IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/ifhwps/309420.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Task allocation and innovation: Revisiting the role of vocational education and training in manufacturing firms

Author

Listed:
  • Matthies, Eike
  • Thomä, Jörg

Abstract

This paper examines the individual innovation contributions of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce compared to university graduates such as scientists and engineers. For this purpose, individual-level data from the German manufacturing sector are used, distinguishing between persons with initial and higher VET qualifications. The empirical results on various input and output indicators show that the VET workforce is not only involved in the implementation phase of the firm's innovation process, but also makes a relevant contribution to the invention phase. Moreover, the empirical evidence suggests a certain division of labour between VET employees and university graduates, which is more likely to occur in large firms due to their higher degree of functional specialisation and task differentiation among employees. There is also some evidence to support the hypothesis that employees with higher VET qualifications, such as master craftsmen or technicians, act as 'boundary spanners' throughout the innovation process, ensuring that effective interactive learning can take place between VET employees from the shop floor and academically trained R&D personnel, so that the benefits of educational workforce diversity can be realised. The paper concludes with implications for policy, management and further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthies, Eike & Thomä, Jörg, 2025. "Task allocation and innovation: Revisiting the role of vocational education and training in manufacturing firms," ifh Working Papers 47/2025, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifhwps:309420
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/309420/1/1915781949.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jensen, Morten Berg & Johnson, Bjorn & Lorenz, Edward & Lundvall, Bengt Ake, 2007. "Forms of knowledge and modes of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 680-693, June.
    2. Petra Andries & Dirk Czarnitzki, 2014. "Small firm innovation performance and employee involvement," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 21-38, June.
    3. Zoltan J. Acs & David B. Audretsch, 2008. "Innovation in Large and Small Firms: An Empirical Analysis," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 1, pages 3-15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Leiponen, Aija, 2005. "Skills and innovation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 23(5-6), pages 303-323, June.
    5. Eneka Albizu & Mikel Olazaran & Cristina Lavía & Beatriz Otero, 2017. "Making visible the role of vocational education and training in firm innovation: evidence from Spanish SMEs," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(11), pages 2057-2075, November.
    6. Henrik Brynthe Lund & Asbjørn Karlsen, 2020. "The importance of vocational education institutions in manufacturing regions: adding content to a broad definition of regional innovation systems," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(6), pages 660-679, June.
    7. Backes-Gellner Uschi & Lehnert Patrick, 2023. "Berufliche Bildung als Innovationstreiber: Ein lange vernachlässigtes Forschungsfeld," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 24(1), pages 85-97, April.
    8. David Finegold & Karin Wagner, 1998. "The Search for Flexibility: Skills and Workplace Innovation in the German Pump Industry," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 469-487, September.
    9. A. J. McMurray & N. Muenjohn & D. Scott, 2023. "Measuring workplace innovation: Scale development," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(4), pages 1563-1582, July.
    10. Thomas Bolli & Ursula Renold & Martin Wörter, 2018. "Vertical educational diversity and innovation performance," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 107-131, February.
    11. Harm Alhusen & Tatjana Bennat, 2021. "Combinatorial innovation modes in SMEs: mechanisms integrating STI processes into DUI mode learning and the role of regional innovation policy," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(4), pages 779-805, April.
    12. Izabelle Bäckström & Lars Bengtsson, 2019. "A mapping study of employee innovation: proposing a research agenda," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(3), pages 468-492, January.
    13. Weidner, Nadia & Som, Oliver & Horvat, Djerdj, 2023. "An integrated conceptual framework for analysing heterogeneous configurations of absorptive capacity in manufacturing firms with the DUI innovation mode," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    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. Radicic, Dragana & Petković, Saša, 2023. "Impact of digitalization on technological innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    2. Backes-Gellner Uschi & Lehnert Patrick, 2023. "Berufliche Bildung als Innovationstreiber: Ein lange vernachlässigtes Forschungsfeld," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 24(1), pages 85-97, April.
    3. Nanditha Mathew & George Paily, 2022. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 435-458, April.
    4. Joern H. Block & Christian O. Fisch & Mirjam van Praag, 2017. "The Schumpeterian entrepreneur: a review of the empirical evidence on the antecedents, behaviour and consequences of innovative entrepreneurship," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 61-95, January.
    5. James Love & Stephen Roper, 2009. "Organizing the Innovation Process: Complementarities in Innovation Networking," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 273-290.
    6. Ramadani, Veland & Hisrich, Robert D. & Abazi-Alili, Hyrije & Dana, Léo-Paul & Panthi, Laxman & Abazi-Bexheti, Lejla, 2019. "Product innovation and firm performance in transition economies: A multi-stage estimation approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 271-280.
    7. Mathew, Nanditha & Paily, George, 2020. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," MERIT Working Papers 2020-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Gabriele Pellegrino, 2015. "Barriers to innovation: can firm age help lower them?," Working Papers 2015/3, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    9. Gabriele Pellegrino, 2018. "Barriers to innovation in young and mature firms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 181-206, January.
    10. Marco Capasso & Tania Treibich & Bart Verspagen, 2015. "The medium-term effect of R&D on firm growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 39-62, June.
    11. Nuno Campos Pereira & Nuno Araújo & Leonardo Costa, 2016. "A counting multidimensional innovation index for SMEs," Working Papers de Economia (Economics Working Papers) 01, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
    12. Susan Helper & Jennifer Kuan, 2018. "What Goes On under the Hood? How Engineers Innovate in the Automotive Supply Chain," NBER Chapters, in: US Engineering in a Global Economy, pages 193-214, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Jen Nelles & Kevin Walsh & Michalis Papazoglou, 2022. "FECs, innovation, and skills: A literature review," Insight Papers 012, The Productivity Institute.
    14. Ceren Ozgen & Peter Nijkamp & Jacques Poot, 2013. "Measuring Cultural Diversity and its Impact on Innovation: Longitudinal Evidence from Dutch firms," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2013003, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
    15. Reher, Leonie & Runst, Petrik & Thomä, Jörg, 2024. "Personality and regional innovativeness: An empirical analysis of German patent data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
    16. Matthies, Eike & Thomä, Jörg & Bizer, Kilian, 2022. "A hidden source of innovation? Revisiting the impact of initial vocational training on technological innovation," ifh Working Papers 33/2022, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh), revised 2022.
    17. Christian Rupietta & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2019. "How firms’ participation in apprenticeship training fosters knowledge diffusion and innovation," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 89(5), pages 569-597, July.
    18. Jose Garcia-Quevedo & Francisco Mas-Verdu & Jose Polo-Otero, 2011. "R&D human resources in firms: What determines the educational level required?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(16), pages 1537-1540.
    19. Prokop, Viktor & Hajek, Petr & Stejskal, Jan, 2021. "Configuration Paths to Efficient National Innovation Ecosystems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    20. Consoli, Davide & Rentocchini, Francesco, 2015. "A taxonomy of multi-industry labour force skills," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 1116-1132.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Vocational education and training (VET); Skills; Diversity; Firm size;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

    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:zbw:ifhwps:309420. 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: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ifgoede.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.