This thesis specifically investigates incentive structures and the removal of barriers to enhance a more equal participation in adult education to prepare the workforce for upcoming challenges related to the future of work. It aims at contributing to this discussion and indicates how adult education policies can be used to possibly reduce socio-economic inequalities in accessing adult education and provide workers with the skills needed in the (future) labour market. This topic seems to be largely unexamined and no systematic cross-country comparison has been conducted in the past. While human capital accumulation in terms of primary education has been well investigated, research in the context of post-schooling phase, investigating the direct correlation between investing in (adult) education and its returns, largely remains a black box.
Two European countries that are considered particularly affected by automation will be examined, namely Austria and Germany. Whereas in Austria, 16.6% of jobs are at high risk of automation and 29.7% at risk of significant change, the figures for Germany are slightly higher with 18.4% of jobs at high risk of automation and 35.8% at risk of significant change, compared to an OECD average of 14% and 32% respectively. Additionally, both countries share similar institutional structures and are therefore considered comparable.
This thesis aspires to shed light on government intervention and the adult education market to possibly reduce social inequalities by setting incentives and removing barriers to enhance overall (and a more egalitarian) participation in adult education.
Finally, it seeks to contribute to the scientific and societal debate as well as to provide approaches on how to design effective, efficient, and egalitarian adult education policies. The research question to be answered aims at empirical hypothesis testing and is of explanatory nature.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Research Question
2. Theory and Hypotheses
3. Methodology
4. Quantitative Analyses and Results
5. Conclusion and Discussion
6. Policy Recommendations
7. Literature
8. Appendix
Research Objectives and Topics
This thesis investigates the effectiveness of lifelong learning strategies in Austria and Germany in reducing social inequalities and incentivizing adult education participation. It examines whether these policy frameworks successfully address individual barriers and whether policy learning between the two countries is feasible, particularly concerning underrepresented population groups.
- Analysis of lifelong learning strategies in Austria and Germany.
- Examination of human capital theory and rational choice theory in an educational context.
- Assessment of socio-economic and demographic determinants of participation.
- Comparison of institutional and individual-level barriers to adult education.
- Evaluation of policy impacts on participation rates and barrier perception.
Excerpt from the Book
Human Capital and Rational Choice Theory
For a country and its labour market it is essential to maintain a robust, flexible and capable workforce to remain intact and absorb shocks. The aforementioned trends in the future of work context depict possible shocks and stimuli for a country's labour market. From a state’s perspective, one prerequisite for a well-functioning labour market is the continuous availability of a large workforce. From a private sector perspective, it is critical to accumulate the highest possible level of skills and innovation (Becker, 1991; Sengenberger, 1987).
Economists elaborated that, for a country to keep its competitiveness, one has to consider not only material, but also human capital. Human capital theory (HCT) assumes that a certain investment allows for a higher return than the initial input and that investments may be undertaken in another form than monetary input. Schultz (1960) is considered to be one of the founders of HCT. He suggests treating education as an investment in human beings and to consider its consequences as a form of capital. Education thus enhances people’s skill levels, which leads to a higher-skilled workforce and increases the production capacity of a market.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction and Research Question: Outlines the significance of adult education in the context of global mega-trends and defines the core research question regarding the impact of lifelong learning strategies.
2. Theory and Hypotheses: Reviews theoretical frameworks, specifically human capital and rational choice theory, and develops hypotheses regarding participation patterns and barriers.
3. Methodology: Describes the mixed-methods research design, the use of Adult Education Survey data, and the empirical models applied to test the hypotheses.
4. Quantitative Analyses and Results: Presents the findings of the regression analyses, comparing participation rates, incentives, and barriers in Austria and Germany.
5. Conclusion and Discussion: Synthesizes the empirical results, discusses the policy implications for both nations, and addresses the study's limitations.
6. Policy Recommendations: Provides targeted suggestions for improving adult education policies, emphasizing demand-oriented designs and the importance of addressing specific sub-groups.
7. Literature: Lists the academic publications and sources used throughout the thesis.
8. Appendix: Contains supporting tables, statistical analyses, and documentation regarding the research methodology and sample descriptions.
Keywords
Adult Education, Lifelong Learning, Human Capital Theory, Rational Choice Theory, Austria, Germany, Skill-Intensity, Social Inequality, Participation, Policy Learning, Labour Market, Underrepresented Groups, Barriers, Incentives, Vocational Training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
This thesis examines how adult education policies in Austria and Germany influence individuals' incentives to participate and how these policies address barriers to education, particularly for underrepresented groups.
What are the primary theoretical pillars?
The study is grounded in human capital theory, which views education as an investment, and rational choice theory, which explores the decision-making process based on the balance of costs and benefits.
What is the main research question?
The research asks to what extent Austria's 2011 and Germany's 2019 adult education strategies reflect and influence individual incentives and barriers regarding participation, especially for groups least likely to engage in training.
Which methodology is employed?
The work uses a mixed-methods approach, combining an analysis of national lifelong learning strategies with quantitative binary and multinomial logistic regressions based on Adult Education Survey (AES) data.
What is covered in the main analytical part?
The analysis investigates the relationship between job skill-intensity and participation, the types of incentives that drive different sub-groups, and the structural patterns of barriers preventing participation.
Which terms best characterize this study?
Key terms include lifelong learning, human capital, rational choice, cross-country comparison, and socio-economic inequality.
How do participation rates in Austria and Germany compare?
The study observes that participation rates in Austria increased significantly between 2011 and 2016, whereas Germany saw a decrease in the same period, suggesting different impacts of national policy frameworks.
Are individual barriers more significant than institutional ones?
The results indicate that lower-skilled respondents are more likely to face individual-level barriers, while the perception of barriers like costs and distance shifted over time in Austria, potentially due to the implemented strategy.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Viktoria Arnold (Autor:in), Finn Koenemund (Autor:in), 2020, Adult education policies, participation and social inequalities and their relationship, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/925183
