Human Capital Formation In Europe At The Regional Level Implications For Economic Growth

Human capital is of utmost importance for the future of our knowledge economies and societies. However, it is unequally distributed in Europe, contributing to marked spatial patterns of economic prosperity within and across countries. In many cases, these patterns have a long history. To understand them better, it requires to go back in time, when mass schooling was starting to become a reality across Europe. Taking a long-run perspective over more than 150 years, this book shows the development and the distribution of human capital in the regions of Europe and its connections with the economy. It provides insights into recent research findings in this area, including theoretical advances and the use of new empirical data.

. . . I am convinced that it should occupy a high position on the desk of policymakers. . . This book constitutes a good state-of-the-art study in this field and paves the way for further research in this direction. Marie-Claire Villeval, Economic Record This attractive publication is carried out as a clear attempt to gain access to a wider audience, relaxing formal and technical details, which makes the lecture easier. . . An international comparison of literature or educational and labour experiences is provided in every contribution in the book, helping to obtain a wider perspective of the problems tackled. Carmen García and Julio López, Education Economics This book makes a novel contribution to economics of education in several key respects. It highlights a broad number of crucial factors over the individual s life cycle that underlie inequalities in education and in the labour market. . . It is amazing how limited our knowledge is about these interactions despite their high priority in national as well as EU-level policy-making. This is a timely book concerned with topics of high policy relevance. Moreover, the authors have well succeeded in their attempt to write "in a style that makes this work accessible to a wider audience", using the editor s words. It is most important that academics as well as politicians are made aware of the considerable knowledge gaps that still prevail in our understanding of the role of education and training for the individual s success or failure in school and in working life. Rita Asplund, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA), Finland In the last decade, changes occurring in the demand for skills have produced significant effect on the functioning of labour markets in Europe and elsewhere. The challenge posed by a knowledge based society for sustained growth has been at the centre of the European strategy for employment and has important implications for the design of labour market policies. This book brings together a wide range of contributions written by leading experts on key issues such as: schooling systems, transition from school to work and lifelong learning, thereby providing an essential reference for both researchers and policymakers. Claudio Lucifora, Università Cattolica, Italy Human Capital Over the Life Cycle synthesises comparative research on the processes of human capital formation in the areas of education and training in Europe, in relation to the labour market. The book proposes that one of the most important challenges faced by Europe today is to understand the link between education and training on the one hand and economic and social inequality on the other. The authors focus the analysis on three main aspects of the links between education and social inequality: educational inequality, differences in access to labour markets and differences in lifelong earnings and training. Almost all the stages in the life cycle are tracked from early childhood to stages late in the working life: firstly the characteristics and effects of schooling systems, then the transitions from school to work and, finally, human capital and the working career. Academics and researchers of European studies, labour economics and the economics of education will all find this novel and analytically sound book of interest, as will sociologists and policymakers in Europe.

Human capital plays a fundamental role in a knowledge-based economy, and is also a key element for reducing the gap between European regions and improving regional competitiveness and labour force quality. This study examines the contribution of human capital to growth and employment in France and Germany. It describes in detail the relations between a set of relevant indicators for improving human capital and its output in terms of productivity, wages and employment. It provides an estimation of private and social returns from schooling and training.

For most of the vast span of human history, economic growth was all but nonexistent. Then, about two centuries ago, some nations began to emerge from this epoch of economic stagnation, experiencing sustained economic growth that led to significant increases in standards of living and profoundly altered the level and distribution of wealth, population, education, and health across the globe. The question ever since has been--why? This is the first book to put forward a unified theory of economic growth that accounts for the entire growth process, from the dawn of civilization to today. Oded Galor, who founded the field of unified growth theory, identifies the historical and prehistorical forces behind the differential transition timing from stagnation to growth and the emergence of income disparity around the world. Galor shows how the interaction between technological progress and population ultimately raised the importance of education in coping with the rapidly changing technological environment, brought about significant reduction in fertility rates, and enabled some economies to devote greater resources toward a steady increase in per capita income, paving the way for sustained economic growth. Presents a unified theory of economic growth from the dawn of civilization to today Explains the worldwide disparities in living standards and population we see today Provides a comprehensive overview of the three phases of the development process Analyzes the Malthusian theory and its empirical support Examines theories of demographic transition and their empirical significance Explores the interaction between economic development and human evolution

Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.