IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/ifwkwp/659.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The role of human capital in economic growth: New results and alternative interpretations

Author

Listed:
  • Gundlach, Erich

Abstract

While it is largely uncontroversial that human capital can be considered as one of the shaping factors of economic growth, no agreement exists on the specific role of human capital formation. Competing theories all stressing different aspects of human capital formation are not in short supply, but the empirical evidence in support of one view or another is largely missing. To be able to discriminate between alternative interpretations, it would be useful to know whether physical or human capital has a larger impact on output per capita and whether the returns to all capital are constant, increasing, or decreasing. Depending on the answers, rather different implications for the role of human capital could emerge.

Suggested Citation

  • Gundlach, Erich, 1994. "The role of human capital in economic growth: New results and alternative interpretations," Kiel Working Papers 659, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:659
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/675/1/043472885.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barro, Robert J. & Lee, Jong-Wha, 1993. "International comparisons of educational attainment," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 363-394, December.
    2. Rebelo, Sergio, 1991. "Long-Run Policy Analysis and Long-Run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(3), pages 500-521, June.
    3. Psacharopoulos, George, 1994. "Returns to investment in education: A global update," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(9), pages 1325-1343, September.
    4. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    5. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    6. Robert Summers & Alan Heston, 1988. "A New Set Of International Comparisons Of Real Product And Price Levels Estimates For 130 Countries, 1950–1985," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 34(1), pages 1-25, March.
    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. Jean C. Kouam & Simplice A. Asongu, 2022. "Effects of Taxation on Social Innovation and Implications for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries: A Literature Review," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 22/046, African Governance and Development Institute..
    2. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1996. "Winners and losers in the global economy: Recent trends in the international division of labour and policy challenges," Kiel Discussion Papers 281, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    3. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1997. "Aufhol- und Abkopplungsprozesse im europäischen Binnenmarkt," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 1715, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Dimitris Giakoulas & Constantina Kottaridi, 2020. "Internationalization Strategies of the Greek MNEs during the Pre-Crisis Period: An Econometric Research Based on the OLI Model," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 70(1-2), pages 128-150, January-J.
    5. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1997. "Herausforderungen der Globalisierung für Brasilien," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 1705, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    6. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1998. "Wirtschaftliche Aufholprozesse und Globalisierungskrisen in Entwicklungsländern: Implikationen für die nationale Wirtschaftspolitik und den globalen Ordnungsrahmen," Kiel Discussion Papers 328, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Gundlach, Erich, 1998. "Das Wirtschaftswachstum der Nationen im zwanzigsten Jahrhundert," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 1756, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    8. Gundlach, Erich & Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1997. "Labor markets in the global economy: How to prevent rising wage gaps and unemployment," Kiel Discussion Papers 305, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    9. Ludger Wößmann, 2003. "Specifying Human Capital," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(3), pages 239-270, July.
    10. Gundlach, Erich, 1996. "Solow meets market socialism: regional convergence of output per worker in China," Kiel Working Papers 726, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    11. Wößmann, Ludger, 2000. "Specifying Human Capital: A Review, Some Extensions, and Development Effects," Kiel Working Papers 1007, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    12. Maurer, Rainer, 1995. "Is economic growth a random walk?," Kiel Working Papers 677, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    13. Sakib, S M Nazmuz, 2021. "Factors which are Affecting Human Capital in Singapore," Thesis Commons 38txr, Center for Open Science.
    14. Chen, Derek H. C. & Dahlman, Carl J., 2004. "Knowledge and development : a cross-section approach," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3366, The World Bank.
    15. Erich Gundlach, 1997. "Human capital and economic development: A macroeconomic assessment," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 32(1), pages 23-35, January.
    16. Erich Gundlach, 1997. "Openness and economic growth in developing countries," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 133(3), pages 479-496, September.
    17. Tselmuun Tserenkhuu & Stephen Kosempel, 2024. "Life expectancy and business cycles in a small open economy," ISER Discussion Paper 1263, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    18. Foders, Federico, 1998. "A note on economic growth and human capital in Eastern Europe," Kiel Working Papers 864, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    19. Erich Gundlach, 2001. "Education and Economic Development: An Empirical Perspective," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 37-60, June.
    20. Gundlach, Erich, 1997. "Regional convergence of output per worker in China: A neoclassical interpretation," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 1765, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    21. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1996. "The changing pattern of foreign direct investment in Latin America," Kiel Working Papers 736, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    22. Gundlach, Erich, 1999. "Investment in education: Some lessons from the international evidence for the Baltic states," Kiel Discussion Papers 333, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    23. Langhammer, Rolf J. & Schweickert, Rainer, 1995. "The Mexican reform process: improving long-run perspectives and mastering short-run turbulences," Kiel Discussion Papers 255, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    24. Gundlach, Erich & Nunnenkamp, Peter, 1996. "Some consequences of globalization for developing countries," Kiel Working Papers 753, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    25. Self, Sharmistha & Grabowski, Richard, 2004. "Does education at all levels cause growth? India, a case study," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 47-55, February.

    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. Daren, Conrad, 2007. "Education and Economic Growth: Is There a Link?," MPRA Paper 18176, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2009.
    2. John Beirne & Nauro F. Campos, 2007. "Educational inputs and outcomes before the transition from communism," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 15(1), pages 57-76, January.
    3. Xavier Sala-i-Martin, 2002. "15 Years of New Growth Economics : What Have we Learnt?," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 5(2), pages 5-15, August.
    4. Gundlach, Erich, 1993. "On the empirics of capital accumulation and economic growth," Kiel Working Papers 577, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Martin Werding & Sonja Munz & Vera Gács, 2008. "Fertility and prosperity : links between demography and economic growth," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 42, September.
    6. Peter J. Klenow & Mark Bils, 2000. "Does Schooling Cause Growth?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1160-1183, December.
    7. Ralitsa Simeonova-Ganeva, 2010. "Human Capital in Economic Growth: A Review of Theory and Empirics," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 7, pages 131-149.
    8. van de Klundert, T.C.M.J. & Smulders, J.A., 1991. "Reconstructing growth theory : A survey," Other publications TiSEM 19355c51-17eb-4d5d-aa66-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    9. Kuo-Hsing Kuo & Cheng-Te Lee, 2017. "Economic Integration, Growth and Income Distribution," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(1), pages 59-71, March.
    10. Chad Turner & Robert Tamura & Sean Mulholland, 2013. "How important are human capital, physical capital and total factor productivity for determining state economic growth in the United States, 1840–2000?," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 319-371, December.
    11. Hilary Steedman, 1996. "Measuring the Quality of Educational Outputs: A Note," CEP Discussion Papers dp0302, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    12. Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman, 1994. "Endogenous Innovation in the Theory of Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 23-44, Winter.
    13. Diaz-Bautista, Alejandro, 2002. "The role of telecommunications infrastructure and human capital: Mexico´s economic growth and convergence," ERSA conference papers ersa02p102, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Marcelo Soto, 2006. "The Causal Effect of Education on Aggregate Income," Working Papers 0605, International Economics Institute, University of Valencia.
    15. Paul M. Romer, 1994. "The Origins of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 3-22, Winter.
    16. Angel de la Fuente & Antonio Ciccone, 2003. "Human capital in a global and knowledge-based economy," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 562.03, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    17. Redding, Stephen & Schott, Peter K., 2003. "Distance, skill deepening and development: will peripheral countries ever get rich?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 515-541, December.
    18. Maite Blázquez & José Ramos, 2008. "Disparidades entre educación formal y educación en el puesto de trabajo," Revista de Economía Laboral - Spanish Journal of Labour Economics, Asociación Española de Economía Laboral - AEET, vol. 5, pages 1-32.
    19. Adele Bergin & Ide Kearney, 2004. "Human Capital, The Labour Market and Productivity Growth in Ireland," Papers WP158, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    20. Greasley, David & Oxley, Les, 1998. "Comparing British and American Economic and Industrial Performance 1860-1993: A Time Series Perspective," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 171-195, April.

    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:zbw:ifwkwp:659. 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: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iwkiede.html .

    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.