From allocative to technical efficiency: reconsidering the basic assumptions of educational productivity

ABSTRACT

This article critically examines the prevalent economic conceptions of educational productivity. It distinguishes between an approach aiming at enhancing allocative efficiency and one aiming to better use each available resource (technical efficiency). The article then examines the intellectual foundations of these two approaches, investigates how they stand in relation to each other, and points to their limitations from an educational perspective. It is argued that the two approaches are ill suited for the educational domain. The article concludes by suggesting an approach for increasing educational productivity based on reaching predetermined production objectives rather than attempting to maximise it.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational productivity
• economics of education
• educational theory
• efficiency
• production functions

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the anonymous referees of this article for their useful comments and suggestions that helped me to improve it.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Spencer Foundation: [Grant Number 201500042].

Notes on contributors

Tal Gilead

Tal Gilead is a senior lecturer at the Seymour Fox School of Education, Hebrew University. His research areas are: philosophy of education, educational policy and the history of educational ideas. His current project focuses on the relationship between economic and educational thought.