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The Impact of Soft-Skills Training for Entrepreneurs in Jamaica

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  • Diego Ubfal
  • Irani Arraiz
  • Diether Beuermann
  • Michael Frese
  • Alessandro Maffioli
  • Daniel Verch

Abstract

A randomized control trial with 945 entrepreneurs in Jamaica shows positive shortterm impacts of soft-skills training on business outcomes. The effects are concentrated among men, and disappear twelve months after the training. We argue that the main channel is increased adoption of recommended business practices, exclusively observed in the short run. We see persistent effects on an incentivized behavioral measure of perseverance after setbacks, a focus of this training. We compare a course focused only on soft-skills to one that combines soft-skills training with traditional business training. The effects of the combined training are never statistically significant. Keywords: Business Training, entrepreneurship, soft skills JEL Codes: J24, L25, M13, O12

Suggested Citation

  • Diego Ubfal & Irani Arraiz & Diether Beuermann & Michael Frese & Alessandro Maffioli & Daniel Verch, 2019. "The Impact of Soft-Skills Training for Entrepreneurs in Jamaica," Working Papers 645, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:igi:igierp:645
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    Cited by:

    1. Dammert, Ana C. & Nansamba, Aisha, 2023. "Skills training and business outcomes: Experimental evidence from Liberia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    2. Alessandro Maffioli & David McKenzie & Diego Ubfal, 2023. "Estimating the Demand for Business Training: Evidence from Jamaica," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(1), pages 123-158.
    3. González-Uribe, Juanita & Reyes, Santiago, 2021. "Identifying and boosting “Gazelles”: Evidence from business accelerators," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 260-287.
    4. Blimpo, Moussa & Pugatch, Todd, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of Youth Entrepreneurship Programs: Experimental Evidence from Rwanda," IZA Discussion Papers 16489, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Albert Bravo-Biosca, 2020. "Experimental Innovation Policy," Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 20(1), pages 191-232.
    6. Lafortune, Jeanne & Pugatch, Todd & Tessada, José & Ubfal, Diego, 2022. "Can Interactive Online Training Make High School Students More Entrepreneurial? Experimental Evidence from Rwanda," IZA Discussion Papers 15064, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Gonzalez-Uribe, Juanita & Reyes, Santiago, 2021. "Identifying and boosting “gazelles”: evidence from business accelerators," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103145, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Thomas Le Barbanchon & Diego Ubfal & Federico Araya, 2023. "The Effects of Working While in School: Evidence from Employment Lotteries," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 383-410, January.
    9. Le Barbanchon, Thomas & Ubfal, Diego & Araya, Federico, 2020. "The Effects of Working While in School: Evidence from Uruguayan Lotteries," IZA Discussion Papers 13929, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Rob Kim Marjerison & Rongjuan Chen & Yinan Lin, 2021. "The Nexus of Social Cause Interest and Entrepreneurial Mindset: Driving Socioeconomic Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-19, December.
    11. Gonzalez-Uribe, Juanita & Hmaddi, Ouafaa, 2022. "The multi-dimensional impacts of business accelerators: what does the research tell us?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115461, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    business training; entrepreneurship; soft skills jel codes: j24; l25; m13; o12;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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