ABSTRACT
Having looked in some detail at all four leading newly industrialised Asian economies, we are now in a position to consider whether our case studies embody a distinctive ‘Four Tigers’ model of skill formation. Before beginning this assessment, it is worth considering the utility and nature of any model of skill formation. In our case, we are aiming to investigate a model of the political economy of skill formation. This intention takes us into broader territory than just, for instance, the institutional architecture of schools and colleges, or the questions of funding and achievement levels. Rather, it involves a conception of how political, economic and social imperatives may or may not combine to form a regime where workers’ skills are being enhanced. As we have discussed in detail elsewhere (Ashton and Green 1996), a model of successful skill formation involves the commitment of the ruling political classes, as well as that of employers and employees. The origins of such commitment may differ across countries, depending on historical circumstances. Also important is the presence of some general mode of regulation of individual employers.
