Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

11-2009

Abstract

Some extensions of neoclassical growth models are discussed that allow for cross-section heterogeneity among economies and evolution in rates of technological progress over time. The models offer a spectrum of transitional behavior among economies that includes convergence to a common steady-state path as well as various forms of transitional divergence and convergence. Mechanisms for modeling such transitions, measuring them econometrically, assessing group behavior and selecting subgroups are developed in the paper. Some econometric issues with the commonly used augmented Solow regressions are pointed out, including problems of endogeneity and omitted variable bias which arise under conditions of transitional heterogeneity. Alternative regression methods for analyzing economic transition are given which lead to a new test of the convergence hypothesis and a new procedure for detecting club convergence clusters. Transition curves for individual economies and subgroups of economies are estimated in a series of empirical applications of the methods to regional US data, OECD data and Penn World Table data. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords

Panel-data approach, Convergence hypothesis, Productivity growth, Tests, Empirics, Income, Regression, Poverty, Welfare, Clubs

Discipline

Econometrics

Research Areas

Econometrics

Publication

Journal of Applied Econometrics

Volume

24

Issue

7

First Page

1153

Last Page

1185

ISSN

0883-7252

Identifier

10.1002/jae.1080

Publisher

Wiley

Copyright Owner and License

Publisher

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1002/jae.1080

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