Higher Education

, Volume 10, Issue 5, pp 517–527 | Cite as

degreeism: Disease or cure?

  • Gerald W. Fry
Article

Abstract

Drawing upon recent literature on educational inflation, overeducation, and the diploma disese, this paper examines analytically both the positive and negative aspects of degreeism in developed as well as in developing nations. Some of the positive effects of degreeism found are, for example, (1) a positive employment effect, (2) a proxy information effect, and (3) ritualistic effects. Among the major negative effects of degreeism discussed are (1) economic waste, (2) imbalance between job expectations and labor market realities, and (3) consumer deceit. Finally, alternative policy suggestions are presented for addressing the problem of degreeism. Some of the policies discussed are the degree tax, incomes policy, improved labor market information services, and modified civil service procedures. The major implication of such policies is to direct attention to the real issue of competency, not diplomas.

Keywords

Labor Market Civil Service Market Information Employment Effect Information Effect 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company 1981

Authors and Affiliations

  • Gerald W. Fry
    • 1
  1. 1.University of OregonEugeneUSA

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