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How firms' participation in apprenticeship training fosters knowledge diffusion and innovation

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  • Christian Rupietta

    (Department of Business Administration, University of Zurich)

  • Uschi Backes-Gellner

    (Department of Business Administration, University of Zurich)

Abstract

Previous studies typically relate apprenticeship training or more generally Vocational Education and Training (VET) to training that is highly specific and that uses well-established technologies. Accordingly, apprenticeship training is typically not expected to have positive effects on innovation. In contrast, we argue in this paper that the type of dual apprenticeship training seen in Switzerland (or Germany) does create positive innovation effects due to these VET-systems' built-in and institutionalized curriculum development and updating processes. These processes ensure that firms participating in apprenticeship training gain access to knowledge that is close to the innovation frontier and that ultimately fosters innovation. We provide theoretical explanations of how this knowledge diffusion works and how it can help to generate innovation in participating firms. We use the Swiss VET system as one example and derive hypotheses about the relationship between firms' participation in apprenticeship training and their innovation outcomes. Empirical analyses support our hypotheses. In a VET system with a built-in curriculum-updating process like the one in Switzerland (or Germany), firms participating in apprenticeship training have higher innovation outcomes than do non-participating firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Rupietta & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2012. "How firms' participation in apprenticeship training fosters knowledge diffusion and innovation," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0074, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised May 2018.
  • Handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0074
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    Cited by:

    1. Rupietta, Christian & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2019. "Combining knowledge stock and knowledge flow to generate superior incremental innovation performance — Evidence from Swiss manufacturing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 209-222.
    2. Backes-Gellner Uschi & Lehnert Patrick, 2023. "Berufliche Bildung als Innovationstreiber: Ein lange vernachlässigtes Forschungsfeld," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 24(1), pages 85-97, April.
    3. Lehnert, Patrick & Pfister, Curdin & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2020. "Employment of R&D personnel after an educational supply shock: Effects of the introduction of Universities of Applied Sciences in Switzerland," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    4. Uschi Backes-Gellner & Patrick Lehnert, 2022. "Apprenticeships," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0194, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    5. Damian Grimshaw & Marcela Miozzo, 2021. "Human Capital and productivity: a call for new interdisciplinary research," Working Papers 006, The Productivity Institute.
    6. Tobias Schultheiss & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2024. "Does updating education curricula accelerate technology adoption in the workplace? Evidence from dual vocational education and training curricula in Switzerland," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 191-235, February.
    7. Miriam Rinawi & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2020. "Firms’ method of pay and the retention of apprentices," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 72(1), pages 269-291.
    8. Petra Dickel & Monika Sienknecht & Jacob Hörisch, 2021. "The early bird catches the worm: an empirical analysis of imprinting in social entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 127-150, March.
    9. Hinz, Tina, 2016. "Personnel policy adjustments when apprentice positions are unfilled: Evidence from German establishment data," Discussion Papers 99, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    10. Chiara Zisler & Damiano Pregaldini & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2023. "Opening doors for immigrants: The importance of occupational and workplace-based cultural skills for successful labor market entry," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0204, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    11. Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2014. "Benefits of Apprenticeship Training and Recent Challenges - Empirical Results and Lessons from Switzerland and Germany," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0097, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    12. Andreas F. Buehler & Patrick Lehnert & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2023. "Curriculum Updates in Vocational Education and Changes in Graduates' Skills and Wages," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0205, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    13. Matthies, Eike & Thomä, Jörg & Bizer, Kilian, 2022. "A hidden source of innovation? Revisiting the impact of initial vocational training on technological innovation," ifh Working Papers 33/2022, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh), revised 2022.
    14. Pardesi, Mantej, 2024. "Productivity Convergence and Firm’s Training Strategy," Research Memorandum 003, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    15. Samuel AMPONSAH ODEI & Michael AMPONSAH ODEI & Henry Junior ANDERSON, 2020. "Consultants and firm-level innovation performances: a doubly robust estimation approach," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 11, pages 288-311, December.
    16. Haverkamp, Katarzyna & Proeger, Till, 2020. "Ausbilder der Nation, Integrator und Impulsgeber: Die Rolle des Handwerks im deutschen Bildungssystem," Göttinger Beiträge zur Handwerksforschung 34, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh).
    17. Christian Rupietta & Harald Pfeifer & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2017. "Firms' knowledge acquisition during dual-track VET: Which sources are important for innovativeness?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0131, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    18. Eggenberger, Christian & Rinawi, Miriam & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2018. "Occupational specificity: A new measurement based on training curricula and its effect on labor market outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 97-107.
    19. Christian Eggenberger & Simon Janssen & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2018. "Modernization of Vocational Training Curricula and Technology Adoption in Firms: A Descriptive Analysis with German Data," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0150, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    20. Thomas Bolli & Ursula Renold & Martin Wörter, 2018. "Vertical educational diversity and innovation performance," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 107-131, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Vocational education; knowledge diffusion; education systems; innovation; empirical analysis; innovation policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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