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Journal of Labor Economics Vol. 32 No. 2 2014

The Effect of High-Performing Mentors on Junior Officer Promotion in the US Army

David S. Lyle; John Z. Smith

Carol I National Defence University

Abstract

Military assignment mechanisms provide a unique opportunity to estimate the impact of high-performing mentors on job advancement of their subordinates. Combining US Army administrative data with officer evaluation reports, we find that high-performing mentors positively affect early junior officer promotion and that early promotion probabilities rise as the duration of the high-quality mentorship increases. These effects are largest for high-ability protégés. Junior officers who were exposed to multiple high-performing mentors did not experience an additional increase in promotion rates.

DOI
10.1086/673372
Volume
32
Issue
2
Pages
229-258
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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