TY - JOUR

T1 - Is personal initiative training a substitute or complement to the existing human capital of women?

T2 - Results from a randomized trial in Togo

AU - Campos, Francisco

AU - Frese, Michael

AU - Goldstein, Markus

AU - Iacovone, Leonardo

AU - Johnson, Hillary C.

AU - McKenzie, David

AU - Mensmann, Mona

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Personal initiative training—a psychology-based mindset training program—delivers lasting improvements for female business owners in Togo. Which types of women benefit most? Theories of dynamic complementarity would suggest training should work better for those with higher pre-existing human capital, but there are also reasons why existing human capital might inhibit training participation or substitute for its effects. We examine the heterogeneity in treatment impact according to different types of human capital. We find little evidence of either complementarities or substitutability, suggesting this new business training approach can work for a wide range of human capital levels.

AB - Personal initiative training—a psychology-based mindset training program—delivers lasting improvements for female business owners in Togo. Which types of women benefit most? Theories of dynamic complementarity would suggest training should work better for those with higher pre-existing human capital, but there are also reasons why existing human capital might inhibit training participation or substitute for its effects. We examine the heterogeneity in treatment impact according to different types of human capital. We find little evidence of either complementarities or substitutability, suggesting this new business training approach can work for a wide range of human capital levels.

KW - Psychology

KW - Business psychology

U2 - 10.1257/pandp.20181026

DO - 10.1257/pandp.20181026

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 108

SP - 256

EP - 261

JO - American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings

JF - American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings

SN - 2574-0768

ER -