Simulations of Optimal Human Capital and Total Factor Productivity in Universities

Year 2023, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 49 - 56, 30.04.2023

Ahmet Kara

https://doi.org/10.5961/higheredusci.1083608

Abstract

In this paper, we develop models of university capital in disaggregated and aggregated forms and simulate the trajectories of human/
non-human capital and total factor productivity in universities. The capital employed by a representative university is decomposed into
two composite human capital and non-human capital dimensions, each of which is further disaggregated into some sub-dimensions. We
first present a sketch of a disaggregated model for illustrative purposes and then develop an aggregated model for the simulation of the
key variables in the system. We incorporate an investment support (subsidy) parameter into the model, the optimal value of which is
computationally determined. Based on the optimal value of this decision variable, the trajectories of human/non-human capital and total
factor productivity are obtained. Though the exercise constructed in the paper is a particular or limited one, the model is highly suitable
for generalized exercises with multiple decision variables and multidimensional objective functions capturing a rich variety of different
possibilities in real life. The optimality and simulation exercises of this kind could help the university managers to design optimal decision
systems to achieve the university objectives in a best possible manner in dynamic settings.

Keywords

Universities, Optimal capital, total factor productivity, simulations.

Üniversitelerde Optimal Beşeri Sermaye ve Toplam Faktör Verimliliği Simülasyonları

Abstract

Bu makalede, üniversitelerde sermayenin toplam ya da bileşenlerine ayrıştırılmış formlarda nasıl modellenebileceği ve beşeri sermaye
ve toplam faktör verimliliği yörüngelerinin nasıl simüle edilebileceği gösterilmektedir. Temsili bir üniversitenin toplam sermayesi, beşeri
sermaye ve beşeri olmayan sermaye ana bileşenleri ile temsil edilmekte ve her bir bileşen alt-bileşenlere ayrıştırılmaktadır. İlkin, altbileşenlerine
ayrıştırılmış sermaye modellemesinin nasıl yapılabileceği gösterilmekte, ardından ana-bileşenlere dayalı bir model kurgusu
sunulmaktadır. Optimal sermaye ve toplam faktör verimliliği yörüngelerinin simülasyonları, ana-bileşenlere dayalı modelden hareketle
yapılmaktadır. Modele, optimal değeri hesaplanan bir yatırım desteği/sübvansiyon parametresi entegre edilmekte ve yörüngeler bu değere
dayalı olarak belirlenmektedir. Makaledeki optimizasyon alıştırmasının kapsamı sınırlı olsa da, makaledeki model, reel hayatın zengin
varyasyonları ve bunlarla ilişkili çoklu değişken ve çok-boyutlu amaç fonksiyonlarının temsiline oldukça müsait bir yapıdadır. Makalede
örneklenen optimalite ve simülasyon denemeleri, üniversitenin amaçlarına, dinamik bir çerçevede en iyi şekilde ulaşılmasını mümkün
kılacak optimal karar sistemlerinin geliştirilmesine yardımcı olabilir.

Keywords

Üniversiteler, Optimal sermaye, toplam faktör verimliliği, simülasyonlar.

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