Экономические науки/ 14.Экономическая теория

Teleuova A.B.

Karaganda Economic University of Kazpotrebsoyuz, the Republic of Kazakhstan

THE ROLE OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMY

In modern conditions been renewed interest of researchers to the problems of sustainable balanced development of social and economic systems, including at the international level. For example, there was the international conference "Rio + 20" in 2012, where the world's attention was again focused on the problems of activating the factors that contribute to sustainable development. The emphasis was first placed on issues related to human capital in the context of sustainable development (report, "Modernization and development of human potential"). Quality of human capital is a key factor in the competitiveness of the Republic of Kazakhstan, so the aspects that are related to human capital, formed the basis for one of the priorities of the country's main strategic document of the country "Strategy Kazakhstan-2050".

In the sustainable balanced development of the basis is to ensure stability of the country. Modern processes of globalization, increased competition between countries contributed to the increasing disparities and contradictions in the development. Objective differences of human, natural and economic resources of the territories contribute to further strengthening of economic and social inequality of the world population.

Therefore, the problem arises of sustainable balanced development of the country and its regions, and it requires an objective evaluation of the existing parameters of sustainability.

Historically, the concept of "sustainable development" is related to the environment. Canadian Commission for Environmental suggested one of the first definitions of sustainable development in 1915. Thus, according to the Commission, each generation can dispose of a certain amount of natural resources and natural capital, but it must be remembered that the majority of these resources must remain intact and passed on to future generations.

In 1960-1970 years of the study of this issue led to the realization that environmental and socio-economic problems threaten the lives of present and future generations, and at this time the idea of sustainable human development (the concept of sustainable development) began to develop.

The main problems that characterize the state of the global system as unstable, they include:

1. Environmental problems: the degradation of the components of the environment due to human activities that have exceeded all limits. Under the degradation we understand pollution hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere; reduction in the diversity of flora and fauna; desertification; depletion of the ozone layer; genetic diseases and abnormalities; the emergence of new diseases; depletion of natural resources of the planet, etc.

2. Social issues: population growth in countries with low living standards; increase disparities in living standards; increased incidence; increase in the number of poor people; spread hunger; inter-ethnic and inter-ethnic conflicts, etc.

3. Economic problems: the world's only priority is cash enrichment and growth of economic profit excluding the impact on the environment and the interests of future generations; inefficient use of resource-saving technologies; increase disparities in socio-economic development of countries; the absence of criteria for assessing the admissibility of the impact on the environment, etc. [1].

With the knowledge of these and other problems of the theory of sustainable balanced development is becoming increasingly popular.

At the international level also occurs in stages awareness of the need to change the vector of development. For example, in 1962 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled "Economic development and environmental protection." 10 years after, in 1972, the Stockholm Conference on the environment - it was the first global meeting to discuss environmental issues - brought together representatives of 113 countries in the world and came to the conclusion about the need for organizations to implement the UN’s programme to protect the environment.

Then, in 1983 on the initiative of the Secretary-General of the UN International Commission appears on Environment and Development (WCED). Headed by Gro Harlem Brundtland Commission - Prime Minister of Norway (the commission also called Brundtland Commission). The main objective of the WCED was to identify environmental and socio-economic concerns of the population around the world. After four years of operation, the report "Our Common Future", the Commission has sounded a warning of a change in business activity and lifestyle of mankind; otherwise there will be a sharp deterioration of the natural environment that promises to mankind enormous problems. Economy, according to WCED must meet the needs and desires of the people, but its growth is expected to fit into the ecological and resource potential of the planet.

Therefore, the main appeal of the Commission is in transition towards a new, safe for the environment, the era of economic development. And in this case raises the question of the transition to a sustainable balanced development of the "natural environment - society - people", so the concept of sustainable socio-economic development was the basis for the Commission's activities [2].

For the first time the concept of sustainable development was formulated in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, when it was approved an action plan for sustainable development and formulate solutions to environmental, social and economic problems facing humanity.

The concept of "sustainable development" is based on two approaches. In the first approach - biosphere centric - the environment and the biosphere are considered not only as a source of resources, but also as the basis of all life on Earth. The second approach - anthropocentric - based on the possibility of further existence of mankind and solving problems of growing human needs for natural resources [3].

As there are many definitions of the term "sustainable balanced development", we can distinguish a number of factors affecting the sustainable development.

As world practice shows, sustainable economic development is not possible without the multiplication of human capital as a key factor in ensuring sustainable development.

The development of the leading countries of the world led to the formation of post-industrial, and then the new economy based on knowledge and innovation. The basis of this new economy is human capital, which is the basis of socio-economic development of modern society.

Thereby ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of the country, overcoming the crisis in the economy is only possible on the basis of activation of this factor in the development, human capital quality.

The global market for human capital is a reality in today's economy, which is based on knowledge. It represents an integral part of the global market, which determines the dynamics of the movement of skilled labor. The effectiveness of economic development is largely determined by the accumulated and implemented in the country human capital. In modern conditions knowledge and skills are important factors in economic growth and social progress of society. The main wealth of any society is composed of people, so the question of studying the problems of efficiency of fixed productive forces is important. The productive forces are realized in the form of human capital. Human capital in the XXI century is of paramount importance in any macroeconomic conditions. Human capital is becoming more powerful driving force for economic growth, efficiency and competitiveness of the national economy, making it one of the most important factors of national security and prosperity of the country, the welfare of every citizen.

Importance of human capital in the modernization of all aspects of social life is steadily increasing. According to World Bank estimates that in developed countries, 64% of the national wealth belongs to human capital, 16% - physical and only 20% - the commodity factor [4].

In the Address to the Nation "Kazakhstan's way - 2050: The overarching goal, common interests, common future" President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasizes the need to improve the quality of life for all people of Kazakhstan. Identified seven priority areas of the country, the implementation of which will allow Kazakhstan to enter the top 30 most developed countries of the world, the President of one of the long-term priorities called human capital development of the nation: "Developed country in the twenty-first century - is active, educated and healthy citizens" [5].

The problem of the essence of human capital and its role in the production always interested economists. The first attempt to estimate human capital carried out one of the founders of Western political economy, William Petty in "Political Arithmetic" (1690). Even then, he estimated human capital above the real; in fact, he was the first economist, who proved that the main wealth is the population.

At the teachings of Adam Smith can be found further development of ideas Petty. According to Smith, people are naturally have differences, and this is how he felt, is the dignity of people. Education and training contribute to the development of these abilities. People will get the most revenue, to correctly understand its purpose and become an expert in that area. At the same time, producing a certain type of product, a person at the same time needs other products to meet their needs. The right to exchange acts as a way to enable the development. The exchange is based on the division of labor, which are the basis for investments in human, through which it is able to develop and improve their comparative advantages [6, p. 118].

After about a hundred years to this issue asked German statistician Erich Engel and English economist Jack Nicholson, and later the issue considered the founder of the Cambridge school of political economy Alfred Marshall.

As an independent current theory of human capital was formed in the early 60-ies of XX century and has been appreciated by the scientific community. For his contribution to the development of human capital theory Theodore Schultz (1979) and Gary Becker (1992) were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics.

At the initial stage of formation of human capital theory has made a huge role Theodore Schultz, first defined human capital as a productive factor and defining it as the main engine and the foundation of economic development. On the example of the US economy Theodore Schultz showed that return on investment in human capital is higher than investment in physical. By investing in human capital, he refers not only to the cost of education in secondary and higher education, but also the cost of self-education, increased experience on the job, as well as in health, education and science. The most important factors of economic transformation and modernization of economic institutions Schultz called the investment in human capital and increase the value of human labor. Therefore, it is important to invest in the development of health, education and science, as investment in human capital, in his opinion, contribute to the accumulation of abilities to work, to maintain health, improve the efficiency of society [7].

Gary Becker is the founder of the modern theory of human capital. Working at Columbia University, in 1964 he released his famous study "The human capital". He was the first who spoke about the human capital of an enterprise, that is, moved it to the micro level. In the human capital of the individual he singled out the knowledge, motivation and production skills. Becker estimated the cost-effectiveness of education for the employee. According to him, the increase in investment in education and training of future professionals will make a profit no less than investments in machinery [8].

Many people believe that the introduction of the concept of "human capital" was the concept that unfolded economic thinking in the direction of the person. But this is not true.

The concept of human capital has been entered in the 70-ies of XX century by economists of the Chicago school. Currently, human capital is seen as a vital resource, which even more valuable than natural resources. According to the American researcher Jackson Grayson, competitiveness, efficiency, economic growth systems at different levels are determined primarily by the presence of human capital, rather than tangible assets in the form of equipment and inventory [9].

Human capital has become a subject of research for many foreign scientists (J. Mintzer., B. Weisbrod, M. Friedman, T. Davenport, S. Bowles, Blaug M. Bowen, W., L. Hansen, T. Schultz, Becker and G. many others).

Kazakh researchers also not spared the theory of human capital. Problems associated with the formation, development, use, evaluation of human capital, discussed in detail in the works of S. Satubaldina, A.G. Mukhamedzhanova, K.S. Mukhtarova, E.S. Detkovskoy, A.K. Koshanova, M.K. Medelhanova and others who have made an outstanding contribution to the study of human resources.

In the works of these researchers formulated the theoretical and methodological foundations of the theory of human capital, as well as the proven positive effect of education, knowledge, health, skills and standards of living in the economic development of society.

Despite the development of human capital theory, many scientists give different definitions of human capital.

Mukhamedzhanova A.G. gives the following definition of human capital in her work "Human capital of Kazakhstan: formation, condition, use":

· Firstly, human capital is the self-expansion of human capabilities, allowing you to capture more value than was originally advanced in person;

· Secondly, human capital is the category of social reproduction, having a cyclic form;

· Thirdly, human capital is the objective economic relation, is central to the system of economic relations of society, influencing the pace and direction of technological progress, the efficiency of the production and reproduction process, and is the leading factor of economic growth [10].

Academician A.K. Koshanov defines two approaches to the study of human capital, "a narrow understanding of its essence as the cost of funds, including wages, investment in human capital, and more expanded definition of this concept with the many economic, social aspects. These differences are due to different approaches to the definition of the category of "human capital", which the structure is educational, intellectual, scientific, entrepreneurial potential that is rich in content "[11].

An extended treatment of the concept of "human capital" suggests Professor M.K. Meldahanova. Human capital is defined as the set of accumulated knowledge, education, and professional human resources that will improve the productivity of labor in industrial and innovative development of the country and the impact of costs and investments in human capital, to ensure competitiveness and sustainability of the national economy to achieve a high quality of life [12].

Tsyrenova A.A. notes that human knowledge, talents, skills and abilities should be recognized as a special form of capital on the basis that:

· they are an integral part of each individual's personal property;

· they require for their formation from both the individual and of the whole society significant costs;

· they tend to accumulate and represent a certain stock;

· they contribute to the capacity of income support human capital in the long term by eliminating the portion of the current consumption [13].

This interpretation is entirely economic, and all the knowledge and expertise possessed by man, considered in terms of material resources.

Thus, the essence of the theory is the treatment of the costs of education and health as an investment cost, the object of which acts as the formation of human capital. Acquisition of skills and knowledge, capacity building, formation of motivation, health promotion can be seen as an increase in the volume of the stock of human capital (resources).

Educations, health, employment in the global practice are essential in determining the quality of the human capital of the nation of a country. Among the CIS countries Kazakhstan is the best result for the development of human capital index, calculated by the World Economic Forum - 45th positions out of 122 countries in the world. For comparison, Russia has 51 seats, 63 lines Ukraine, Azerbaijan on 64 of the world ranking position. The top ten rankings included countries such as Switzerland, Finland, Singapore, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Denmark and Canada [14].

In the short term Kazakhstan has all opportunities to significantly improve the rate.

Over the years of independence, Kazakhstan has implemented a number of economic and social reforms, as a result of the country displayed on the leading positions in the CIS, including the standard of living of the population, the economy is becoming more socially oriented. The challenges now are of a higher order: adoption of healthy lifestyles and the development of medicine, increasing life expectancy. President gives clear indicators of realizing the potential of Kazakhstan. There are five:

1) high-quality education system;

2) The health of the nation;

3) development of all kazakh culture;

4) review of the social package for civil servants;

5) the increased attention paid to citizens with disabilities [15].

At a time when the world has entered a post-industrial era of the formation and development of "smart" economy, human capital is a strategic resource of the country, the quality of which in terms of intelligence, education and skills plays a leading role in the creation of a competitive economy. The population is a carrier of a particular capital, human, which is an essential component of national wealth, hence the formation of public policy development of human capital should be seen as a factor in strengthening the economic stability of the country. This greatly changes the nature of competition in world markets and determines the country's place in the international division of labor.

References:

1. Zubarevich NV Socio-economic development of regions: Myths and Realities alignment // Magazine SPERO. - 2008. - №9. - P. 7-22.

2. Ivanov VA Methodological basis for sustainable development of regional socio-ecological and economic systems // Economic and social changes: facts, trends and outlook. - 2008. - №2. - S. 50-59.

3. Milanov EV Indicators of sustainable development and improve the quality of life of the population (the experience of the Fund "Sustainable development") // [electronic resource]. URL: http://municipal-sd.ru/pdf-files/8-1/milanova-8-1-indikatory.pdf.

4. World Development Report 1997. The State in a Changing World [World Bank]. — N.Y., Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1997, June. - 226 p.

5. Message from the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to the people of Kazakhstan "Kazakhstan's way - 2050: The overarching goal, common interests, common future" from January 17, 2014

6. Nureyev R.M. Development of human capital as a real alternative raw specialization of the country // Economic Journal of the Rostov State University. - 2007. - №3. - S. 111-129.

7. Shultz T. Human Capital in the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. – N.Y., 1968, vol. 6.

8. Becker, Gary S. Human Capital. – N.Y.: Columbia University Press, 1964.

9. Novikov V.I. Human capital in Russia: Realities and Prospects // World and politics. - 2012. - №6. [Electronic resource]. URL:http://www.intelros.ru/readroom/mir-i-politika/m6-2012/14910-chelovecheskiy-kapital-v-rossii-realii-i-perspektivy.html

10. Mukhamedzhanova A.G. Human capital of Kazakhstan: the formation, the state use. - Almaty: SIC Gylym, 2001. - 376s.

11. Koshanov A.K. Human capital as a factor of forced industrialization of the economy of Kazakhstan // Formation and development of competitive human capital in Kazakhstan: a collection of materials of the International scientific-practical conference / ed. O.Sabdena and NK Nurlanovoy. - Almaty Institute of Economics SC MES RK, 2010. - s.40-45

12. Meldahanova M.K. The modern concept of human capital in economic theory // Formation and development of competitive human capital in Kazakhstan: a collection of materials of the International scientific-practical conference / ed. O.Sabdena and NK Nurlanovoy. - Almaty Institute of Economics SC MES RK, 2010. - s.49-53

13. Tsyrenova AA Development of human capital in terms of the institutional environment's transformation. - Ulan-Ude: Publishing ESSTU, 2006. - 166 p.

14. Website of the World Economic Forum: http://www.weforum.org