Amazon’s US$700mil training pledge is actually a bargain

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2017, file photo, a clerk reaches to a shelf to pick an item for a customer order at the Amazon Prime warehouse, in New York. Amazon says it is boosting the price of its monthly Prime membership fees for new and existing members by nearly 20 percent. The online retailer says its annual membership fee of $99 will not change. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Amazon.com Inc is amazing at turning mundane corporate management decisions into global news events. 

Many retailers host annual sale events. But Amazon “celebrates” Prime Day. Many chief executives write notes to their shareholders. But Jeff Bezos pens annual letters with “lessons” and “principle themes” and “important words” to behold. Many companies open satellite offices. Amazon “launched” HQ2 with a continent-wide pitch contest. And many companies train their employees. On July 11, Amazon announced how much it’s spending on workplace training over the next six years: more than US$700mil (RM2.87bil).