to the establishment of a modern capital market. What is most important to the private sector is that banks have the capacity to provide timely credit and carry out normal depository and clearing transactions rapidly. (2) The housing and agribusiness sectors operate with 30-40 year-old technology and equipment, have little access to information, and lack necessary business skills in such fields as management, marketing, and finance. (4) Many training and business support organizations are brand new, and those which previously existed must reorient their curricula, pedagogy, and faculty to meet the demands of a market, rather than a command, economy. Recommendations lay out a strategy to address the above-noted needs in the short, medium, and long term, with particular emphasis on immediate needs.