³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ

David Matthews¡¯ feature ¡°Fuzzy logic¡± (3 August) raises the question of whether ¡°firms themselves really value the kind of critical thinking that academics prize¡±. The evidence suggests that they do.

The Futuretrack longitudinal survey (funded by the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Careers Services Unit) asked recent graduates the extent to which their undergraduate programmes developed their skills and capabilities in the area of ¡°critical evaluation¡±. After controlling for numerous other factors ¨C including A-level grades, degree class, subject of study and a variety of other skills ¨C those whose critical evaluation skills were developed ¡°some¡± by their undergraduate programmes earned incomes after graduation that were 19 per cent higher than those whose critical evaluation skills were not developed. For graduates whose critical evaluation skills were developed ¡°a lot¡±, the earnings premium is 29 per cent.

Geraint Johnes
Professor of economics
Lancaster University Management School

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