Capabilities and Skills

Chase O. Corbin () and James Heckman
Additional contact information
Chase O. Corbin: University of Chicago

No 2016-018, Working Papers from Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group

Abstract: This paper discusses the relevance of recent research on the economics of human development to the work of the Human Development and Capability Association. The recent economics of human development brings insights about the dynamics of skill accumulation to the literature on capabilities. Skills embodied in agents empower people. Enhanced skills enhance opportunities and hence promote capabilities. We address measurement problems common to both the economics of human development and the capability approach. The economics of human development analyzes the dynamics of preference formation, but is silent about which preferences should be used to evaluate alternative policies. This is both a strength and a limitation of the approach.

Keywords: skills; capabilities; freedom; technology of skill formation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D04 D31 D63 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-neu
Note: ECI
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Corbin ... abilities-skills.pdf First version, July, 2016 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Capabilities and Skills (2016)
Working Paper: Capabilities and Skills (2016)
Working Paper: Capabilities and Skills (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hka:wpaper:2016-018

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