scholarly journals The Human Capital Hoax: Work, Debt and Insecurity in the Era of Uberization

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 691-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Human Capital Theory ◽  
Economic Insecurity ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Gary Becker

Human capital theory – developed by neoclassical economists like Gary Becker and Theodore Schultz – is widely considered a useful way to explain how employees might enhance their value in organizations, leading to improved skill, autonomy and socio-economic wellbeing. This essay argues the opposite. Human capital theory implies that employees should bear the costs (and benefits) of their investment. Highly individualized training and work practices are an inevitable corollary. Self-employment, portfolio careers, the ‘gig economy’ and on-demand business models (including Uber and Deliveroo) faithfully reflect the assumptions that inform human capital theory. I term this the radical responsibilization of the workforce and link it to growing economic insecurity, low productivity, diminished autonomy and worrying levels of personal debt. The essay concludes by proposing some possible solutions.

Entrepreneurship education programme, passion and attitude towards self-employment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akuraun Shadrach Iyortsuun ◽  
Meshach G. Goyit ◽  
Reuel J. Dakung
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Human Capital Theory ◽  
Dual Model ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Drawing on the human capital theory and the dual model of passion, this study aims to explore the mediating role of passion on the relationship between entrepreneurship education programme and students’ attitude towards self-employment (SE). Design/methodology/approach The proposed research framework was tested on a sample of 445 higher education students in four universities in North-Central Nigeria. Findings The results indicated that learning and inspiration account for the variation in students’ attitude towards SE. Furthermore, the study revealed that harmonious and obsessive passion largely mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship education programme and attitude towards SE. Practical implications The policy implication is the scaling of policies targeted at encouraging the development of passion given its significant role in the entrepreneurship education programme and attitude towards SE link. Originality/value The study has established the importance of human capital theory in explaining the attitude towards SE phenomenon using a multi-theoretical approach and has advanced the theoretical field of affect and its relevance in the field of entrepreneurship.

Humans as a Service

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremias Prassl
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Disruptive Innovation ◽  
Level Playing Field ◽  
Employment Relationships ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Digital Work ◽  
Stable Employment

The rise of the gig economy is disrupting business models across the globe. Platforms’ digital work intermediation has had a profound impact on traditional conceptions of the employment relationship. The completion of ‘tasks’, ‘gigs’, or ‘rides’ in the (digital) crowd fundamentally challenges our understanding of work in modern labour markets: gone are the stable employment relationships between firms and workers, replaced by a world in which everybody can be ‘their own boss’ and enjoy the rewards—and face the risks—of independent businesses. Is this the future of work? What are the benefits and challenges of crowdsourced work? How can we protect consumers and workers without stifling innovation? Humans as a Service provides a detailed account of the growth and operation of gig-economy platforms, and develops a blueprint for solutions to the problems facing on-demand workers, platforms, and their customers. Following a brief introduction to the growth and operation of on-demand platforms across the world, the book scrutinizes competing narratives about ‘gig’ work. Drawing on a wide range of case studies, it explores how claims of ‘disruptive innovation’ and ‘micro-entrepreneurship’ often obscure the realities of precarious work under strict algorithmic surveillance, and the return to a business model that has existed for centuries. Humans as a Service shows how employment law can address many of these problems: gigs, tasks, and rides are work—and should be regulated as such. A concluding chapter demonstrates the broader benefits of a level playing field for consumers, taxpayers, and innovative entrepreneurs.

Career Development and Human Capital Theory: Preaching the “Education Gospel”

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristram Hooley
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Education System ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Human Capital Theory ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Alternative Relationships

This chapter analyses the relationship between career development, education, and human capital theory. It argues that education lies at the heart of our understanding of how individuals develop their careers and how purposeful career development interventions can support them in this endeavour. Career development services are most evident and accessible in the education system. This relationship is not accidental but is rooted in both the historical development of the field and in the importance of human capital theory to the ideology of both education and career development. The chapter finishes by critiquing the dependence of policymakers and advocates for the field on human capital theory and by considering alternative relationships that could be built between education and career development.

scholarly journals CEOs’ International Work Experience and Compensation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Schmid ◽  
Sebastian Baldermann
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Resource Dependence ◽  
Human Capital Theory ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
International Work ◽  
Executive Remuneration ◽  
To Receive

AbstractIn this paper, we study the effect a CEO’s international work experience has on his or her compensation. By combining human capital theory with a resource dependence and a resource-based perspective, we argue that international work experience translates into higher pay. We also suggest that international work experience comprises several dimensions that affect CEO compensation: duration, timing and breadth of stays abroad. With data from Europe’s largest stock market firms, we provide evidence that the longer the international work experiences and the more numerous they are, the higher a CEO’s compensation. While, based on our theoretical arguments, we expect to find that later international work experiences pay off for CEOs, our empirical analysis shows that earlier international work experiences are particularly valuable in terms of compensation. In addition, our data support the argument that maturity allows a CEO to take advantage of the skills, knowledge and competencies obtained via international experience—and to receive a higher payoff. With our study, we improve the understanding of how different facets of a CEO’s background shape executive remuneration.

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