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The effects of human capital composition on technological convergence

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  • Ang, James B.
  • Madsen, Jakob B.
  • Rabiul Islam, Md.

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates whether the contribution of human capital to productivity growth depends on the composition of human capital and proximity to the technology frontier in a panel of 87 sample countries over the period 1970-2004. It tests the hypothesis that primary and secondary education is more suitable for imitation whereas tertiary education is more appropriate for innovation. The results show that the growth enhancing effects of higher education increase with proximity to the technology frontier only for high and medium income countries.

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  • Ang, James B. & Madsen, Jakob B. & Rabiul Islam, Md., 2011. "The effects of human capital composition on technological convergence," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 465-476, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:33:y:2011:i:3:p:465-476
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    2. Mariya Neycheva, 2016. "Secondary versus higher education for growth: the case of three countries with different human capital’s structure and quality," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 2367-2393, November.
    3. Jürgen Bitzer & Erkan Gören & Sanne Hiller, 2014. "International Knowledge Spillovers: The Benefits from Employing Immigrants," Working Paper Series in Economics 323, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    4. Md. Rabiul Islam & James B. Ang & Jakob B. Madsen, 2014. "Quality-Adjusted Human Capital And Productivity Growth," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 52(2), pages 757-777, April.
    5. Wang, Mei & Xu, Mi & Ma, Shaojun, 2021. "The effect of the spatial heterogeneity of human capital structure on regional green total factor productivity," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 427-441.
    6. Shreya Pal, 2023. "Does Remittance and Human Capital Formation Affect Financial Development? A Comparative Analysis Between India and China," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 30(2), pages 387-426, June.
    7. Paola Azar Dufrechou, 2018. "Higher education and economic development: can public funding restrain the returns from tertiary education?," Working Papers wpdea1802, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    8. Catarina Moura e Sa Cardoso & Geetha Ravishankar, 2015. "Productivity growth and convergence: a stochastic frontier analysis," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(2), pages 224-236, May.
    9. Mohsen MOHAGHEGH & A.S. VALIPOUR, 2020. "Income-dependent impacts of financial development and human capital on economic growth. A non-stationary panel analysis," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(625), W), pages 263-274, Winter.
    10. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2018. "Technology diffusion, international integration and participation in developing economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 215-253, January.
    11. Stephen Oluwatobi & Oluyomi Ola-David & Isaiah Olurinola & Philip Alege & Adeyemi Ogundipe, 2016. "Human Capital, Institutions and Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 6(4), pages 1507-1514.
    12. Cerina, Fabio & Manca, Fabio, 2018. "Catch Me If You Learn: Development-Specific Education And Economic Growth," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(6), pages 1652-1694, September.
    13. Xiaoxiao Zhou & Xinyue Hu & Mei Duan & Licheng Peng & Xin Zhao, 2024. "Go for Economic Transformation and Development in China: Financial Development, Higher Education, and Green Technology Evolution," Evaluation Review, , vol. 48(1), pages 32-62, February.
    14. Danquah, Michael & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph, 2017. "Assessing the relationships between human capital, innovation and technology adoption: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 24-33.
    15. Blazsek, Szabolcs & Escribano, Álvaro, 2012. "Patents, secret innovations and firm's rate of return : differential effects of the innovation leader," UC3M Working papers. Economics we1202, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    16. Houjian Li & Xiaolei Zhou & Mengqian Tang & Lili Guo, 2022. "Impact of Population Aging and Renewable Energy Consumption on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in Rural China: Evidence from Panel VAR Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-19, May.
    17. Sajid Anwar & Sizhong Sun, 2014. "Entry of foreign firms and the R&D behaviour: a panel data study of domestic and foreign firms in China's manufacturing sector," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(8), pages 739-757, November.
    18. Mariya Neycheva, 2015. "Impact of Secondary and Tertiary Education on Economic Growth: a Co-integration Model for Bulgaria," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 4, pages 82-106.
    19. James Ang & Jakob Madsen, 2015. "Imitation versus innovation in an aging society: international evidence since 1870," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(2), pages 299-327, April.
    20. Okada, Keisuke, 2013. "The interaction effects of financial openness and institutions on international capital flows," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 131-143.
    21. Banerjee, Rajabrata & Roy, Saikat Sinha, 2014. "Human capital, technological progress and trade: What explains India's long run growth?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 15-31.
    22. Hu, Gang-Gao, 2021. "Is knowledge spillover from human capital investment a catalyst for technological innovation? The curious case of fourth industrial revolution in BRICS economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    23. Chatterji, Niti & Kiran, Ravi, 2017. "Role of human and relational capital of universities as underpinnings of a knowledge economy: A structural modelling perspective from north Indian universities," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 52-61.
    24. Salem Gheit, 2022. "A Stochastic Frontier Analysis of the Human Capital Effects on the Manufacturing Industries’ Technical Efficiency in the United States," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 8(3), pages 215-238, July.
    25. Sara Barcenilla-Visús & Carmen López-Pueyo, 2018. "Inside Europe: human capital and economic growth revisited," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(4), pages 821-847, November.

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