The major part of training in the case study companies is in-house and often on-the-job. Our research confirms the findings of other recent studies that very few companies actively plan, budget, monitor or assess their training effort. Thus decisions about training are typically ad hoc and in response to specific skills gaps. Those making the decisions are unlikely to have had specific training themselves on how to identify, analyse and plan for training needs. This tends to reinforce a narrow and operational conception of the value of, and necessity for, training.