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Quality-adjusted Human Capital and Productivity Growth

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  • Md. Rabiul Islam

Abstract

Both the quality and quantity of human capital are important for growth. Although the quality aspects of human capital may have greater potential in explaining growth, given that the quantity effects of human capital have been found to be ambiguous, they have long been ignored in empirical growth literature. This paper empirically tests the joint effects of both the quantity and quality of human capital in stimulating productivity growth for a panel of 89 countries over the period 1970-2007. Based on different measures of human capital quantity and quality, the results show that the growth effects of educational attainment can be significantly enhanced when the quality of schooling is improved. The joint effect of human capital quality and quantity is found to be stronger in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Md. Rabiul Islam, 2010. "Quality-adjusted Human Capital and Productivity Growth," Monash Economics Working Papers 48-10, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2010-48
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    3. Altinok, Nadir & Aydemir, Abdurrahman, 2017. "Does one size fit all? The impact of cognitive skills on economic growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 176-190.
    4. Madsen, Jakob B. & Raschky, Paul A. & Skali, Ahmed, 2015. "Does democracy drive income in the world, 1500–2000?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 175-195.
    5. Barker, Tom & Üngör, Murat, 2019. "Vietnam: The next asian Tiger?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 96-118.
    6. Swati Saini & Meeta Keswani Mehra, "undated". "Quality of Schooling: Child Quantity-Quality Tradeoff, Technological Progress and Economic Growth," Centre for International Trade and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Discussion Papers 18-06, Centre for International Trade and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
    7. Jules-Daniel Wurlod & Derek Eaton, 2015. "Chasing After the Frontier in Agricultural Productivity," FOODSECURE Working papers 36, LEI Wageningen UR.
    8. Campbell, Susanna G. & Üngör, Murat, 2020. "Revisiting human capital and aggregate income differences," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 43-64.
    9. Zuazu, Izaskun, 2019. "The growth effect of democracy and technology: An industry disaggregated approach," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 115-131.
    10. Luca Spinesi, 2022. "The Environmental Tax: Effects on Inequality and Growth," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 82(3), pages 529-572, July.
    11. Kottaridi, Constantina & Louloudi, Konstantina & Karkalakos, Sotiris, 2019. "Human capital, skills and competencies: Varying effects on inward FDI in the EU context," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 375-390.
    12. Rocha, Leonardo Andrade & Silva, Napiê Galvê Araújo & Almeida, Carlo Alano Soares de & Oliveira, Denison Murilo de & Fernandes, Kaio César, 2020. "Growth and heterogeneity of human capital: effects of the expansion of higher education on the income increase in Brazilian municipalities," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    13. Naveen Kumar & Dibyendu Maiti, 2023. "Long-run macroeconomic impact of climate change ontotal factor productivity - Evidences from Emerging Economies," Working papers 342, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics.
    14. Bart van Ark & Dirk Pilat & Klaas de Vries, 2023. "Are Pro-Productivity Policies Fit for Purpose? Productivity Drivers and Policies in G-20 Economies," Working Papers 038, The Productivity Institute.
    15. Xi Lin & Yongle Zhao & Mahmood Ahmad & Zahoor Ahmed & Husam Rjoub & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo, 2021. "Linking Innovative Human Capital, Economic Growth, and CO 2 Emissions: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Provincial Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Hüseyin Taştan & Selin Erdoğan, 2018. "Cognitive skills and economic performance: evidence from the recent international student assessment tests," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(3), pages 417-449, December.
    17. 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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    More about this item

    Keywords

    quantity; quality; human capital; growth; world;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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