International Perspectives on Competence Development: Developing Skills and Capabilities

Citation

Harvey, B. (2010), "International Perspectives on Competence Development: Developing Skills and Capabilities", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 89-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090591011010343

Book synopsis

This is a book about the concept of competence, interpreted here as both ability and potential, as well as how different perspectives of competences are applied in a variety of contexts. A total of 14 authors from 12 countries spanning each of the world's continents have contributed to this discussion. This comprehensive review emphasises the problematic and contextual nature of competence development.

The text is structured in four sections. The first section (Chapters 1‐3) offers three author's perspectives which serve as an introduction to themes explored in more depth by other contributors in the remaining sections. The issues examined in the first section include the “global talent gap” and the increasing demand for global competences to fill this space; the slipperiness of the term “competence” and the need to be clear as to the interpretation being employed when used in practice; the necessity of a critical perspective that rejects individualism and embraces competence development for the good of all; finally, a thorough treatment of the concepts, strategies and effects of competence development in the workplace. Elements of each of these themes are further explored in the remainder of the text.

The second section (Chapters 4‐7) grapples with how competences and their development fit with conceptions of knowledge, practice and learning. The authors offer a variety of perspectives: Han and Beckett in their individual chapters argue that competence can be seen as a commodity, affecting school curricula and closely linked to the demands of the economic environment. For his part, Illeris posits that competence development needs to be nurtured from “bottom‐up” rather than imposed through “top down” programmes, so engagement and participation is encouraged, focused on one's own practice and learning in particular, changing, contexts. In essence, this section looks at the importance of the person in competence development and what it means to learn.

The third section (Chapters 8‐11) presents the reader with four particular contexts where competence development has been introduced. These include the Danish public sector, a comparative analysis of initiatives in Canada and Norway, competences and employer engagement from a UK perspective, as well as a study of development of Italian small business female entrepreneurs.

The fourth section (Chapters 12‐15) attempts to portray the close links between competence and national economic strategy. Here, the Chinese, South African and Thai socio‐economic contexts serve as the backcloth for a fascinating discussion of how, through economic shifts, competences emerge to serve the needs of changing labour market places.

Evaluation

The text is a valuable addition to the much‐needed discussion of competences and the means to develop them. Its strengths lie in its ability to provide scope across a number of continents, whilst at the same time, to varying degrees, enabling the reader to be immersed within the particular context of that country and explore the background and execution of competence development. Only occasionally, and Peter Jarvis' chapter in the second section is a good example, does the commodification of human ability come to the fore as a critical view to counter the instrumentalism of serving particular economic interests.

The book would have been well served by a concluding chapter that could have drawn out the emerging themes from the wide range of contributors and linked these more closely to the intent of the editor, as set out in the introduction. This book will be of particular interest to researchers and practitioners of adult and workplace learning, especially if they are seeking a cross‐cultural and global perspective. In this sense, the text encourages the reader to explore the importance of shifting context and the difficulties of determining “what is learnt” and “for whom”.

In the author's own words

The multitude of meanings of the concept of competences, has taken, and is still taking, a long time to discuss. Competence is still a disputed concept. Overcoming its ambiguity is both a theoretical and a practical issue. Finally many other concepts are ambiguous, for example; the concepts of culture, democracy, citizenship, self governance, justice, and so forth. Many concepts have different meanings depending on their context and the authors who defend them The abundance of definitions for these concepts does not stop us from considering them an essential part of our lives. We give them the practical context that our principles, social values and policies grant them (p. 21, italics in original).

About the reviewer

Brendon Harvey is an Action Researcher, Consultant, Qualified Counsellor and University Lecturer. He has his own consultancy, Aspects Associates, which specialises in research and organisational development for both the public and private sectors. A key feature of his work with clients is encouraging critically reflective practice, enabling involvement and facilitating action learning.