Undertaking comparative VET research in international teams: The example of exploring recruitment and training cultures in SMEs in Germany, Australia and the United States

Abstract

In recent years, international comparative vocational education and training (VET) research has increasingly been characterised by joint cooperation of international research teams. Inherent in this process there are two main challenges. First, team members from different countries need to coordinate with and calibrate each other. Second, the research subject is not limited to only one country but is framed by the respective structures, processes and history, as well as socio-cultural and economic characteristics, of the different countries involved. Accordingly, this paper focuses on these distinct aspects of comparative research and illustrates how such challenges were addressed in a small-scale, international project in the field of VET. The project researched the recruitment and training activities of small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany, Australia and the United States. Researchers from these countries generated findings in the craft and service sectors, specifically concentrating on automotive technicians and hotel front-desk staff. Using a qualitative research approach, five interviews per country and per occupation were conducted with human resource managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), resulting in 30 in-depth interviews. Not only were the major challenges and corresponding countermeasures identified, but working within an international team was found to be beneficial for significant areas of the research process.