Development of Human Capital

Focuses on key questions relating to the growth of intellectual and social capital within the firm, and the maintenance and development of the skills of individual employees. This includes research concerning the connection between initial education and the requirements from the labour market and the best ways to address any gaps through additional, more specific training.

Not unlike traditional management approaches, the traditional perspective on labour workers is not appropiate for the challenges in the 21st century. Education has become much more important and a skilled workforce can add much value to the design of processes and products, by contributing their knowledge expertise in a participative way. Improving education and management of the quality of a firm's labour force increasingly constitutes a source of competitive advantage and differation.

It is far from trivial, however, how an optimal performance and utilization of their human resources can be realized. A process of systematic learning what works is required. This theme focuses on key questions relating to the growth of human and social capital within education and the firm, and the maintenance and development of the knowledge and skills of individual employees. This includes research on the development of human capital in schools and the connection between initial education and the skill demands in the labour market and the best ways to address any skills gaps through formal and informal modes of lifelong learning.

Researchers working on this theme:

  • Andries de Grip (Coordinator)

    Andries de Grip is Head of Research on Employment and Training at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Chair of the Board of NSI, and Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University.

  • Annemarie Nelen

    Annemarie Nelen is a PhD student at the Research Center of Education and the Labour Market (ROA) of Maastricht University

  • Bart H.H. Goldsteyn

    Bart Goldsteyn is assistant professor at the economics department of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University

  • Frank Corvers

    Frank Cörvers is leader of the Dynamics of the Labour Market research programme at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University.

  • Jacqueline van Beuningen

    Jacqueline van Beuningen is a postdoctoral researcher at the department of marketing at Maastricht University

  • Joan Muysken

    Joan Muysken is Full Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Maastricht University

  • Lex Borghans

    Lex Borghans is a professor of labour economics and social policy at the Department of Economics and Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) at Maastricht University.

  • Maarten Cuijpers

    Maarten is PhD candidate at the Department of Organization and Strategy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University.

  • Mien Segers

    Mien Segers is full professor at the department of Educational Research and Development of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University and at the Centre of Learning in Organisations at the University of Leiden

  • Piet van den Bossche

    Piet Van den Bossche (1977) is assistant professor at the department of Educational Research and Development of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University.

  • Raoul Haenbeukers

    Raoul is since September 2007 a PhD. candidate at the Department of Economics at
    Maastricht University.

  • Raymond Montizaan

    Since 1 September 2005, Raymond Montizaan is a research associate and PhD student at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), at Maastricht University.

  • Robert Roe

    Robert Roe is Professor of Organisational Theory and Organisational Behaviour at the department of Organisation and Strategy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University.

  • Ruud Gerards

    Ruud Gerards (1977) obtained his Msc in economics in 2000 from Maastricht University.

  • Sjir Uitdewilligen

    Sjir Uitdewilligen is a PhD candidate at department of Organisation and Strategy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University.

  • Thomas Dohmen

    Thomas Dohmen is the Director of the Research Centre for Education and the Labour market (ROA) and professor of Education and the Labour Market in the Department of Economics and Business Administration of Maastricht University.

  • Ursula Glunk

    Ursula Glunk is Associate Professor in the Department of Organization and Strategy at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University

  • Walter Hendriks

    Walter J. Hendriks is Assistant Professor at the Department of Organization and Strategy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University

  • Wim Gijselaers

     

    Wim Gijselaers is Professor of Education at the department of Educational Development and Educational Research at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University 

  • Job-worker mismatch and cognitive decline
    8 April 2009, Article

    We have used longitudinal test data on various aspects of people's cognitive abilities to analyse whether overeducated workers are more vulnerable to a decline in their cognitive abilities, and undereducated workers are less vulnerable. We found that a job-worker mismatch induces a cognitive decline with respect to immediate and delayed recall abilities, cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency. Our findings indicate that, to some extent, it is the adjustment of the ability level of the overeducated and undereducated workers that adjusts initial job-worker mismatch. This adds to the relevance of preventing overeducation, and shows that being employed in a challenging job contributes to workers' cognitive resilience.