发展中国家教育的信号功能及其失灵

The Signal Function and Dysfunction of Education in Developing Countries

本文分析了教育的信号功能及其失灵问题，问题只要劳动力市场上存在信息不对称，就需要教育发挥信号功能。在发展中国家，由于劳动力市场不完善，信息不对称尤其严重，教育的信号功能作用更大。但是，在发展中国家教育市场化改革、企业片面利用学历选拔人才以及资本市场不完善的情况下，教育的信号功能出现失灵。教育信号失灵导致教育过度和收入分配的扭曲，从而削弱社会整体效率。

Disequilibrium of information if the labour market requires education to function as a screening signal. The signal function of education is expected to be much stronger in developing countries due to wider scope of information disequilibrium. However， the signal effect of education may become dysfunctional in developing countries when higher education become marketised while capital market is still underdeveloped， when educational credentials become inflated when it become a single base of judgment for employment and promotion. Such dysfunction of the education’s screening effect tend to lead to over─education and distortion in income distribution， and therefore compromise social efficiency.