The Impact of Talent Competitiveness on Quality of Life

Document Type : RESEARCH PAPER

Authors

1 Ph. D Student of Economics, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Science and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Science, and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

10.22111/sedj.2026.53402.1633

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between talent competitiveness and quality of life. The importance of this issue lies in the fact that improving quality of life, as a core objective of development policies, increasingly depends on countries’ ability to effectively leverage human capital and to create supportive environments for the development and attraction of talent. In this context, the relationship is investigated for 18 leading developing countries in terms of scientific output over the period 2013–2023. To enhance estimation accuracy and reduce model uncertainty, the study applies Bayesian Averaging of Classical Estimates (BACE) across seven regression specifications. Human capital and information technology are included as control variables in all models. The results indicate that information technology and human capital exert positive and statistically robust effects on quality of life across all specifications. Among the components of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI), Enablers, Attract, Grow, and Labour and Vocational Skills display positive coefficients with high inclusion probabilities, providing strong empirical support for their role in explaining cross-country differences in quality of life. In contrast, Retain and Global Knowledge Skills exhibit lower inclusion probabilities, suggesting weaker empirical support for their direct impact on quality of life within the sample. A comparison of mean coefficients further reveals that Labour and Vocational Skills have the largest average effect on quality of life, followed by the overall talent competitiveness index, Grow, Enablers, and Attract. Among the control variables, human capital shows the largest mean coefficient. Based on these findings, the study suggests that policymakers in developing countries should prioritize strengthening human capital, expanding digital infrastructure, and improving talent development and attraction policies to promote sustainable improvements in quality of life.

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Main Subjects

References

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