The Impact of Training on Productivity and Wages - Evidence from Belgian Firm Level Panel Data

16 Pages Posted: 18 Mar 2008

See all articles by Jozef Konings

Jozef Konings

Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) - LICOS - Centrum voor Transitie-economie; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: January 1, 2008

Abstract

This paper uses longitudinal data of more than 13,000 firms to analyze the effects of on-the-job training on firm level productivity and wages. Workers receiving training are on average more productive than workers not receiving training. This makes firms more productive. On-the-job training increases firm level measured productivity between 1 and 2%, compared to firms that do not provide training. The effect of training on wages is also positive, but much lower than the effect on productivity. Average wages increase only by 0.5%. Sectoral spillovers between firms that train workers are found, but only in firms active in the manufacturing sector. In non-manufacturing no spillovers seem to take place. The results are consistent with recent theories that explain on-the-job training, related to imperfect competition in the labor market, such as monopsony and union bargaining.

Keywords: on-the-job-training, productivity, firm level data, monopsony

JEL Classification: J01, J24, J42, M53

Suggested Citation

Konings, Jozef, The Impact of Training on Productivity and Wages - Evidence from Belgian Firm Level Panel Data (January 1, 2008). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1107108 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1107108

Jozef Konings (Contact Author)

Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) - LICOS - Centrum voor Transitie-economie ( email )

Waaistraat 6 - box 3511
Leuven, 3000
Belgium
+32 16 326 589 (Phone)
+32 16 326 599 (Fax)

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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