Shared Investment in General Training


Book Description

Making it difficult for a (recruiting) firm to know how much a worker has been trained increases a (training) firm's incentive to offer workers general training. Both minimum wage legislation and training certification discourage on- the- job- training.




Human Capital Creation in an Economic Perspective


Book Description

The past few decades have seen a revolutionary increase in interest in the economic role of education and training at the societal, business, and individual levels. This is mainly due to the strong post-war growth in industrialized economies, which has been driven by rapid technological progress and far-reaching structural change and, in the end, has resulted in increasingly skill-intensive production and growing demandfor more educated labour. Today it is frequently argued that with the increasing importance of the role of know-how, the workforce has become the most important single input in the production process. Simultaneously the dramatic increase in the availability of large micro-Ievel databases has opened enormous possibilities to study the economic role of human capital creation also empirically. The economic perspective of human capital accumulation is, however, of utmost importance also in times of deep economic recession. Periods of economic slowdown and rapidly increasing unemployment tend to in crease the demandfor advanced education and training in particular. This brings up, in turn, questions regarding overeducation and satisfying both private and social retums on investments in human capital.




Worker Training


Book Description




Vocational and Adult Education in Europe


Book Description

The system of vocational and adult education and training in Europe offers young people and adults the opportunity to learn to play an effective part in the workplace and elsewhere in society. Vocational and adult education and training is increasingly seen as crucial to the maintenance of employment, economic growth and the social integration of disadvantaged groups. In an economy and a society which are increasingly based on knowledge and information, these tasks can only increase in importance. This book brings together contributors from different disciplines and the different countries in Europe to look at current developments and debates in the development of European education and training, including the relation between markets and institutions, learning and organisations, different programmes and sectors and the economics of education and training. The book will be of interest to students, researchers and policy makers concerned with the future of education and training in Europe.




Private Government


Book Description

Why our workplaces are authoritarian private governments—and why we can't see it One in four American workers says their workplace is a "dictatorship." Yet that number probably would be even higher if we recognized most employers for what they are—private governments with sweeping authoritarian power over our lives, on duty and off. We normally think of government as something only the state does, yet many of us are governed far more—and far more obtrusively—by the private government of the workplace. In this provocative and compelling book, Elizabeth Anderson argues that the failure to see this stems from long-standing confusions. These confusions explain why, despite all evidence to the contrary, we still talk as if free markets make workers free—and why so many employers advocate less government even while they act as dictators in their businesses. In many workplaces, employers minutely regulate workers' speech, clothing, and manners, leaving them with little privacy and few other rights. And employers often extend their authority to workers' off-duty lives. Workers can be fired for their political speech, recreational activities, diet, and almost anything else employers care to govern. Yet we continue to talk as if early advocates of market society—from John Locke and Adam Smith to Thomas Paine and Abraham Lincoln—were right when they argued that it would free workers from oppressive authorities. That dream was shattered by the Industrial Revolution, but the myth endures. Private Government offers a better way to talk about the workplace, opening up space for discovering how workers can enjoy real freedom. Based on the prestigious Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University's Center for Human Values, Private Government is edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo and includes commentary by cultural critic David Bromwich, economist Tyler Cowen, historian Ann Hughes, and philosopher Niko Kolodny.




Transforming Organizations


Book Description

This book examines how organizations can, and should, transform their practices to compete in a world economy. Research results from a multi-disciplinary team of MIT researchers, along with the experiences and insights of a select group of industry practitioners, are integrated into a model that stresses the need for systemic and transformative rather than piecemeal or incremental changes in organization practices and public policy. This integration of research and experience results in an argument for a new organizational learning model--one capable of gaining advantage from employee diversity, cooperation across organizational boundaries, strategic restructuring, and advanced technology. The book begins with a foreword by Lester C. Thurow.




Maintaining a Competitive Workforce


Book Description

"Just how important is employer-based training to Canada's competitive position globally? How do we rank among other industrialized nations? On what basis should we calculate the returns to education and training, and how should the calculations be used in the development of government policy?" "Canada has a delivery system of education that permits its citizens to acquire some of the best skills on earth. But have we become too complacent? Should we begin to recognize that employer-based training rather than traditional education is appropriate? The reader will appreciate that this is far from an academic debate. There are likely to be federally initiated changes to the public funding of higher education during the next few years, and this will have implications for the education and training right across the country." "This monograph will be required reading for anyone interested in Canada's competitive position, the state of Canadian education and the readiness of Canadian workers for the economy of tomorrow."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved




Microeconomic Policy


Book Description

The new and updated edition of Microeconomic Policy provides an excellent blend of theory and application to foster understanding of economic-based policy making. The book is eclectic in its approach and addresses a rich set of current applications. It is an ideal book for teaching microeconomic-based policy analysis to students. Todd Sandler, University of Texas at Dallas, US Designed for students who have already encountered the microeconomic principles, this valuable text focusses effectively on their policy implications, imbuing the apparently dry theory with its insights for the general welfare. William J. Baumol, New York University, US and Princeton University, US A distinctive feature of this book is the application of microeconomics to public policy. As to be expected given the international reputation of the authors there is a thorough treatment of global environmental policies, including the Stern Report, and a very useful chapter on issues of defence, conflict and terrorism. What this text offers, and most competing books do not is the breadth of coverage. In this revised edition we have integration into the topics of advances in behavioural, evolutionary and Austrian economics. The relevance to business management and government policy of the material presented makes the subject come alive in application. . . a refreshing change from the curve-shifting that dominates traditional microeconomic texts which turns-off so many of our students and prevents them from seeing the crucial importance of economics to almost every aspect of our well-being. John Lodewijks, University of Western Sydney, Australia This thoroughly accessible textbook shows students how microeconomic theory can be used and applied to major issues of public policy. In this way, it will improve their understanding of both microeconomic theory and policy and also develop their ability to critically assess them. Clem Tisdell and Keith Hartley have expanded upon their previous successful work on microeconomics. As a result, this new book is considerably updated with substantial chapter revisions, as well as new chapters dealing with business management, ownership, environmental issues, public choice, defence, conflict and terrorism. Promoting a thorough understanding of this complex yet fundamental topic, Microeconomic Policy: A New Perspective will undoubtedly prove an invaluable textbook for all students, academics and researchers of economics and public policy.




The Return to Firm Investment in Human Capital


Book Description

In this paper the authors estimate the rate of return to firm investments in human capital in the form of formal job training. They use a panel of large firms with unusually detailed information on the duration of training, the direct costs of training, and several firm characteristics such as their output, workforce characteristics, and capital stock. Their estimates of the return to training vary substantially across firms. On average it is -7 percent for firms not providing training and 24 percent for those providing training. Formal job training is a good investment for many firms and the economy, possibly yielding higher returns than either investments in physical capital or investments in schooling. In spite of this, observed amounts of formal training are small.




Modern Labor Economics


Book Description

For one-semester courses in labor economics at the undergraduate and graduate levels, this book provides an overview of labor market behavior that emphasizes how theory drives public policy. Modern Labor Economics: Theory and Public Policy, Twelfth Edition gives students a thorough overview of the modern theory of labor market behavior, and reveals how this theory is used to analyze public policy. Designed for students who may not have extensive backgrounds in economics, the text balances theoretical coverage with examples of practical applications that allow students to see concepts in action. Experienced educators for nearly four decades, co-authors Ronald Ehrenberg and Robert Smith believe that showing students the social implications of the concepts discussed in the course will enhance their motivation to learn. As such, the text presents numerous examples of policy decisions that have been affected by the ever-shifting labor market. This text provides a better teaching and learning experience for you and your students. It will help you to: Demonstrate concepts through relevant, contemporary examples: Concepts are brought to life through analysis of hot-button issues such as immigration and return on investment in education. Address the Great Recession of 2008: Coverage of the current economic climate helps students place course material in a relevant context. Help students understand scientific methodology: The text introduces basic methodological techniques and problems, which are essential to understanding the field. Provide tools for review and further study: A series of helpful in-text features highlights important concepts and helps students review what they have learned.