本研究定義了人際關係能力的內涵和面向,並採用台灣教育長期追蹤資料庫及其後續調查資料,探討台灣初入職場青年之人際關係能力對於薪資的影響以及人際關係能力與認知能力的在薪資上的互補關係。實證操作上,以探索性因素分析法將非認知能力變數分為人際關係能力變數與其他非認知能力變數,並以樣本高中之綜合測驗成績做為認知能力的替代變數,三者合稱為個人能力變數。人際關係能力對於樣本的薪資有正向影響,而此影響主要來自從事中技能職業的群體,該群體中以大專畢業生和女性居多,而人際關係能力在高技能職業和低技能職業群體中對於薪資則沒有顯著影響,可能原因是中技能職業主要以服務業、商業、餐飲業組成,工作情境中人際交流十分頻繁,故中技能勞動市場中更需要擁有良好人際關係能力的青年人。此外,本研究中並未觀察到人際關係能力與認知能力存在明顯的互補關係,推測原因是樣本工作經驗和年資尚淺,大多從事基層工作,待資歷與專業提升後,兩者的互補性有可能會產生,特別是需要管理和溝通交流的高技能職業。
This study first defines the components of interpersonal ability, then incorporates Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS) and TEPS-B data to investigate the impacts of interpersonal ability and the complementarity between interpersonal ability and cognitive ability on the wages of young workers in Taiwan. We use the exploratory factor analysis to divide non-cognitive ability into interpersonal ability and other noncognitive abilities; cognitive ability is proxied by the examination scores of various subjects in their high school years. We define an individual's ability as interpersonal ability, non-cognitive ability, and cognitive ability. Empirical results show that interpersonal ability has a significant and positive effect on wages, especially for females and middle-skilled occupations, like service workers, trade workers, and food service workers, whose skills require a better interpersonal ability to fulfill the tasks. However, different from existing literature, we find no significant complementarity between interpersonal ability and cognitive ability. The possible reason may be most young workers remain either in the lower ranking job or with limited experience. As their careers move to higher or more sophisticated positions, which require management and communication skills, the significant complementarity relationship between interpersonal ability and cognitive ability may likely exist.