'The' Market for Higher Education: Does it Really Exist?

41 Pages Posted: 7 Apr 2009

See all articles by William E. Becker

William E. Becker

Indiana University Bloomington - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics; University of South Australia

David Round

University of South Australia - Division of Business and Enterprise - Centre for Applied Economics

Abstract

Higher education, like any other commodity or service, has been viewed in a variety of economic frameworks. Little of this work, however, appears to have made any effort to define carefully the boundaries of the relevant market for higher education, which is the subject of this particular inquiry. Market definition is an essential preliminary step before any academic or policy investigation can properly be made into the forces that determine the behavior of the buyers and sellers of higher education, those who provide inputs into the education process, or those who fund or otherwise subsidize it. The authors spell out the key economic dimensions of a market, and illustrate their relevance for research that seeks to analyze the players and policies in the many distinct domestic and international markets that exist for the inputs and outputs of the higher education sector.

Keywords: competition, efficiencies, market boundaries, markets, higher education, public policy

JEL Classification: A1, I2, L3

Suggested Citation

Becker, William E. and Round, David K., 'The' Market for Higher Education: Does it Really Exist?. IZA Discussion Paper No. 4092, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1373326 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1373326

William E. Becker (Contact Author)

Indiana University Bloomington - Department of Economics ( email )

Wylie Hall Room 105
Bloomington, IN 47405-6620
United States
812-855-3577 (Phone)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

University of South Australia

37-44 North Terrace, City West Campus
Adelaide, South Australia 5001
Australia

David K. Round

University of South Australia - Division of Business and Enterprise - Centre for Applied Economics ( email )

Australia
61-8-8302-0760 (Phone)
61-8-8302-0512 (Fax)

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