An Australian study has explored the relationship between educational achievement and a nation’s competitiveness, with the results pointing towards the importance of investment in reading, science and mathematics education. The study also suggests that education alone is not sufficient to create a competitive country: the effect of education on competitiveness is enhanced by culture and industrial development.
The study, led by Macquarie University’s Dr Chris Baumann and co-authored by Associate Professor Hume Winzar, analysed Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data from 63 countries to ascertain education’s role in explaining the competitiveness of a country. Strong correlations were found for reading and science (each 53% shared variance) and mathematics (50%).
However, not all countries are transforming educational achievement into the creation of a competitive economy and society. Regional differences were found, with East Asia performing strongly both academically and in competitiveness, ahead of Europe, the rest of Asia, and South and Central America. Anglo-Saxon countries rank second academically behind East Asia, but in terms of competitiveness, the Anglo-Saxon cluster ranks first.
“The reasons for these differences in competitiveness, even in cases with similar education ability, were revealed by diachronic analysis that showed that cultural dimensions such as competitive industrial performance, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and indulgence restraint, combine with education to contribute to improvements in competitiveness,” said Dr Chris Baumann.
“These cultural values can be passed on by parents, the education system (schools, universities) and the media. To what extent cultural values passed on from these sources impact an individual’s competiveness and performance is yet to be established in the literature.”
The results may also reflect a shift in society and economic activities towards services industries. Approximately three quarters of economic output in Western countries is generated in services such as education, health, finance/banking, tourism and retailing –industries where reflection, creative and independent thinking and soft skills such as communication are key.
“Reading reflects this soft skill set, which must form an integral part of school curricula in order to ensure competitiveness in economies increasingly defined by service industries,” said Dr Baumann.
“This is a key insight as surprisingly, reading has often been excluded from previous research and policy development aimed at increasing economic outcome through education. Science and mathematics have historically been viewed as key factors in driving technological innovations and have motivated the recent drive to increase enrolments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields through to higher education.
“This study makes a contribution in three distinct ways. Firstly how well educational achievement, specifically in reading, science, and mathematics, explains a country’s competitiveness. Secondly the study investigates regional differences in education and competitiveness. Thirdly and finally, the study offers a diachronic perspective to better understand how education drives competitiveness over time.
“Future research should also aspire to explain the regional variation we have found in our study, and as such provide valuable input for education and school policy.”
Note: The full paper has been selected by the Routledge publishing house to be made freely available to the public for a limited time, and can be viewed at the following address: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02188791.2014.924387#.VOVjSLCUdMp
Baumann, C., & Winzar, H. (2014). The role of secondary education in explaining competitiveness. Asia Pacific Journal of Education,1-18.
The study, led by Macquarie University’s Dr Chris Baumann and co-authored by Associate Professor Hume Winzar, analysed Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data from 63 countries to ascertain education’s role in explaining the competitiveness of a country. Strong correlations were found for reading and science (each 53% shared variance) and mathematics (50%).
However, not all countries are transforming educational achievement into the creation of a competitive economy and society. Regional differences were found, with East Asia performing strongly both academically and in competitiveness, ahead of Europe, the rest of Asia, and South and Central America. Anglo-Saxon countries rank second academically behind East Asia, but in terms of competitiveness, the Anglo-Saxon cluster ranks first.
“The reasons for these differences in competitiveness, even in cases with similar education ability, were revealed by diachronic analysis that showed that cultural dimensions such as competitive industrial performance, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and indulgence restraint, combine with education to contribute to improvements in competitiveness,” said Dr Chris Baumann.
“These cultural values can be passed on by parents, the education system (schools, universities) and the media. To what extent cultural values passed on from these sources impact an individual’s competiveness and performance is yet to be established in the literature.”
The results may also reflect a shift in society and economic activities towards services industries. Approximately three quarters of economic output in Western countries is generated in services such as education, health, finance/banking, tourism and retailing –industries where reflection, creative and independent thinking and soft skills such as communication are key.
“Reading reflects this soft skill set, which must form an integral part of school curricula in order to ensure competitiveness in economies increasingly defined by service industries,” said Dr Baumann.
“This is a key insight as surprisingly, reading has often been excluded from previous research and policy development aimed at increasing economic outcome through education. Science and mathematics have historically been viewed as key factors in driving technological innovations and have motivated the recent drive to increase enrolments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields through to higher education.
“This study makes a contribution in three distinct ways. Firstly how well educational achievement, specifically in reading, science, and mathematics, explains a country’s competitiveness. Secondly the study investigates regional differences in education and competitiveness. Thirdly and finally, the study offers a diachronic perspective to better understand how education drives competitiveness over time.
“Future research should also aspire to explain the regional variation we have found in our study, and as such provide valuable input for education and school policy.”
Note: The full paper has been selected by the Routledge publishing house to be made freely available to the public for a limited time, and can be viewed at the following address: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02188791.2014.924387#.VOVjSLCUdMp
Baumann, C., & Winzar, H. (2014). The role of secondary education in explaining competitiveness. Asia Pacific Journal of Education,1-18.
