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94ECONOMIC MATTERS
FACTORS OF THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN AN INNOVATION-BASED ECONOMY
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14420/en.2013.4.2 web-site: http://bar-association.ru/
Antonina sharkova, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor, Head of Economics of Organisations Chair, Financial University at the Government of the Russian Federation
Maria Merzlova, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor at Economics of Organisations Chair, Financial University at the Government of the Russian Federation
summary. This article considers the principal factors influencing the formation
and development of human capital in an innovation-based economy. The most significant factors are determined by means of correlation and regression analysis. Given an estimate with an account of the innovation-driven growth of economy.
Keywords: human capital, education, factors, innovation-based economy,
specialists, management, investment.
Competition for human capital (HC), being the basis of the innovation-driven growth of economy of any state, is crucial in the modern world. Innovation-driven growth requires training of new-generation personnel at various levels due to large-scale assimilation of the latest technologies: skilled labour for knowledge-intensive and high-quality productions; multidisciplinary specialists capable of combining technical specialisation with the functions of managers, analysts, consultants, and scientific personnel. Innovative orientation of the economy is associated with investment projects, and in those conditions the need arises for economists specialising in problems of the measurement of innovative investment processes. The circumstances indicated are of paramount importance when making grounded decisions in strategic planning within the scope of an individual enterprise as well as on the national scale 11.
In those conditions the national interest and the state interest are exactly in provision for a person of maximum opportunities for self-realization and the most comfortable living environment. If it is not so, the state undermines its own security.
Economically developed countries ensure high rates of economic growth
1 Kachurina M.M., Merzlova M.P., Peshekhonov Yu.V. Modernization of professional education: financial and economic aspect // Vestnik Assotsiatsii vuzov turizma i servisa. 2012. № 1. P. 41-45.
Antonina Sharkova, Maria Merzlova «Factors of the formation and development of human capital in an innovation-based economy»
through the quality of their human capital to a considerable degree. The modern Russian economy has a substantial deficit of personnel capable of efficient work with the technological renovation of the economy, and this requires the state to create special conditions for the formation of human capital. In connection with that, special attention of modern science, of domestic practical science persons is concentrated at exposure of factors of growth of human capital. The Human Development Index (HDI), calculated by taking into account three kinds of indices, is used as major indicator of human capital level.
It was thought for a long time that a 1% growth of investment in HC leads to a 3.81% growth in the productivity of labour, and to acceleration of the rate of growth of per capita GDP by 3%1, and that the growth of human capital is connected most of all with growth of GDP and is determined by it. But the latest scientific research data reported in the UN Human Development Report 2010 and based on a study of 40 year's world practice, demonstrates that any correlation between growth of income and changes of HDI is extremely negligible for most countries. In addition, a study of the Life Expectancy Index, Education Index and GDP Index for Russia, with the help of correlation and regression analysis, has shown that the force of influence of the GDP Index on HDI is stronger than that of the influence of the Education Index and Life Expectancy Index, and the factors themselves act in the same positive direction. The influence of the GDP Index on HDI is 1.98 times stronger than the influence of the Life Expectancy Index, and 1.83 times stronger than the influence of the Education Index2. An evaluation of the influence of the factors, using elasticity coefficients, has confirmed that the most important influence on HDI is exerted by the GDP Index, which demonstrates the primary importance of economic development for the formation of human potential in the country.
At the same time, the advantages of the economy and its innovative development under modern conditions are determined using human potential. It is people, with their education, qualifications and experience, who determine the limits and possibilities of the economic modernisation of society. The modern period, however, is characterised by an imbalance of the labour market and professional education.
Accrued quality human capital, in the form of scientific achievements, discoveries and inventions, is the basis of the formation of an innovative economy, and defines HC as an intensive factor in the development of the economy. Consequently, the notions of an innovative economy and human capital are inseparably associated.
Development of an innovative economy is impossible without an expansion of human capital and without use of his own potential by a person. Crisis periods have given new milestones in the development of the economy and the creation of human capital. As a result of companies being understaffed with personnel of the necessary qualifications, there is a need to attract foreign specialists.
1 Sianesi B., Van Reenen J. The returns to education: Detailed review of studies on the impact of human capital as measured by education level // Journal of Economic Surveys. 2003. № 2. P. 157-200.
2 Zakharova A.D. Factors influencing the formation of human potential of Russia // Lomonosov-2011: International Youth Scientific Forum. URL: http://lomonosov-msu.ru/archive/Lomonosov_2011/struc-ture 8 1210.htm.
Managers of Specialists of Staff busy with
organisations and their the highest level preparation of
structural subdivisions of professional information, drawing
qualification up documents,
accounting and
Fig. 1. Staffing level of companies with specialists of the required qualifications (according to data from RUIE in 2012)1
More than a third of managers note the lack of all categories of staff. The major share of the deficit is accounted for by highly qualified personnel -specialists with the top level of professional qualifications, and as a consequence, there has been substitution by foreign specialists with those qualifications (Fig. 2).
This situation shows that the process of creating an innovative economy for Russia is a most complex social and economic task. Until that task is complete it is hard to plan for a dynamic growth of GDP, or stability and sustainability in the development of state and society.
Effective management of the innovative development of the Russian economy will be helped by the solution of two important problems.
1. Absence of adequate infrastructure for the management of human capital.
In recent times much attention has been paid to the creation of an innovative
infrastructure, but an innovative infrastructure is the means of translating innovations to economy. Certainly under an innovative economy it is necessary to manage human capital, and that includes not only using a person's intellectual abilities but activities of formation, development, and accumulation of intellectual potential, and the provision of society with quality human capital as a strategic resource for the country, and its effective use. A solution of the indicated problem is possible through the creation of institutes of effective management of the formation of a national HC.
2. Existing concept of management on the level of enterprises.
Innovations are novelties in the sphere of organisation of labour and also
the management of the workforce, that is human capital. Under an innovative economy, a change from the authoritarian concept of management for a democratic one is necessary in order to bring to the forefront a person's creative
1 Glukhova M. Corporate management in Russia: Is there any progress? // Promyshlennik Rossii. 2012. № 11.
Antonina Sharkova, Maria Merzlova «Factors of the formation and development of human capital in an innovation-based economy»
Fig. 2. Deficit of specialists and attraction of specialists - foreign personnel -in Russian companies (according to the data from RUIE in 2012).
potential, their professionalism and erudition.
The second most important feature of the management of human capital in the modern productive process is the transition from the idea of profit by means of cuts in spending to the idea of investment in human capital. Investment in human capital, being a mechanism of the formation of human capital, must considered a priority, and be ahead of investment into equity.
It is explained by the fact that economic processes, including those accompanying crisis developments, require constant actualisation in the management of HC. Knowledge of personnel wears out quicker than in other periods of development of economy. Investment in an individual will encourage a rise in labour productivity, improvement of product quality, the use of automatic means of management, the rise of a corporate culture and other indirect factors leading to the growth of a company's profit. This is why expenditure on the improvement of the quality of human capital can be considered an investment: current expenditures should be made bearing in mind the with higher returns and higher profits in the future.
In the process of the development of national human capital it is necessary to unite the efforts of state and private sectors. Human capital is simultaneously a factor in the development of the state as a whole, and an individual enterprise, which is exactly why joint activity towards its increase is necessary. In the 21st century the quality of human capital in a country will be its advantage in the world market of innovative economies. The innovative development of Russia in the next decade is possible only on the condition of investment in human capital, and without which the investment in innovations will not meet expectations.
References
1. Glukhova M. Corporate management in Russia: Is there any progress? // Promyshlennik Rossii. 2012. № 11.
2. Zakharova A.D. Factors influencing the formation of human potential of Russia // Lomonosov-2011: International Youth Scientific Forum. URL:http://lomonosov-msu.ru/ archive/Lomonosov_2011/structure_8_1210.htm.
3. Kachurina M.M., Merzlova M.P., Peshekhonov Yu.V. Modernization of professional education: financial and economic aspects // Vestnik Assotsiatsii vuzov turizma ii servisa. 2012. № 1. P. 41-45.
4. Sianesi B, Van Reenen J. The returns to education: Detailed review of studies on the impact of human capital as measured by education level // Journal of Economic Surveys. 2003. № 2. P. 157-200.
