Microeconomic Approaches to Development: Schooling, Learning, and Growth

摘要

Of all fields of economics, micro-development is probably characterized by the most variety in the approaches taken, data sets used, and settings studied. This heterogeneity reflects the fact that not all issues can be investigated with one approach, given limitations of time, methodology, and available data. But the eclecticism of micro-development can also contribute to the credibility of findings. As we have seen, a variety of empirical approaches, based on many different kinds of data-including long-term, general-purpose, household panel data sets; focused data sets associated with experiments; and matched cross-sectional administrative data-have produced important and common insights into the role of schooling in development, highlighted in prominent macro models of growth. In particular, these studies have provided improved estimates of the contributions of schooling to earnings that go beyond simple wage regressions; revealed the importance of both own and social learning in technology adoption that is enhanced by schooling; provided insights into where and when schooling will be particularly productive; and showed that schooling investments increase when schooling returns rise or are perceived to rise.