Tag: regional growth

THE ROLE OF INNOVATION IN COMPETITIVENESS AND CONVERGENCE PROCESS: A BENCHMARKING STUDY FOR EUROPEAN REGIONS

George M. Korres

Visiting Fellow, University of Newcastle, Centre of Urban and Regional Development Studies, CURDS, Newcastle, United Kingdom, George.Korres@ncl.ac.uk and Associate Professor at the University of Aegean, Department of Geography, Email: gkorres@hol.gr and gkorres@geo.aegean.gr

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Aikaterini Kokkinou

Department of Economics, University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Building, G12 8RT, Glasgow, United Kingdom, E-mail: a.kokkinou.1@research.gla.ac.uk

Abstract:

Globalization and competition has shifted the comparative advantage of economies towards the factor of knowledge and innovation, where productivity based on the endogenous development capabilities plays a rather important role, as far as growth and competitiveness enhancement are concerned. In order to promote innovation activities and technological opportunities, productivity enhancement seems to have significant effects on the long run performance of the economy. Within this framework, the enhancement and convergence of growth and productivity are a major topic in the economic and social policy agenda of E.U. members, since governments seek to concentrate on problems not only related to low employment growth, high unemployment, fiscal deficits and public debt, but also to national disparities and convergence attainment. This paper aims to review the main topics related to innovation activities, as well as competitiveness and economic convergence attainment. It also attempts to analyze, using a benchmarking approach, the effects of innovation activities, in order to clarify the related implications on regional convergence process.

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Spillover Diffusion and Regional Convergence: A Gravity Approach

Guastella Giovanni
Doctoral School in Economic Policy, Catholic University, Piacenza, Corresponding author

Timpano Francesco
Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Catholic University, Piacenza

Abstract:
Among the different sources of regional growth, agglomeration economies, both internal to regions and external to regions (spillovers) play a primary role. However the presence of agglomeration economies may obstacle the path toward cohesion making rich (poor) regions become richer (poorer). While, according to New Growth Theory and New Economic Geography, there is no doubt that internal economies may lead to divergence, the debate on the role of external economies on convergence is still open. Much, of course, depends on the spatial extension of spillovers. The aim of this work is to study the spatial dimension of spillovers using the framework of cross-region growth regression. In particular we seek to explain whether the intensity of spillover is either completely exogenous or it can be explained by some endogenous regional characteristics. Results indicate that the intensity of externalities is determined by a) the regional geographical position and b) the distance from neighbors with high growth rates. While the first is completely exogenous, the second is not. Curiously enough, infrastructural endowments and factors commonly assumed to induce agglomeration do not contribute to explain the intensity of spillovers. Results have important policy implications. Since spillovers characterize more core regions, which are well connected to other rich regions, than periphery, the presence of these externalities may foster the increase of disparities between core and periphery, making harder to reach the objective of cohesion. read more

JEL: R11, O18
Keywords: spatial econometrics, regional growth, spillovers, gravity models