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Personal Capital and Emotional Intelligence: An Increasingly Important Intangible Source of Economic Growth

Author

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  • John F. Tomer

    (Department of Economics and Finance, Manhattan College)

Abstract

This paper focuses on a new source of economic growth, personal capital formation, and provides an explanation for a part of economic growth that has heretofore been unexplained. Personal capital is the human capacity reflecting the quality of an individual's psychological, physical, and spiritual functioning; it is a capacity fundamentally different from cognitive ability. Spending effort to improve emotional intelligence, often in order to improve job performance, is the essence of what successful investment in personal capital involves. Given the increasing investment in it and the evidence of its importance, economists can no longer afford to neglect the contribution of personal capital to economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • John F. Tomer, 2003. "Personal Capital and Emotional Intelligence: An Increasingly Important Intangible Source of Economic Growth," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 453-470, Summer.
  • Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:29:y:2003:i:3:p:453-470
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    File URL: http://web.holycross.edu/RePEc/eej/Archive/Volume29/V29N3P453_470.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tomer, John F., 2011. "Enduring happiness: Integrating the hedonic and eudaimonic approaches," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 530-537.
    2. Mammen, Sheila & Bauer, Jean W. & Lass, Daniel A., 2009. "Life Satisfaction Over Time Among Rural Low-income Mothers," Working Paper Series 47511, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Department of Resource Economics.
    3. John Tomer, 2002. "Human Well-Being: A New Approach Based on Overall and Ordinary Functionings," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(1), pages 23-45.
    4. Darlene Bay & Kim McKeage, 2006. "Emotional Intelligence in Undergraduate Accounting Students: Preliminary Assessment," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 439-454.
    5. Aleknavičiūtė Rasa & Skvarciany Viktorija & Survilaitė Simona, 2016. "The Role of Human Capital for National Innovation Capability in Eu Countries," Economics and Culture, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 114-125, June.
    6. Tomer, John F., 2013. "Stemming the tide of obesity: What needs to happen," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 88-98.
    7. Tomer, John F. & Sadler, Thomas R., 2007. "Why we need a commitment approach to environmental policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(3-4), pages 627-636, May.
    8. repec:wea:worler:v:2012:y:2012:i:1:p:5 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Cole, Kenneth & Daly, Anne & Mak, Anita, 2009. "Good for the soul: The relationship between work, wellbeing and psychological capital," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 464-474, June.
    10. Katerina Dimaki & Vasilis Angelis & Maria Mavri, 2011. "Identifying Clusters of European Regions Based on Their Economic and Social Characteristics," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1116, European Regional Science Association.
    11. John F Tomer, 2012. "Brain Physiology, Egoistic and Empathic Motivation, and Brain Plasticity: Toward a More Human Economics," World Economic Review, World Economics Association, vol. 2012(1), pages 1-76, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic Growth; Growth;

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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