R1 – Page 5 – Regional Science Inquiry

Sabyasachi TRIPATHI

Department of Economics, Adamas University, Kolkata, India

Abstract

The present paper analyzes the employment situation in different class of cities in urban India. By focussing on 52 large urban agglomerations in India and using latest unit level National Sample Survey data for the year of 2011-12 on employment and unemployment, it investigates the relevant city specific determinants of city-wise work-force participation rate (WPR). Finally, it reviews the current and past employment policies in India. The analyses show that though urban India has been witnessing an increase in the number of total job opportunities, WPR in the large cities have declined over the years. The regression results show that indicators like city-wise average land owned by a person, city-wise percentage of persons receiving any vocational training, percentage of persons currently registered with any placement agency, city size population and city output growth have a positive effect on city-wise WPR. Finally, the paper suggests that education of the worker, vocational training, and placement agencies are needed for successful job creation in the large agglomerations in India.

Keywords: Urban Agglomeration, employment, urban India

JEL classification: R1, J21
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G. Jason JOLLEY

Assistant Professor and MPA Director, Ohio University, Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs

jolleyg1@ohio.edu

Anirudh V.S. RUHIL

Associate Professor, Ohio University, Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs

ruhil@ohio.edu

Stephen KLEINSCHMIT

Assistant Professor, Western Michigan University, School of Public Affairs and Administration

stephen.kleinschmit@wmich.edu

Aleksey KOLPAKOV

Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Reno, Political Science Department

akolpakov@unr.edu

Abstract

In an age of increased competition for economic growth, attracting destination retail is becoming an increasingly popular development strategy. Local governments engage in inter-jurisdictional competition to attract large-scale retail outlets, which may also serve as a lucrative source of local government sales tax revenue. This study uses a natural experiment design to examine sales tax revenue collections in a seven county region in the state of North Carolina in the United States focusing on the entrance of the Tanger Outlet Mall in Alamance County. After its opening, the county experienced several years of increased sales tax collections, particularly for apparel, relative to the surrounding region. Our evidence suggests that destination retail may prove a desirable strategy for promoting development, though we posit that structural changes in retail and apparel markets, as well as state tax policies, may work to undermine the utility of this approach as means of generating local tax revenue.

Keywords: Tanger, outlet malls, sales tax, LOST, destination retail

JEL classification: H73, H2, R5, R1, L81, Z38

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