Fred Hirsch The Dual Role Of Education
In his examination of screening as one mechanism which adjusts the demand for positional goods, Fred Hirsch defines the dual role of education as both filter and factory. Having coined the term positional good to describe goods which are “scare” and “subject to congestion,” and thus necessitate exclusion to deliver satisfaction, Hirsch illustrates how education serves as a screening device for the positional good of high-level jobs — which are scarce and congested due to the pyramidal nature of organization hierarchy. Given the increased demand for such jobs as material needs are satisfied, Hirsch warns of increased social waste with a growing emphasis on education and credentials as a labor market filter.
Hirsch suggests that higher education
Hirsch suggests that higher education