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Education's role in China's structural transformation

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  • Soohyung Lee
  • Benjamin A. Malin

Abstract

We explore education's role in improving the allocation of labor between China's agricultural and nonagricultural sectors and measure the portion of China's recent growth attributable to this channel. Building from micro-level estimates, we find that education's impact on labor reallocation between sectors accounts for about 9 percent of Chinese growth, whereas its impact on within-sector human capital growth explains only 2 percent. Our findings suggest that, when frictions cause large productivity gaps across sectors and returns to education are greater in higher-productivity sectors, education policy may be a useful tool for increasing efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Soohyung Lee & Benjamin A. Malin, 2009. "Education's role in China's structural transformation," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2009-41, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2009-41
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    2. Hsu Sara & Carolina Alba & Simon Melchor, 2016. "China’s structural transformation: reaching potential GDP in the financial services sector," China Finance and Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2), pages 37-57, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education - Economic aspects;

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O5 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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