Human capital externality and chaotic equilibrium dynamics

Abstract

This study develops a two-period overlapping generations model in which adults undertake educational investment decisions oil behalf of young agents. In addition to educational investment, we argue that the accumulation of human capital is also dependent upon the externality from average human capital within the economy. In a departure from the previous literature in this area, we assume that there is a reduction in the overall productivity of human capital accumulation brought about by human capital externality, and show that complicated dynamics will emerge under this circumstance. In addition to displaying the chaotic dynamics in the sense of Li and Yorke, we also verify the existence of Devaney's chaos and Smale's chaos.