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Learning to Manage and Managing to Learn: The Effects of Student Leadership Service

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  • Anderson, Michael L
  • Lu, Fangwen

Abstract

Employers and colleges value individuals with leadership service, but there is limited evidence on whether leadership service itself creates skills. Identification in this context has proved di cult because settings in which leadership service accrues to individuals for ostensibly random reasons are rare. In this study we estimate the e ects of random assignment to classroom leadership positions in a Chinese secondary school. We find that leadership service increases test scores, increases students’ political popularity in the classroom, makes students more likely to take initiative, and shapes students’ beliefs about the determinants of success. The results suggest that leadership service may impact human capital and is not solely a signal of preexisting skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Anderson, Michael L & Lu, Fangwen, 2017. "Learning to Manage and Managing to Learn: The Effects of Student Leadership Service," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt2562p16k, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
  • Handle: RePEc:cdl:agrebk:qt2562p16k
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    Cited by:

    1. Deng, Weiguang & Li, Xue & Wu, Huayun & Xu, Guozheng, 2020. "Student leadership and academic performance," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    2. Cai, Guowei & Deng, Weiguang & Li, Xue, 2023. "Student leadership experience and job accessibility: An experiment from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Chemin, Matthieu, 2021. "Does appointing team leaders and shaping leadership styles increase effort? Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 12-32.

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