IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/3026.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Formal Employee Training Programs and Their Impact on Labor Produc- tivity: Evidence from a Human Resources Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Ann P. Bartel

Abstract

Although economic models of training decisions are framed in terms of a company's calculation of the costs and benefits of such training, empirical work has never been able to test this model directly on company behavior. This paper utilizes a unique database to analyze the determinants of the variation in formal training across businesses and the impact of such training on labor productivity. Major findings are that large businesses, those introducing new technology end those who rely on internal promotions to fill vacancies are more likely to have formal training programs. Formal training is found to have a positive effect on labor productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann P. Bartel, 1989. "Formal Employee Training Programs and Their Impact on Labor Produc- tivity: Evidence from a Human Resources Survey," NBER Working Papers 3026, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:3026
    Note: LS
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w3026.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James N. Brown, 1983. "Are Those Paid More Really No More Productive? Measuring the Relative Importance of Tenure Versus On-The-Job Training in Explaining Wage Growth," Working Papers 549, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    2. Lisa M. Lynch, 1989. "Private Sector Training and its Impact on the Earnings of Young Workers," NBER Working Papers 2872, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Michael A. Hitt & R. Duane Ireland, 1986. "Relationships Among Corporate Level Distinctive Competencies, Diversification Strategy, Corporate Structure And Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(4), pages 401-416, July.
    4. James N. Brown, 1983. "Are Those Paid More Really No More Productive? Measuring the Relative Importance of Tenure Versus On-The-Job Training in Explaining Wage Growth," Working Papers 549, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    5. Bartel, Ann P & Lichtenberg, Frank R, 1987. "The Comparative Advantage of Educated Workers in Implementing New Technology," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 69(1), pages 1-11, February.
    6. Barron, John M & Black, Dan A & Loewenstein, Mark A, 1987. "Employer Size: The Implications for Search, Training, Capital Investment, Starting Wages, and Wage Growth," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(1), pages 76-89, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Feng, Shuaizhang, 2009. "Return to Training and Establishment Size: A Reexamination of the Size-Wage Puzzle," IZA Discussion Papers 4143, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Peter Berg, 1994. "Strategic Adjustments in Training: A Comparative Analysis of the U.S. and German Automobile Industries," NBER Chapters, in: Training and the Private Sector: International Comparisons, pages 77-108, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Michael Waldman, 1988. "Interpreting Evidence on Returns to Tenure: The Significance of Quasi-Specific Human Capital," UCLA Economics Working Papers 479, UCLA Department of Economics.
    4. repec:eee:labchp:v:2:y:1986:i:c:p:789-848 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Hugo Castro-Silva & Francisco Lima, 2023. "The struggle of small firms to retain high-skill workers: job duration and the importance of knowledge intensity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 537-572, February.
    6. Joseph G. Altonji & Robert A. Shakotko, 1987. "Do Wages Rise with Job Seniority?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 54(3), pages 437-459.
    7. repec:cte:werepe:2806 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Feng, Shuaizhang & Zheng, Bingyong, 2010. "Imperfect Information, On-the-Job Training, and the Employer Size-Wage Puzzle: Theory and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 4998, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Blázquez, Maite & Ramos, Jose, 2008. "Recent Investments in Human Capital and its Effect on the Chances of Escaping from Low-Paid Jobs: The Spanish Case," Working Papers in Economic Theory 2008/03, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Department of Economic Analysis (Economic Theory and Economic History).
    10. Harry J. Holzer, 1988. "The Determinants of Employee Productivity and Earnings: Some New Evidence," NBER Working Papers 2782, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Yanick Labrie & Claude Montmarquette, 2005. "La formation qualifiante et transférable en milieu de travail," CIRANO Project Reports 2005rp-04, CIRANO.
    12. Benoit Dostie & Pierre Thomas Léger, 2014. "Firm-Sponsored Classroom Training: Is It Worth It for Older Workers?," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 40(4), pages 377-390, December.
    13. Diégo Legros & Fabrice Galia, 2012. "Are innovation and R&D the only sources of firms’ knowledge that increase productivity? An empirical investigation of French manufacturing firms," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 167-181, October.
    14. Leora Friedberg, 2003. "The Impact of Technological Change on Older Workers: Evidence from Data on Computer Use," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 56(3), pages 511-529, April.
    15. Laetitia Comminges & Arnak Dalalyan, 2012. "Minimax Testing of a Composite null Hypothesis Defined via a Quadratic Functional in the Model of regression," Working Papers 2012-19, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    16. Tavassoli, Sam, 2015. "Innovation determinants over industry life cycle," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 18-32.
    17. Teixeira, Aurora A.C. & Tavares-Lehmann, Ana Teresa, 2014. "Human capital intensity in technology-based firms located in Portugal: Does foreign ownership matter?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 737-748.
    18. Morrison Paul, Catherine J. & Siegel, Donald, 1997. "Automation Or Openness?: Technology And Trade Impacts On Costs And Labor Composition In The Food System," Strategy and Policy in the Food System: Emerging Issues, June 20-21, 1996, Washington, D.C. 25940, Regional Research Project NE-165 Private Strategies, Public Policies, and Food System Performance.
    19. Karnit Flug & Zvi Hercowitz, 2000. "Equipment Investment and the Relative Demand for Skilled Labor: International Evidence," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 3(3), pages 461-485, July.
    20. Thushyanthan Baskaran & Zohal Hessami, 2012. "Public education spending in a globalized world:," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(5), pages 677-707, October.
    21. Mandy Mok Kim Man, 2009. "The Relationship between Distinctive Capabilities, Strategy Types, Environment and the Export Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Malaysian Manufacturing Sector," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 4(3), pages 205-223.
    22. Nurmilaakso, Juha-Miikka, 2008. "Adoption of e-business functions and migration from EDI-based to XML-based e-business frameworks in supply chain integration," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 721-733, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:3026. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.