Derek Jones, the Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics, recently published "Human Resource Management Policies and Productivity: New Evidence from An Econometric Case Study" in the Oxford Review of Economic Policy. The study, co-authored by Panu Kalmi and Antti Kauhanen, both members of the Helsinki School of Economics faculty, identified various approaches used by economists to assess the impact of human resource management practices on productivity and reviewed and illustrated studies that represent different approaches.
The authors utilized the econometric case study method using new data to analyze a case from retail trade and by emulating an approach used in an earlier study. The findings suggest that there are benefits to innovative work practices, even in settings where employees do simple tasks and employees are relatively low-skilled. With results similar to those contained in a previous study, the authors also noted the value of replication studies.
