In this paper a rich and innovative dataset, the International Adult Literacy Survey, is used to examine the impact of cognitive skill/functional literacy earnings. The IALS surveys 12 OECD countries and sub-regions via a consistent questionnaire and includes a number of tests of numeracy and...

In this paper we provide an analytical review of previous estimates of the rate of return on schooling investments and measure how these estimates vary by country, over time, and by estimation method. We find evidence of reporting (or "file drawer") bias in the estimates and, after due account...

I consider the problem of choosing index numbers of puchasing power and real income for international comparisons. I show that the desirable properties of methods based on the Fisher Ideal index do not extend to multilateral comparisons, except when tastes are homothetic.

Using a dataset that allows consistent cross-country comparisons we test the non-linearity in a conventional earnings equation with respect to schooling. The findings suggest that assumption of linearity is not robust and that there are well determined positive returns to the completion of...

Computable general equilibrium (CGE)models require both theory and data. The theory underlying our model is standard general equilibrium theory, and details will be provided elsewhere. The sole purpose of this paper is to present in detail the data used to calibrate this model. We have...

The objective of this study is to compare the effects on earnings across a pectrum of studies. Research on the topic has been very limited up to the 1990s, but the emergence of a number of comprehensive data sets has allowed considerable research into the topic. A cross paper comparison of the...