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Human Capital and Macro-Economic Development : A Review of the Evidence

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  • Rossi,Federico
Abstract
This paper reviews the evidence on the importance of human capital for macro-economic development. Through the lens of a simple aggregate production function, human capital might increase output per capita by directly entering in the production process, incentivising the accumulation of complementary inputs and facilitating the adoption of new technologies. The paper discusses the advantages and limitations of three methodological approaches that have been used to evaluate the importance of these channels: cross-country regressions, development accounting and quantitative models. The key findings in the literature are reviewed, and some of them are replicated using updated data. The bulk of the evidence suggests that human capital is an important determinant of cross-country income gaps, especially when its measurement is broadened to go beyond simple proxies of educational attainment. The paper concludes by highlighting promising avenues for future work.

Suggested Citation

  • Rossi,Federico, 2018. "Human Capital and Macro-Economic Development : A Review of the Evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8650, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:8650
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    2. Michele Catalano & Emilia Pezzolla, 2022. "Global natural projections," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 949-990, November.
    3. Porzio, Tommaso & Rossi, Federico & Santangelo, Gabriella, 2020. "The Human Side of Structural Transformation," CEPR Discussion Papers 15110, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Remi Jedwab & Paul Romer & Asif M. Islam & Roberto Samaniego, 2023. "Human Capital Accumulation at Work: Estimates for the World and Implications for Development," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 191-223, July.
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    6. Alexeev, Michael & Natkhov, Timur & Polishchuk, Leonid, 2024. "Institutions, abilities, and the allocation of talent: Evidence from Russian regions," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 271-296.
    7. Sari, Virgi & Tiwari, Sailesh, 2024. "The geography of human capital: insights from the subnational human capital index in Indonesia," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122167, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health Care Services Industry; Skills Development and Labor Force Training; Labor Markets; Rural Labor Markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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