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What makes a 'jack-of-all-trades'?

Author

Listed:
  • Oberschachtsiek, Dirk

    (WZB)

Abstract

"This paper addresses the 'Jack-of-all-Trades' hypothesis, which presumes that it is individuals' variety of competencies/experience that drives entrepreneurship instead of their level of productivity (Lazear, 2005). The analysis focuses on two related dimensions of this variety argument: taste for variety (identified due to desire) and investment in ability (identified due to competence). First, the results show that it is important to distinguish between discrete and high level investments in the variety of experience. For instance, a high level of investment - which defines a 'Jack-of-all-Trades' - is less correlated with formal schooling than discrete investments. Second, the results indicate that both taste (desire) and ability (competence) correlate with the variety of experience, but the nature of the correlation differs. Particularly for males, the 'Jack-of-all-Trades'-hypothesis predominately relates to competence and not to desire." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Suggested Citation

  • Oberschachtsiek, Dirk, 2009. "What makes a 'jack-of-all-trades'?," IAB-Discussion Paper 200910, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    • Handle: RePEc:iab:iabdpa:200910
    as

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    File URL: https://doku.iab.de/discussionpapers/2009/dp1009.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Backes-Gellner, Uschi & Moog, Petra, 2013. "The disposition to become an entrepreneur and the jacks-of-all-trades in social and human capital," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 55-72.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bundesrepublik Deutschland ; berufliche Qualifikation ; Berufserfahrung ; Determinanten ; Fachkenntnisse ; Geschlechterverteilung ; Humankapital ; Kompetenz ; Lebensalter ; Unternehmenserfolg ; unternehmerische Qualifikation ; 2003-2003;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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