International briefing 36: training and development in Ecuador

This article examines educational policies in Ecuador. It outlines the main features of the education and training systems, and analyses the impact on productivity and national development. The efforts made by various national authorities to strengthen and encourage education at all levels is evident, as well as efforts to boost productivity by changing the productive mix. In conclusion, much effort has been made to move from an economy of finite resources based on the exploitation of natural resources, to an economy of infinite resources focused on generating knowledge.     

新建地方应用型本科院校能力本位教育及实施对策

能力本位教育的实质是一种以胜任职业岗位要求为出发点的教学体系。新建地方应用型本科院校能力本位教育是人才培养的应用性定位、服务地方经济建设使命、"中间阶层"向"中坚阶层"的转变、市场经济以及社会主义的本质要求的需要。新建地方应用型本科院校应从厘清专业核心能力、构建能力本位课程体系、优化实践教学体系、提升校园文化活动等方面实施能力本位教育。     

The role of education and training in enhancing labour productivity in Arab countries in Africa

Labour productivity in Arab countries is low by international standards and this problem occurs in Arab countries both inside and outside Africa. There are 10 Arab countries in Africa: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Comoros. Enhancing labour productivity is a major challenge for Arab countries. Improving labour productivity should increase competitiveness, economic growth, job availability and living standards. Key factors in low Arab labour productivity include weak education and training systems, a mismatch between training outputs and labour market demands, lack of technology and innovation and poor management of the workforce. This article seeks to put forward innovative education and training policies which can enhance labour productivity. It does so after examining Arab education and training systems and their links with industry. It is concluded that modern governance arrangements need to be applied in Arab universities. Universities need to be re‐envisioned so that curricula are market‐driven and bridge the gap between education supply and market demand. Entrepreneurial teaching and learning practices need to be emphasized and improved technical and vocational training should be a priority. The Arab countries also have to adopt responsive and practical strategies for research and development and link the research and development institutes to industry.     

The contribution of vocational training to employment,job‐related skills and productivity: evidence from Madeira

In this paper, we analyse the transition to the labor market of participants in vocational training in Madeira in Portugal. The analysis is in two stages. First, we investigate how the employment status at different dates (1 month, 1 year, and 2 years after the completion of the training program) depends on relevant variables, such as age, gender, education and the content and duration of the training. Second, we use individuals' self‐assessment of the effectiveness of the training program along three dimensions: employment, job‐related skills and productivity. The respondents score training activities high on every dimension. Moreover, we find that training is more effective among the educated, indicating that vocational training is far from being remedial. We also find that long training programs and training related to tourism are particularly effective.     

The psychology of behaviorally-focused résumés on applicant selection: Are your hiring managers really hiring the ‘right’ people for the ‘right’ jobs?

This article examines the explosive growth of competency-based, or behavioral, selection programs within organizations. Recognizing this trend, many job applicants have learned to position themselves for selection by leveraging competency-based selection program concepts and psychological factors that influence résumé screening processes and interview decision outcomes. Specifically, there is a growing trend for job applicants to submit behaviorally-focused résumés—that is, résumés which emphasize behaviors required for success in positions—to gain interviews for job opportunities. These behaviorally-focused résumés may position applicants as the ‘right’ candidates for job opportunities, even if they are not truly the ‘right’ candidates for the jobs they seek. As such, it benefits employers to familiarize their hiring professionals with behaviorally-based résumés and competency program theories. Understanding these concepts and the psychology of behaviorally-focused résumés helps hiring professionals evaluate behaviorally-focused résumés more accurately, and minimizes résumé prescreening and selection mistakes.     

The Relationship of Leadership Style and CEO Values to Ethical Practices in Organizations

This study analyzes the relationship between CEO values, leadership style and ethical practices in organizations. The ethical practices of formal statement of ethics and diversity training are included in the study, as well as four categories of values based on Rokeach's (1973) typology including personal, social, competency-based and morality-based. Results indicate that all four types of values are positively and significantly related to transformational leadership, with transactional leadership positively related to morality-based and personal values, and laissez-faire leadership negatively related to competency-based values. When size of company and values are controlled, transformational leadership explains a significant amount of change in formal statement of ethics, and transactional leadership explains a significant amount of change in diversity training.     

Company training in the United States 1970–2000: what have been the trends over time?

This study uses data from surveys of U.S. employees to determine whether any trends are apparent in the proportion who say they receive some form of training at work. Discussions of economic change in the U.S. and elsewhere have frequently asserted that work has become more intellectually demanding. This implies that training in workplaces should have become more prevalent. However, the survey data do not reveal any overall trend in the prevalence of workplace training between 1970 and 2000. There did appear to be a rising trend for women, evidently reflecting women's increased representation in professional and managerial occupations. Throughout this period, more highly educated workers are more likely to say they receive training at work.     

Vocational education and training – an engine for economic growth and a vehicle for social inclusion?

Vocational education and training (VET) has in recent years enjoyed a revival for two major reasons. Firstly, it is regarded as a suitable means of promoting economic growth. Secondly, it is seen as a potentially powerful tool for fostering social inclusion. In this review, these assumed effects are critically examined on the basis of the vastly expanding literature in the field. Evidence of the productivity‐enhancing effects of VET at company level is quite solid, but evidence of the effect on overall economic growth is far from conclusive. The effects on social inclusion are uncertain because reform of VET systems has not been sufficient and because it has proved difficult to bring about the necessary institutional change. The review identifies policy implications and makes some suggestions for future research.     

Rethinking the UK System of Doctoral Training in Marketing

There have been considerable changes in the system of doctoral education and training in the UK over the last decade. Despite the introduction of a range of ESRC initiatives, the UK marketing academy has been slow to actively debate this aspect of marketing education. This approach is different from that in the US where doctoral training practices in marketing have been widely debated by the AMA. The paper aims to fill this gap by critically assessing the UK system of doctoral training in marketing. The article begins with a brief overview of the historical development of postgraduate education and training in the UK in order to contextualise the subsequent discussion. Some of the most influential reports and policy documents over the last 40 years will be assessed, specifically in relation to how they have shaped, and continue to shape, ESRC policy and postgraduate education more generally in the UK. A critical evaluation of the existing research guidelines in marketing is undertaken and the need for more specific guidelines and a more wide-ranging and inclusive approach to the syllabus than is currently offered in many UK universities is proposed. The paper also explores the importance of staff expertise and critical mass in the context of delivering cost-effective, specialised provision. The article concludes by proposing new structures that marketing departments may wish to consider in delivering research training through the use of coalitions and the use of up-to-date developments in information technology.     

Bildungsinvestitionen – wirksames Heilmittel gegen soziale Ungleich heit?

Despite the educational expansion since the 1960s and the rise of the average education level, there has been no significant decrease in education inequality or in its persistence across generations during the past decades in Germany. This depressing realisation is not held by all authors; some others identify positive developments in education. The explanation for underinvestment in people is that these investments generate only long-run returns. In order to reduce social inequalities, further investments in education are necessary. These investments should be target oriented and focus on reducing inequalities in the use of early education and care institutions, as well as on increasing the quality of these institutions. Individuals with lower education levels should be especially targeted to participate in further training, because higher formal qualifications will both insulate them from labour market risks and generate a more favourable social environment for their children. Furthermore, there should be more investments into education at the regional level. Large imbalances in regional participation in further education and training highlight the lack of local universities to act as a local push factor. Fast internet access in rural areas and “freeing” time resources through sabbaticals could improve participation in lifelong learning.     

The Global Productivity Slowdown: Diagnosis,Causes and Remedies

This paper addresses the long-term slowdown in labour productivity for a panel of 25 countries. First, we look at productivity shifts and trends based on structural break tests and modern filtering techniques. The productivity slowdown is evident in almost all countries we investigate. Second, we deepen the analysis by decomposing labour productivity growth. Third, we use dynamic models to test for Granger causality in the trends and find that there is strong evidence that a slow GDP growth trend causes the subsequent productivity trend. We conclude that the productivity slowdown is a global phenomenon and should therefore be tackled at the international level.     

复合型创新商业人才的内涵分析

面对知识经济的挑战和经济全球化的趋势 ,中国的高等商科教育需要进行改革 ,以适应经济全球化、信息化的趋势 ,确保中国经济在 2 1世纪的竞争力。我国商科高校肩负着商业人才培养的重任 ,对商业人才的内涵进行深入的分析 ,提高商业人才的素质 ,关系到商科教育的培养目标及商业人才的知识结构和能力结构的确定 ,对我国高等商科教育教学改革 ,具有重要意义     

International briefing 12: Training and development in Norway

In Norway, the system of initial education is distinguished by public regulation, provision and financing, whereas the system of vocational training, and adult learning until recently has been deregulated, and dominated by private providers and employer financing. During the last decade comprehensive reforms of vocational and adult education and training have aimed at expanding public involvement and increasing participation in learning. Some major challenges persist, however, in terms of developing an all–inclusive system of lifelong education, training and learning.     

Export Market Participation,Investments in R&D and Worker Training,and the Evolution of Firm Productivity

This paper uses micro panel data for firms in the Taiwanese electronics industry in 1986, 1991 and 1996 to investigate a firm's decision to invest in two sources of knowledge – participation in the export market and investments in R&D and/or worker training – and assess their effect on the firm's future productivity. The firm's decisions to export and invest in R&D and/or worker training are modelled with a bivariate probit model that recognises the interdependence of the decisions. The effect of these investments on the firm's future productivity trajectory is then modelled while controlling for the selection bias introduced by endo‐genous firm exit. The findings indicate a significant interaction effect between exporting and R&D investments and future productivity, after controlling for size, age and current productivity. Firms that undertake both investment activities have significantly higher future productivity than firms that do one or neither. In addition, these firms are more likely to continue investing in these activities leading to further productivity gains. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that export experience is an important source of productivity growth for Taiwanese firms and that firm investments in R&D and worker training facilitate their ability to benefit from their exposure to the export market.     

Turbulence underneath the big calm? The micro-evidence behind Italian productivity dynamics

Italy ranked last in terms of manufacturing productivity growth according to OECD estimates over the last decade, with a flat, if not declining, trend. In this work we investigate the underlying firm-level dynamics of enterprises on the basis of a database developed by the Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) covering the period 1989?C2004 and containing information on more than 100,000 firms. Over this period not only have the indicators of the central tendency of the distribution of labor productivity not significantly changed, but also the whole sectoral distributions have remained relatively stable over time, with their support at least not shrinking, or even possibly widening, over time. This is even more surprising if one takes into consideration the ??Euro?? shock that occurred during the period investigated. On the contrary, we observe that inter-decile differences in productivity have been increasing. Further, heterogeneous firms?? characteristics (i.e. export activity and innovation) seem to have contributed to boosting such intra-industry differences. Given such wide heterogeneities we resort to quantile regressions to identify the impact of a set of regressors at different levels of the conditional distribution of labor productivity. One phenomenon that we observe is what we call a tendency toward ??neo-dualism?? involving the co-existence of a small group of dynamic firms with a bigger ensemble of much less technologically progressive ones.     

应用型本科工程管理类特色专业建设对人才培养的重要性研究

应用型本科教育专业建设是教育经济化发展的产物,是应用技能类院校发展的趋势。应用型本科院校对人才培养的要求包含了知识的高阶性、能力的创新性、新兴技能复合性等方面。工程管理专业本身具有知识集成与交叉的特点,结合办学特色,建立以工程项目管理能力为主体、以工程造价管理能力和工程审计为两翼支撑的“一体两翼”型核心能力结构体系,体现特色专业建设的同时,提高人才培养的核心竞争力。     

International briefing 8 Training and development in France

Two main features characterise training and development in France: the influence of the school‐based model and a strong institutionalisation of continuing vocational training which is regulated by law and collective bargaining at national and sectoral levels. In the last decade training has been affected by four major changes: the development of alternating training programmes for young people and unemployed persons; a process of decentralisation which gives to regions an essential role of coordination; strengthening of links between training and employment; and an increasing responsibility of firms in the management of training. As a result, training is on an upward trend yet large inequalities in access still exist.     

收入差异的“倒U型”假说悖论:初次分配、再分配与政策选择

通过MLD指数分解分析,发现中国收入差异有明显扩大趋势,且地区间差异贡献率高,这与库兹涅茨"倒U型"假说相悖。收入分配的不平衡受初次分配差异与再分配差异共同影响,其中初次分配差异源于要素流动性差异和地区生产力水平差异,而再分配差异应归因于政策倾斜度。要改善中国收入分配不均现状,缩小地区收入差距水平,必须打破二元经济结构,统筹配置资源,适度推进金融自由化进程,加大教育投资,加强社会保障制度建设,并重视西部经济均衡发展。     

农民工人力资本回报率差异：年龄与类型--基于城市农民工调查数据的实证分析

本文基于城市农民工调查数据,通过修正的Mincer收入方程,分析人力资本投资类型及年龄对农民工收入的影响。研究结果表明,职业培训的收入回报率高于受教育年限的收入回报率,职业培训对较年轻农民工群体收入的影响更为显著。促进农民工的人力资本投资,应首先唤醒农民工对基础义务教育的重视,激励企业加大对年轻农民工群体的职业培训投入,搭建更加多元化、开放化的职业培训平台,为农民工提高职业技能提供支持。     

Return on investment for workplace training: the Canadian experience

One of the central problems in managing technological change and maintaining a competitive advantage in business is improving the skills of the workforce through investment in human capital and a variety of training practices. This paper explores the evidence on the impact of training investment on productivity in 14 Canadian industries from 1999 to 2005. Our productivity analysis demonstrates that in 12 out of 14 industries, training had a positive effect on productivity. However, when the analysis is put within a financial context, the return on investment was positive in only four industries. Faced with negative rates of return, why should managers in most of the industries in the study promote investment in training? Probably the best explanation is that new technology requires an investment in training. The investment in training is necessary just for the firm to maintain its current labour productivity. Employee turnover necessarily impedes the efficacy of training, because trained workers leave, and untrained workers arrive. Thus, training in this instance again is necessary just to maintain current labour productivity.