Examines the gap in earnings between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan men and women in both 1977 and 1987. Shows that returns outweigh endowments in explaining that gap for both men and women, although their importance decreases over the 10-year period. Uses the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey and the 1988 Current Population Survey. (KS)

Presents definitions of intellectual and human capital. Examines human capital from the individual perspective (employability, performance, career development) and organization perspective (investment, ownership, knowledge management). Reviews papers in the theme issue. (Contains 117 references.) (SK)

This paper presents a review and assessment of existing theoretical accounts to explain differentials in access to education and training in advanced economies. These theories tend to focus on the analysis of the influence of a set of economic, sociological and political variables on access to education. Existing theories are criticized on two…

The authors offer the image of our nation as a nautical convoy. Some boats are large, well built, and able to ride out the heaviest of turbulent seas. Others are smaller, but still quite sturdy, and able to survive. Many however, are fragile, meagerly equipped, and easily capsized in rough waters. This convoy is in the midst of a perfect storm…

Background/Context: In the field of educational research, conventional wisdom holds that primary-level schooling, specifically literacy acquisition, promotes economic mobility for individuals and economic development for the nation. This belief is rooted in human capital theory, the causal argument claiming that state investment in schooling or…

The concept of skill is a matter of debate among occupational sociologists. Recent theorists tend to dismiss deskilling theory, but research findings are not yet conclusive. New lines of inquiry involving new technology and social construction of skills are emerging. Greater rigor in research is needed to contribute to policy debates. (105…

Addresses the separation of human capital studies into distinct fields of education and health. The main difference between the fields may be the ability to measure objectively the value added of health care expenditures, in contrast to the earnings valuation of education. As a result, the two fields (and their literatures) separate theoretically…

Overview of the origins, development, rapid diffusion, and current usage of the concept of social capital in the literature. Focuses on three approaches to operationalizing the concept: those of James Coleman, Pierre Bourdieu, and Robert Putnam. Discusses social capital as a resource, as goal-oriented, and as a contributor to social control and…

Examines the context and content of articles in "Comparative Education," 1977-98. Explores the parallel literature of development studies, focusing on themes of importance to comparative education: modernization, human capital theory, and the "dependency" of poor countries. A shared commitment to understanding the role of…

This report, representing the culmination of the first phase of an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) project, analyzes the various concepts of human resource development in relationship to structural and technological change. Part I, "The Knowledge Base of an Industrial Economy" (Gunnar Eliasson), begins with a chapter…

The relationship between higher education and the division of labor was studied. The objective was to evaluate whether the establishment of affiliated universities has had the intended effects in terms of efficiency and equality. A main focus of "established educational research" has been the relationship between education and…

Data from a variety of sources are used to examine enrollment and employment trends in public higher education. U.S. public institutions of higher education are charged with supplying much of the human capital that will power the economy and with filling the pipeline of qualified workers. Data suggest that there are several important "disconnects"…

Until the 1950s, Canadian economists demonstrated little concern about the relationship between education and society's economic performance. In the 1960s, the neoclassical school became preoccupied with education's investment potential and, with the Keynsians, formed a consensus on greatly increased expenditures. In the 1970s, this judgment was…

The Department of Education is a leader in improving the quality of education and raising expectations of what students can accomplish. The Department has promised to leave no child behind in order to ensure that all Americans can use their knowledge and skills to lead productive lives, enhance communities, and participate fully in the economy. To…

Compares and contrasts two economic views, political economy and neoclassical economics, as they pertain to the development of human capital and education in rural areas. The concluding discussion draws implications for rural educators. (Author/KS)