The Technology of Skill Formation

Flavio Cunha and James Heckman

No 2550, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper develops a model of skill formation that explains a variety of findings established in the child development and child intervention literatures. At its core is a technology that is stage-specific and that features self productivity, dynamic complementarity and skill multipliers. Lessons are drawn for the design of new policies to alleviate the consequences of the accident of birth that is a major source of human inequality.

Keywords: dynamic complementarity; skill multiplier; self productivity; accident of birth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I38 J13 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2007-01
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1701)

Published - published in: American Economic Review, 2007, 97 (2), 31-47

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Technology of Skill Formation (2007)
Working Paper: The Technology of Skill Formation (2007)
Working Paper: The Technology of Skill Formation (2004)
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