IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/injoed/v109y2024ics0738059324001196.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Untapped human capital in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Leonard, Kenneth L.
  • Hompashe, Dumisani

Abstract

We argue and demonstrate that human capital services—health, education and behavioral health—suffer from underutilized human capital. Healthcare providers, teachers, mothers and poor people have significant funds of knowledge about how to improve human capital that they do not use. This problem is not unique to Africa, but it is particularly pernicious in that setting due to historically low state capabilities. We demonstrate measurement methods that establish this gap and discuss approaches to research and policy that could be used to close the gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonard, Kenneth L. & Hompashe, Dumisani, 2024. "Untapped human capital in Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:109:y:2024:i:c:s0738059324001196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.103093
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059324001196
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.103093?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leonard, Kenneth L. & Masatu, Melkiory C., 2017. "Changing health care provider performance through measurement," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 54-65.
    2. Filmer, Deon & Rogers, Halsey & Angrist, Noam & Sabarwal, Shwetlena, 2020. "Learning-adjusted years of schooling (LAYS): Defining a new macro measure of education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Martina Björkman & Jakob Svensson, 2009. "Power to the People: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment on Community-Based Monitoring in Uganda," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(2), pages 735-769.
    4. Mæstad, Ottar & Torsvik, Gaute & Aakvik, Arild, 2010. "Overworked? On the relationship between workload and health worker performance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 686-698, September.
    5. Anna Popova & David K Evans & Mary E Breeding & Violeta Arancibia, 2022. "Teacher Professional Development around the World: The Gap between Evidence and Practice [Training to Teach Science: Experimental Evidence from Argentina]," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 37(1), pages 107-136.
    6. Leonard, Kenneth & Masatu, Melkiory C., 2006. "Outpatient process quality evaluation and the Hawthorne Effect," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(9), pages 2330-2340, November.
    7. Canice Prendergast, 2007. "The Motivation and Bias of Bureaucrats," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(1), pages 180-196, March.
    8. J. Michelle Brock & Andreas Lange & Kenneth L. Leonard, 2016. "Generosity and Prosocial Behavior in Healthcare Provision: Evidence from the Laboratory and Field," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(1), pages 133-162.
    9. Nava Ashraf & Dean Karlan & Wesley Yin, 2006. "Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence From a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(2), pages 635-672.
    10. Jonathan T. Kolstad, 2013. "Information and Quality when Motivation is Intrinsic: Evidence from Surgeon Report Cards," NBER Working Papers 18804, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Kotze, Janeli & Fleisch, Brahm & Taylor, Stephen, 2019. "Alternative forms of early grade instructional coaching: Emerging evidence from field experiments in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 203-213.
    12. Leonard, Kenneth L. & Masatu, Melkiory C., 2010. "Using the Hawthorne effect to examine the gap between a doctor's best possible practice and actual performance," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 226-234, November.
    13. David K. Evans & Anna Welander Tärneberg, 2018. "Health‐care quality and information failure: Evidence from Nigeria," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 90-93, March.
    14. Adrienne M. Lucas & Patrick J. McEwan & Moses Ngware & Moses Oketch, 2014. "Improving Early‐Grade Literacy In East Africa: Experimental Evidence From Kenya And Uganda," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 950-976, September.
    15. Gayle H. Martin & Obert Pimhidzai, 2013. "Service Delivery Indicators : Kenya," World Bank Publications - Reports 20136, The World Bank Group.
    16. Das, Jishnu & Hammer, Jeffrey, 2005. "Which doctor? Combining vignettes and item response to measure clinical competence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 348-383, December.
    17. Di Giorgio,Laura & Evans,David & Lindelow,Magnus & Nguyen,Son Nam & Svensson,Jakob & Wane,Waly & Tarneberg,Anna Welander, 2020. "An Analysis of Clinical Knowledge, Absenteeism, and Availability of Resources for Maternal andChild Health : A Cross-Sectional Quality of Care Study in 10 African Countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9440, The World Bank.
    18. Grant Miller & Kimberly Singer Babiarz, 2013. "Pay-for-Performance Incentives in Low- and Middle-Income Country Health Programs," NBER Working Papers 18932, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Jishnu Das, 2011. "The Quality of Medical Care in Low-Income Countries: From Providers to Markets," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-2, April.
    20. Fearon, James D. & Laitin, David D., 2003. "Ethnicity, Insurgency, and Civil War," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(1), pages 75-90, February.
    21. Gauthier, Bernard & Wane, Waly, 2011. "Bypassing health providers: The quest for better price and quality of health care in Chad," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 540-549, August.
    22. Kenneth L. Leonard & Melkiory C. Masatu & Alexandre Vialou, 2007. "Getting Doctors to Do Their Best: The Roles of Ability and Motivation in Health Care Quality," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(3).
    23. Josse Delfgaauw, 2007. "Dedicated Doctors: Public and Private Provision of Health Care with Altruistic Physicians," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-010/1, Tinbergen Institute, revised 17 Sep 2007.
    24. Tessa Bold & Deon Filmer & Gayle Martin & Ezequiel Molina & Brian Stacy & Christophe Rockmore & Jakob Svensson & Waly Wane, 2017. "Enrollment without Learning: Teacher Effort, Knowledge, and Skill in Primary Schools in Africa," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(4), pages 185-204, Fall.
    25. Jonathan T. Kolstad, 2013. "Information and Quality When Motivation Is Intrinsic: Evidence from Surgeon Report Cards," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(7), pages 2875-2910, December.
    26. Isaac M. Mbiti, 2016. "The Need for Accountability in Education in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 30(3), pages 109-132, Summer.
    27. Brock, J. Michelle & Lange, Andreas & Leonard, Kenneth L., 2018. "Giving and promising gifts: Experimental evidence on reciprocity from the field," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 188-201.
    28. Isaac Mbiti & Karthik Muralidharan & Mauricio Romero & Youdi Schipper & Constantine Manda & Rakesh Rajani, 2019. "Inputs, Incentives, and Complementarities in Education: Experimental Evidence from Tanzania," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 134(3), pages 1627-1673.
    29. Lange, Siri & Mwisongo, Aziza & Mæstad, Ottar, 2014. "Why don't clinicians adhere more consistently to guidelines for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 56-63.
    30. Kenneth L. Leonard & Melkiory C. Masatu, 2010. "Professionalism and the know‐do gap: exploring intrinsic motivation among health workers in Tanzania," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(12), pages 1461-1477, December.
    31. Isaac Mbiti & Mauricio Romero & Youdi Schipper, 2023. "Designing Effective Teacher Performance Pay Programs: Experimental Evidence from Tanzania," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(653), pages 1968-2000.
    32. Leonard, Kenneth L., 2008. "Is patient satisfaction sensitive to changes in the quality of care? An exploitation of the Hawthorne effect," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 444-459, March.
    33. Pascaline Dupas, 2011. "Health Behavior in Developing Countries," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 425-449, September.
    34. György Bèla Fritsche & Robert Soeters & Bruno Meessen, 2014. "Performance-Based Financing Toolkit [Boîte à outils : Financement basé sur la performance]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 17194.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Leonard, Kenneth L. & Masatu, Melkiory C., 2017. "Changing health care provider performance through measurement," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 54-65.
    2. J. Michelle Brock & Andreas Lange & Kenneth L. Leonard, 2016. "Generosity and Prosocial Behavior in Healthcare Provision: Evidence from the Laboratory and Field," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(1), pages 133-162.
    3. Kovacs, Roxanne & Lagarde, Mylene, 2022. "Does high workload reduce the quality of healthcare? Evidence from rural Senegal," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Okeke, Edward N., 2022. "Playing defense? Health care in the era of Covid," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    5. Bauhoff,Sebastian Peter Alexander & Kandpal,Eeshani, 2021. "Information, Loss Framing, and Spillovers in Pay-for-Performance Contracts," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9687, The World Bank.
    6. Duchoslav, Jan & Cecchi, Francesco, 2019. "Do incentives matter when working for god? The impact of performance-based financing on faith-based healthcare in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 309-319.
    7. Kovacs, Roxanne J. & Lagarde, Mylène, 2022. "Does high workload reduce the quality of healthcare? Evidence from rural Senegal," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113759, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Kovacs, Roxanne J. & Lagarde, Mylene & Cairns, John, 2022. "Can patients improve the quality of care they receive? Experimental evidence from Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    9. Pablo A. Celhay & Paul J. Gertler & Paula Giovagnoli & Christel Vermeersch, 2019. "Long-Run Effects of Temporary Incentives on Medical Care Productivity," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 92-127, July.
    10. J. Michelle Brock & Andreas Lange & Kenneth L. Leonard, 2012. "Generosity norms and intrinsic motivation in health care provision: evidence from the laboratory and the field," Working Papers 147, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Office of the Chief Economist.
    11. Christophe Lemiére & Gaute Torsvik & Ottar Mæstad & Christopher H. Herbst & Kenneth L. Leonard, 2013. "Evaluating the Impact of Results-Based Financing on Health Worker Performance: Theory, Tools and Variables to Inform an Impact Evaluation," Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Discussion Paper Series 98269, The World Bank.
    12. Isaac Mbiti & Danila Serra, 2022. "Health workers’ behavior, patient reporting and reputational concerns: lab-in-the-field experimental evidence from Kenya," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(2), pages 514-556, April.
    13. Ding, Hui & Chen, Yiwei & Yu, Min & Zhong, Jieming & Hu, Ruying & Chen, Xiangyu & Wang, Chunmei & Xie, Kaixu & Eggleston, Karen, 2021. "The Effects of Chronic Disease Management in Primary Health Care: Evidence from Rural China," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    14. Leonard, Kenneth L. & Masatu, Melkiory C., 2010. "Using the Hawthorne effect to examine the gap between a doctor's best possible practice and actual performance," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 226-234, November.
    15. Brock, J. Michelle & Lange, Andreas & Leonard, Kenneth L., 2015. "Esteem and social information: On determinants of prosocial behavior of clinicians in Tanzania," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 85-94.
    16. Ida Lindkvist, 2013. "Informal Payments And Health Worker Effort: A Quantitative Study From Tanzania," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(10), pages 1250-1271, October.
    17. Blimpo, Moussa P. & Pugatch, Todd, 2021. "Entrepreneurship education and teacher training in Rwanda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    18. Olivella, Pau & Siciliani, Luigi, 2017. "Reputational concerns with altruistic providers," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1-13.
    19. Anna D Gage & Margaret E Kruk & Tsinuel Girma & Ephrem T Lemango, 2018. "The know-do gap in sick child care in Ethiopia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-10, December.
    20. Fuhai Hong & Tanjim Hossain & John A. List & Migiwa Tanaka, 2018. "Testing The Theory Of Multitasking: Evidence From A Natural Field Experiment In Chinese Factories," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 59(2), pages 511-536, May.

    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:eee:injoed:v:109:y:2024:i:c:s0738059324001196. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-educational-development .

    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.