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In-firm training, innovation and productivity: the case of Caribbean Small Island Developing States

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  • Preeya Mohan
  • Eric Strobl
  • Patrick Watson

Abstract

In-firm training is a crucial innovative activity in modern knowledge-based economies, which face increasing global competition and rapidly changing technology. Nevertheless, there are few studies that look at in-firm training in the Caribbean. This study uses the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) 2010 and Compete Caribbean’s Productivity Technology Innovation Survey (PROTEqIN) 2014 to provide empirical evidence on in-firm training in the region. The results suggest that there is a relatively low incidence of training in the region, although there are significant differences across countries and this may be because of heterogeneities in public support and barriers to in-firm training. Also, various firm characteristics affect in-firm training including size, ownership, whether the firm exports, whether the firm is part of a larger organization, innovative activity and workforce structure and educational level. Lastly, the findings suggest that in-firm training in the region may play a relatively small role and may even not matter for innovation and productivity, although this finding may be because of low levels of formal training and the metrics used in defining and measuring in-firm training, innovation and productivity given the data available and limitations of the sample.

Suggested Citation

  • Preeya Mohan & Eric Strobl & Patrick Watson, 2018. "In-firm training, innovation and productivity: the case of Caribbean Small Island Developing States," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(9-10), pages 987-1011, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:30:y:2018:i:9-10:p:987-1011
    DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2018.1515824
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    Cited by:

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    3. Jugend, Daniel & Fiorini, Paula De Camargo & Armellini, Fabiano & Ferrari, Aline Gabriela, 2020. "Public support for innovation: A systematic review of the literature and implications for open innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Yanika Gauci & Simon Grima & Yannis Thalassinos & Inna Romanova, 2021. "Training in the Financial Industry: An Effectiveness Study on a Small EU Island State," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 1258-1287.
    5. Marco Túlio Dinali Viglioni & Mozar José Brito & Cristina Lelis Leal Calegario, 2020. "Innovation and R&D in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: a systematic literature review," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(3), pages 2131-2167, December.
    6. Francis Boadu & Yu Xie & Yi-Fei Du & Elizabeth Dwomo-Fokuo, 2018. "MNEs Subsidiary Training and Development and Firm Innovative Performance: The Moderating Effects of Tacit and Explicit Knowledge Received from Headquarters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-25, November.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • 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

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