IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/growch/v52y2021i3p1535-1551.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

To be a STEM or not to be a STEM: Why do countries differ?

Author

Listed:
  • Bruna Bruno
  • Marisa Faggini

Abstract

This paper proposes a theoretical analysis and an empirical investigation on simultaneous choices of an enrolment and discipline field, comparing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to non‐STEM fields, to enlighten economic variables influencing students. The cross‐country analysis of 35 countries in the period 2013–2016 tries to disentangle factors shifting students from one choice to another and why countries differ in directing students toward specific disciplines. The results show that expenditures in R&D convince more students to choose STEM disciplines, whereas population density and the expected years of schooling have a negative impact on the percentage of STEM enrolments. As a whole, it appears that STEM enrolments are chosen for investment motives, whereas non‐STEM enrolments are less guided by economic factors and more dependent on a consumption effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruna Bruno & Marisa Faggini, 2021. "To be a STEM or not to be a STEM: Why do countries differ?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 1535-1551, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:52:y:2021:i:3:p:1535-1551
    DOI: 10.1111/grow.12494
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12494
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/grow.12494?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Winters, John V., 2014. "STEM graduates, human capital externalities, and wages in the U.S," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 190-198.
    2. Stephan Brunow & Antonia Birkeneder & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2018. "Creative and science-oriented employees and firm-level innovation," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1808, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Feb 2018.
    3. Cunningham, Chris & Patton, Michaela C. & Reed, Robert R., 2016. "Heterogeneous returns to knowledge exchange: Evidence from the urban wage premium," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PA), pages 120-139.
    4. Harrison, Ann & McLaren, John & McMillan, Margaret S., 2010. "Recent findings on trade and inequality:," IFPRI discussion papers 1047, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Richard Wright & Mark Ellis & Matthew Townley, 2017. "The Matching of STEM Degree Holders with STEM Occupations in Large Metropolitan Labor Markets in the United States," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 93(2), pages 185-201, March.
    6. Shimeng Liu, 2017. "Agglomeration, Urban Wage Premiums, And College Majors," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 611-630, September.
    7. Podobnik, Boris & Christopher Crawford, G. & Lichtenstein, Benyamin & Lipic, Tomislav & Wild, Dorian & Zhang, Xin & Stanley, H. Eugene, 2020. "The new wealth of nations: How STEM fields generate the prosperity and inequality of individuals, companies, and countries," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    8. Slaughter, Matthew J, 1998. "International Trade and Labour-Market Outcomes: Results, Questions, and Policy Options," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(450), pages 1452-1462, September.
    9. David Sjoquist & John Winters, 2015. "The effect of Georgia’s HOPE scholarship on college major: a focus on STEM," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-29, December.
    10. Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg & Nina Pavcnik, 2007. "Distributional Effects of Globalization in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 39-82, March.
    11. Brent J. Evans, 2017. "SMART Money: Do Financial Incentives Encourage College Students to Study Science?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 12(3), pages 342-368, Summer.
    12. Wood, Adrian, 1998. "Globalisation and the Rise in Labour Market Inequalities," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(450), pages 1463-1482, September.
    13. Mcnally, Sandra, 2020. "Gender differences in tertiary education: what explains STEM participation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108232, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Podobnik, Boris & Dabić, Marina & Wild, Dorian & Di Matteo, Tiziana, 2023. "The impact of STEM on the growth of wealth at varying scales, ranging from individuals to firms and countries: The performance of STEM firms during the pandemic across different markets," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thomas Gries & Stefan Jungblut & Tim Krieger & Henning Meyer, 2019. "Economic Retirement Age and Lifelong Learning: A Theoretical Model With Heterogeneous Labor, Biased Technical Change and International Sourcing," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 20(2), pages 129-170, May.
    2. Lin, Faqin & Long, Cheryl X., 2020. "The impact of globalization on youth education: Empirical evidence from China's WTO accession," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 820-839.
    3. Podobnik, Boris & Dabić, Marina & Wild, Dorian & Di Matteo, Tiziana, 2023. "The impact of STEM on the growth of wealth at varying scales, ranging from individuals to firms and countries: The performance of STEM firms during the pandemic across different markets," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    4. Liu, Shimeng & Yang, Xi, 2021. "Human capital externalities or consumption spillovers? The effect of high-skill human capital across low-skill labor markets," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. John V. Winters, 2017. "Do Native STEM Graduates Increase Innovation? Evidence from U.S. Metropolitan Areas," Economics Working Paper Series 1714, Oklahoma State University, Department of Economics and Legal Studies in Business.
    6. Kris James Mitchener & Se Yan, 2014. "Globalization, Trade, And Wages: What Does History Tell Us About China?," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55(1), pages 131-168, February.
    7. Peter Huber & Helmut Hofer, 2001. "Teilprojekt 9: Auswirkungen der EU-Erweiterung auf den österreichischen Arbeitsmarkt," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 19839, April.
    8. Meier, Volker & Schiopu, Ioana, 2015. "Optimal higher education enrollment and productivity externalities in a two-sector model," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 1-13.
    9. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    10. Ayodele, Olumide S. & Obafemi, Frances N., 2006. "Fiscal and Quasi-Fiscal Effects of the Parallel Exchange Premium in Nigeria," Conference papers 331503, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    11. Zakhilwal, Omar, 2001. "The Impact of International Trade on the Wages of Canadians," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2001156e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    12. Kar, Saibal & Beladi, Hamid, 2004. "Skill formation and international migration: welfare perspective of developing countries," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 35-54, January.
    13. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Lee, Neil, 2020. "Hipsters vs. geeks? Creative workers, STEM and innovation in US cities," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103974, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Cunningham, Chris & Patton, Michaela C. & Reed, Robert R., 2016. "Heterogeneous returns to knowledge exchange: Evidence from the urban wage premium," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PA), pages 120-139.
    15. Adrian Wood, 2017. "Variation in structural change around the world, 1985–2015: Patterns, causes and implications," WIDER Working Paper Series 034a, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    16. Brunow, Stephan & Birkeneder, Antonia & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2018. "Creative and science-oriented employees and firm-level innovation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 87588, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Lorenzo Rotunno & Adrian Wood, 2015. "Wages and endowments in a globalised world," Economics Papers 2015-W11, Economics Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
    18. Lars Calmfors & Giancarlo Corsetti & Michael P. Devereux & Gilles Saint-Paul & Hans-Werner Sinn & Jan-Egbert Sturm & Xavier Vives, 2008. "Chapter 3: The effect of globalisation on Western European jobs: curse or blessing?," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo, vol. 0, pages 71-104, February.
    19. Clem Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2004. "Globalization, Social Welfare, Public Policy And Labor Inequalities," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 49(02), pages 233-253.
    20. David Atkin, 2016. "Endogenous Skill Acquisition and Export Manufacturing in Mexico," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(8), pages 2046-2085, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:52:y:2021:i:3:p:1535-1551. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0017-4815 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.