Tag: R10

REGIONAL CONVERGENCE: THEORY AND EMPIRICS

Stilianos ALEXIADIS *

Ministry of Rural Development & Foods, Department of Agricultural Policy & Documentation, Division of Agricultural Statistics, Room 519, 2 Acharnon Street, 104 32, Athens, Greece, Tel: ++30 210 2125925

salexiadis7@aim.com

Abstract

One of the most controversial issues in regional science is regional convergence. Do regions converge? Why the existing inequalities across regions persist overtime, despite some movements towards convergence. Such questions had bred an extensive literature. In this paper, a model of regional convergence focusing on technological factors is developed. This model is tested using data for the EU-27 regions. A possible explanation for these results is offered and suggests that might afford an interesting policy conclusion.

Keywords: Regional convergence, Technological gaps, Technology adoption

JEL classification: R10

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* The findings, interpretations and conclusions are entirely those of the author and, do not necessarily represent the official position, policies or views of the Ministry of Rural Development & Foods and/or the Greek Government.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Athanasios PAPADASKALOPOULOS

Professor, Panteion University, Athens, Greece ,Regional Development Institute

pdask@panteion.gr

Panagiotis NIKOLOPOULOS

PhD Candidate, Panteion University, Athens, Greece

p.g.nikolopoulos@panteion.gr

Abstract

The role of social capital in the development process is rendered essential by the intervention of local authorities, local initiatives, relations and networking. In this article is attempted the association of the means of social capital, such as the information transfer, relations of trust, networking, and cooperation, with the main instruments of regional policy, which endogenous growth strategy utilises. Instruments, such as industrial districts, technological parks, local productive systems, business clusters, creative cities, etc. are based on the utilisation of local social capital, which is a prerequisite for a viable application of the endogenous growth and local development policies. The aim of this paper is to examine the relation between endogenous growth and social capital in the configuration of a local development strategy.

Keywords: social capital, economic development, regional development, endogenous growth, local development

JEL classification: O10, R10, Z13
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EXAMINING THE EXISTENCE OF CO2 EMISSION PER CAPITA CONVERGENCE IN EAST ASIA

Kenichi SHIMAMOTO

Hirao School of Management, Konan University, Nishinomiya, Japan
Correspondence details: Dr. Kenichi Shimamoto Hirao School of Management, Konan University, 8-33 Takamatsu-cho,  Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan 663-8204

kenichi@center.konan-u.ac.jp

Abstract

The ‘flying geese’ model of industrial upgrading depicts the income convergence or economic development convergence in East Asia. However, how does this convergence of economic development effect the environment? The surge in the consumption of fossil fuel is causing a large increase in emission of CO2. Global warming affected by CO2 emission poses as a serious threat to East Asian countries with large coastal areas exposed to the rise in sea level. This paper examines CO2 emission per capita to investigate the existence of environmental convergence in East Asian countries and predicts future distribution using deviations, interquartile range, kernel densities distribution, time series approach, β convergence analysis and the Markov chain approach. As a result, no meaningful evidence of convergence was found in the historical evaluation and a non-compressed ergodic distribution was found in the future prediction for CO2 emission.

Keywords: environmental convergence, East Asia, CO2

JEL classification: Q53, Q56, R10

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