Employer approaches to work-based training were identified in a survey of 106 private sector companies based in Scotland in 1989. The survey data were analyzed in relation to the following: Britain's economic weakness, the industrial relations and educational reforms developed by the state as a response to the weak economy, existing labor force policy, training policies and practices in other countries, training provision in Britain overall, training and the personnel function, and training in practice. The study uncovered little evidence of "revolutionary" change in the employer-provided training practices and policies since the 1980s, during which most employment and training practices and policies in Britain were market driven. Per-employee training expenditures still remained relatively low, respectively, and there were few signs that government-sponsored programs for young trainees and long-term unemployed adults were being included as part of any strategic human resource planning system. The study findings were used to demonstrate the shortcomings of a market-based approach to solving Britain's deep-seated economic weaknesses. An alternative strategy calling for government coordination of a more substantial training and vocational education framework was presented. (Contains 22 tables, 2 figures, and 201 references.) (MN)