Keywords
labor potential
quality of life
modernization
demographic crisis
equivalent of the cost of labor force
labor market
social investment
How to Cite
Abstract
The article investigates theoretical, methodological, and applied problems of human capital development in Ukraine. The relevance of the topic is due to the dissonance between the high educational level of the population and low indicators of labor productivity and quality of life. The aim of the work is to identify systemic obstacles that make it impossible to transform the existing labor potential into real human capital and to substantiate the need to change the paradigm of labor resources management. Based on a systemic analysis of demographic processes, the state of the educational services market, and the labor market situation, it is proven that in Ukraine, human capital exists mainly as a potential opportunity, not as a functioning asset. A deep theoretical demarcation of the concepts of “labor potential”, “labor force”, and “human capital” is carried out. It is determined that the category of “human capital” is not just a metaphor, but an economic asset that requires investment and must generate income. Disproportions in education and the phenomenon of “over-education” are analyzed, as well as the impact of low wages, which do not cover the equivalent of the cost of labor force (ECLF), on the reproduction of human capital. The impact of the demographic crisis and indicators of the nation’s health on the efficiency of social investments is investigated. It is substantiated that the capitalization of knowledge is impossible without the forced modernization of the national economy and a transition from a raw material-based model to an innovation-driven one. The lack of such conditions results in the depreciation of educational potential, its obsolescence, and the outflow of skilled personnel. It is proposed to view a high quality of life not merely as a consequence, but as a fundamental prerequisite for the effective formation of human capital.
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