Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/123369 
Year of Publication: 
2007
Series/Report no.: 
WWZ Discussion Paper No. 04/07
Publisher: 
University of Basel, Center of Business and Economics (WWZ), Basel
Abstract: 
The present paper examines the wage effects of continuous training programs using individual-level data from the German Socio Economic Panel (GSOEP). In order to account for selectivity in training participation we estimate average treatment effects (ATE and ATT) of general and firm-specific continuous training programs using several state-of-the-art propensity score matching (PSM) estimators. Additionally, we also apply a combined matching difference-in-differences (MDiD) estimator to account for unobserved individual characteristics (e.g. motivation, ability). While the estimated ATE and ATT for general training are significant ranging between about 4 and 7.5 %, the corresponding wage effects of firm-specific training are mostly insignificant. Using the more appropriate MDiD estimator, however, we find a more precise and highly significant wage effect of about 5 to 6 %, though only for general training and not for firm-specific training. These results are consistent with standard human capital theory insofar as general training is associated with larger wage increases than firm-specific training. Furthermore, we conclude that firms may intend to use specific training to adjust to new job requirements, while career-relevant changes may be conditioned to general training.
Subjects: 
Continuous training
wage effect
average treatment effect
selectivity bias
propensity score matching estimators
combined matching difference-in-differences estimator
JEL: 
C21
J24
J31
M53
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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