Organizations achieve competitive advantage through the use of the skills and knowledge of their employees (Bach and Sisson 2000). According to Subedi (2006:90), the highest value for training as perceived by managers, supervisors and employees was the “need to improve performance”. If this is true, why are organizations and individuals still not investing in training? Studies show that despite the recognition that training provides a pathway for skills development, improved productivity and increased individual and organizational performance (Pride et al 2009; Bulut and Culha 2010), it remains quite rare in practice (Lengermann 1996). While some organizations invest in training, others find it more practical to poach employees, subcontract, or temporarily hire less skilled workers (Bach and Sisson, 2000). Cost, fear of poaching, poorly designed training programs, inability to determine economic returns and measure the effectiveness of training programs. training is recognized as one of the reasons why organizations and individuals do not invest in training (Bach and Sisson 2000; Lloyd 2002; Jameson 2000; Van den Bossche et al 2010). On the other hand, while individuals may acquire new skills in order to be better positioned in the labor market (Grugulis 2006), organizations invest in training to gain control also known as monopsony power (Booth and Zoega 2000), obtain a competitive advantage (Bach and Sisson 2000) and to obtain employee commitment (Bulut and Culha 2010). This essay examines the benefits of training and development and possible reasons why organizations and individuals are hesitant to invest in training. It also examines the two main training approaches commonly practiced in relation to how they influence... middle of article....../www.traintogain.gov.uk/Helping_Your_Business/ttgincontext/ (accessed 9 November .2010).U.S. Department of Labor (2009). Occupational Outlook Handbook 2009: An Up to Date Guide to Today's Job Market, New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 60-65.UKCES: UK Commission for Employment and Skills (2010). National Employer Skills Survey for England 2010: Report on key findings. http://www.ukces.org.uk/upload/pdf/NESS%20Key%20findings%202009_2.pdf (accessed November 12, 2010). Van den Bossche, P., Segers, M. and Jansen, N., (2010). “Transfer of training: the role of feedback in social support networks” International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 81-94. Wickramasinghe, VM (2006) “Training objectives, transfer, validation and evaluation: a Sri Lankan study”. The International Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 10, no. 3, p.p... 227-247.