Empirical Study on Human Capital, Economic Growth and Sustainable Development: Taking Shandong Province as an Example

Abstract

This study aims to explore the sustainable development of the regional economy from the perspective of human capital. Based on the panel data from 2005 to 2019 in Shandong Province, China, this study first analyzes the interactive coupling mechanism between human capital and sustainable economic growth, and then constructs the evaluation model of coupling coordination degree. Results reveal that Shandong Province’s human capital and sustainable economic growth gradually increased; the coupling coordination degree of human capital and sustainable economic growth changed from a state of mild imbalance to slight coordination; sustainable economic growth lagged human capital development; education scale, innovation capacity, growth level, economic openness, and investment and consumption level are the key factors affecting sustainable economic development. Through the above research, the study puts forward policy suggestions conducive to sustainable development in China.