Training and productivity have been found positively correlated in theory and practice. The pattern of the relationship, however, was not explored in pre - and post-regulation in the conceived sector. This paper aims to observe the effects of regulation and training expenses along with other covariates on employee productivity in the Microfinance sector of Bangladesh. Using annual data of MRA-licensed MFIs, we have estimated both panel and cross-sectional regression models. The regression results confirm the theoretical relationship between training expenses and employee productivity. The regulation also worked positively in enhancing employee productivity. However, in the early stage of regulation, the average productivity gain due to regulation was substantial and was showing an increasing trend but then it declined and reached a constant level of about 4% - 5% each year. Between 2008 and 2011, both regulation and training positively contributed to the gains in average productivity of the employees. After 2012, there was a positive trend of average productivity elasticity of training expenses but there was a flat effect of regulation after 2012. Regulation was found to short-run shifter in the average productivity of employees while training expenses had a positive trend effect.

The current study examines the association between financial performance and leverage for 56 food processing firms listed in BSE over the period 2000-2018 using pooled OLS, fixed effects, and random effects models. The results indicate that leverage was significantly and positively associated with the firm performance. The results obtained are thus robust across the estimation methods. The pecking order theory and the static trade-off theory, both seem to explain Indian food processing firms’ decisions among the alternative theories of capital structure.