Agglomeration and workplace training: knowledge spillovers versus poaching
研究本地高学历雇主集聚如何影响企业培训投资，发现意大利小企业环境中挖角效应占主导，即竞争加剧导致培训减少，而高学历雇主更倾向资助培训。
Agglomeration and workplace training: knowledge spillovers versus poaching. Regional Studies. The paper aims at ascertaining whether and how a local agglomeration of highly educated employers affects firms’ propensity to invest in training. On a theoretical ground such agglomeration may favour two different scenarios: a knowledge spillover effect may foster larger investments, or a poaching effect may prevail inducing more competition and less training. Econometric estimates find that in the Italian environment, where small businesses are prominent, the second effect is stronger. Endogeneity issues are addressed by adopting an instrumental variables (IV) approach. Moreover, estimates show that an employer’s higher educational level is associated with a greater propensity to sponsor training.