Christian Otchia and Simplice Asongu
This study uses machine machine learning techniques to assess industrial development in Africa.
Abstract
Purpose
This study uses machine machine learning techniques to assess industrial development in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses nightlight time data and machine learning techniques to assess industrial development in Africa.
Findings
This study provides evidence on how machine learning techniques and nightlight data can be used to assess economic development in places where subnational data are missing or not precise. Taken together, the research confirms four groups of important determinants of industrial growth: natural resources, agriculture growth, institutions and manufacturing imports. Our findings indicate that Africa should follow a more multisector approach for development, putting natural resources and agriculture productivity growth at the forefront.
Originality/value
Studies on the use of machine learning (with insights from nightlight satellite images) to assess industrial development in Africa are sparse.
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Keywords
Shoko Yamada and Christian S. Otchia
This article focuses on the perception gaps between teachers and students of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) related to garment production and the reasons…
Abstract
Purpose
This article focuses on the perception gaps between teachers and students of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) related to garment production and the reasons behind such gaps. Garment production is the priority sector for the Ethiopian government, which plans to make it the driver of export-oriented growth. At the same time, it is among the programs that demonstrate the lowest employment rates.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was developed by the authors. It was completed by 162 students and 53 teachers in garment-related programs of seven TVET colleges in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.
Findings
The findings show that while teachers tend to highlight the importance of practical skills, students desire broader coverage of practical and managerial skills and entrepreneurship. The expectations differ not only based on the person's recognition of labor market conditions but also by the conviction of the efficacy of the education and training system itself. Teachers tend to be persistent on conventional approaches of teaching, while the advanced training on new approaches based on the competency-based training (CBT) significantly impacts on their attitude. Meanwhile, students' perceptions are largely based on their job aspirations and motivations for schooling.
Practical implications
The authors’ findings may serve to improve the relevance of the Ethiopian Occupation Standards.
Originality/value
The unique feature of this study is that the authors measure skills from multiple dimensions. While the authors examine participants' perceptions of occupation-specific skills, they also analyze the relationships of these perceptions with attitudinal and cognitive skills.
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Andrea Vincent and Durgam Rajasekhar
Indian government initiated several skill development policies and different types of vocational education and training (VET). Yet the participation in skill education is low…
Abstract
Purpose
Indian government initiated several skill development policies and different types of vocational education and training (VET). Yet the participation in skill education is low because of poor labour market outcomes. This paper aims to calculate returns to skill education to understand the type of training that will have better labour market outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper nationally representative data from the periodic labour force survey (PLFS), collected by the national sample survey office for 2017–2018, are used to estimate the returns to formal and non-formal VET obtained (after different levels of general education) with the help of Heckman's two-stage method.
Findings
Nearly 8% of the working-age population has received some form of VET (mostly non-formal), generating poor returns. For the overall population, formal on-job training (OJT) and full-time VET influence wage positively and significantly. Full-time VET obtained after secondary and below levels of education generates positive returns, whereas part-time VET is profitable only to those without formal education. At the graduate level, technical education obtained along with VET is associated with better wages.
Originality/value
In India where a considerable proportion of the workforce is employed in the informal sector, different types of skill training like full-time, part-time and OJT influence labour market outcomes. This finding has policy implication for countries with large informal sector and calls for further research in such countries.