Page 63 - IMDR - Journal of Management Development and Research - March2019-20

A Study on Upskilling in SMEs: Growth, Challenges and Way

Forward

Ms. Priyanka Lenka

Abstract

India’s metamorphing socio-politico-economic landscape, coupled with
globalization and the ever-evolving educational ecosystem, has brought along new

challenges as well as growth opportunities for the small & medium enterprises, esp.
in the field of human resource skill enhancement.

The objective of this paper is to critically examine and dissect our understanding of

EMPLOYEE UPSKILLING in the context of SMEs in India – the definitions,
history, assumptions, underlying beliefs & value systems driving the

employees/employers, explicit and implicit issues and roadblocks (including a
strong resistance to change), and most importantly, potential solutions for the

identified problem statements, when it comes to upskilling the workforce.
This paper uses standard academic and business management models/concepts to co-

relate and explain the phenomena of employee upskilling in SMEs, for the ease of

understanding of the readers. Some of the quantitative as well as qualitative data
used in the paper has been cited from authoritative third-party sources including

People Matters, Economic Times, etc. (references have been cited in the paper).

The intended readers of this research paper include a) SME owners - who can opt
for alternative solutions of upskilling, HR professionals- who can understand the

underneath belief and values of an employee or employer when it comes to
upskilling, Employees of SME- who may wish to utilize the paper for acquiring

skills which will be in high demand in near future and Students- who may gather
different perspective to look at jobs created by SME market Vis-a- vis importance of

upskilling.

Research Methodology

This paper is based on quantitative and qualitative secondary data collected from

different sources including MIS (management information system) reports
generated by the implementing agencies and host ministries of the respective Skill

development missions. Data sources for tables and figures are mentioned in the
appropriate sections of this paper.

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