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The Impact of Training on Productivity and Wages: Evidence from British Panel Data

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Author Info
Lorraine Dearden
Howard Reed
John Van Reenen

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Abstract

It is standard in the literature on training to use wages as a sufficient statistic for productivity. But there aremany reasons why wages and productivity may diverge. This paper is part of a smaller literature on the effectsof work-related training on direct measures of productivity. We construct a panel of British industries between1983 and 1996 containing training, productivity and wages. Using a variety of econometric estimationtechniques (including system GMM) we find that training is associated with significantly higher productivity.Raising the proportion of workers trained in an industry by one percentage point (say from the average of 10%to 11%) is associated with an increase in value added per worker of about 0.6% and an increase in wages ofabout 0.3%. Furthermore, we find that the magnitude of the impact of training on wages is only half as large asthe impact of training on productivity, implying that the existing literature has underestimated the importance oftraining. We also show evidence using complementary datasets (e.g. from individuals) that is suggestive ofexternalities of training and imperfect competition.

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Paper provided by Centre for Economic Performance, LSE in its series CEP Discussion Papers with number dp0674.

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Date of creation: Feb 2005
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Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0674

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Related research
Keywords: Productivity; training; wages; panel data;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data
D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Capital and Total Factor Productivity; Capacity

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Siebert, W. Stanley & Zubanov, Nikolay, 2008. "Management Economics in a Large Retail Organization," IZA Discussion Papers 3645, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  2. Mika Maliranta & Rita Asplund, 2007. "Training and Hiring Strategies to Improve Firm Performance," Discussion Papers 1105, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy. [Downloadable!]
  3. Renuka Metcalfe & Peter J. Sloane, 2007. "Human Capital Spillovers and Economic Performance in the Workplace in 2004: Some British Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 2774, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  4. Spyros Arvanitis & Tobias Stucki, 2008. "Training Propensity of Start-ups in Switzerland - A Study Based on Data for the Start-up Cohort 1996-97," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0035, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Heinz Hollenstein & Tobias Stucki, 2008. "The Impact of ICT Usage, Workplace Organisation and Human Capital on the Provision of Apprenticeship Training : A Firm-level Analysis Based on Swiss Panel Data," KOF Working papers 08-205, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich. [Downloadable!]
  6. Massimiliano Mazzanti & Susanna Mancinelli, 2007. "SME Performance, Innovation and Networking Evidence on Complementarities for a Local Economic System," Working Papers 2007.50, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
  7. Harald U. Pfeifer, 2008. "Train to gain – The benefits of employee-financed training in Germany," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0037, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU). [Downloadable!]
  8. Mohrenweiser, Jens & Zwick, Thomas, 2008. "Why Do Firms Train Apprentices? The Net Cost Puzzle Reconsidered," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-019, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Gielen, A. C., 2007. "Performance Pay, Training and Labor Mobility," Discussion Paper 2007-48, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. Johannes Van Biesebroeck, 2007. "Wage and Productivity Premiums in Sub-Saharan Africa," NBER Working Papers 13306, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  11. Jozef Konings & Stijn Vanormelingen, 2009. "The Impact of Training on Productivity and Wages: Firm Level Evidence," LICOS Discussion Papers 24409, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, K.U.Leuven. [Downloadable!]
  12. Addison, John T. & Belfield, Clive R., 2008. "Unions, Training, and Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 3294, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Spyros Arvanitis, 2008. "Are Firm Innovativeness and Firm Age Relevant for the Supply of Vocational Training? – A Study Based on Swiss Micro Data," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0036, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Jones, Melanie K. & Jones, Richard J. & Latreille, Paul L. & Sloane, Peter J., 2008. "Training, Job Satisfaction and Workplace Performance in Britain: Evidence from WERS 2004," IZA Discussion Papers 3677, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  15. Héctor Sala & José I. Silva, 2009. "Flexibility at the margin and labour market volatility: The case of Spain," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 33(2), pages 145-178, May. [Downloadable!]
  16. Budria, Santiago & Pereira, Pedro T., 2008. "The Contribution of Vocational Training to Employment, Job-Related Skills and Productivity: Evidence from Madeira Island," IZA Discussion Papers 3462, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  17. W. Stanley Siebert & Nick Zubanov, 2009. "Management economics in a large UK retailer," CPB Discussion Papers 125, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. [Downloadable!]
  18. Benoît Mahy & Mélanie Volral, 2008. "The effect of quantitative and qualitative training on labour demand in Belgium: a monopolistic competition approach," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0021, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU). [Downloadable!]
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