Preface -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Neoclassical and Post-Keynesian Theories of Regional Growth and Convergence/Divergence -- 3 'Endogenous Growth Theory' and 'New Economic Geography' -- 4 Club Convergence -- 5 Empirical Measure of Regional Convergence -- 6 EU-27 Regions: Absolute or Club...

Does culture have a causal effect on economic development? The data on European regions suggest that it does. Culture is measured by indicators of individual values and beliefs, such as trust and respect for others, and confidence in individual self-determination. To isolate the exogenous...

This paper shows that Tabellini's recent claim to have provided evidence that culture has a causal effect on economic development is unjustified. Tabellini's claim is based on an instrumental variables analysis in which two instruments are used to identify the supposed causal effect. One of...

The European Union (EU) provides grants to disadvantaged regions of member states to allow them to catch up with the EU average. Under the Objective 1 scheme, NUTS2 regions with a GDP per capita level below 75% of the EU average qualify for structural funds transfers from the central EU budget....

We use Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to evaluate the robustness of determinants of economic growth in a new dataset of 255 European regions in the 1995-2005 period. We use three different specifications based on (1) the cross-section of regions, (2) the cross-section of regions with country...

The importance of innovation for the economic performance of industrialized countries has been largely stressed recently by the theoretical and empirical literature. Moreover the intensity of knowledge externalities in generating innovation, is the key parameter in determining sustained growth...

1 Introduction -- Part I: Theory of Economic Growth -- 2 Neoclassical Growth Theory and Standard Models -- 3 Growth Models with Spatial Externalities -- 4 Convergence: Theory and Evidence -- Part II: A Model of Regional Growth -- 5 Remarks on Regional Growth -- 6 Structure of the Model -- 7...

Philipp Mohl evaluates the macroeconomic effects of EU Cohesion Policy with the help of empirical methods. His findings indicate that in particular the part of EU Cohesion Policy which is spent for the poorest regions (the so-called Objective 1 funding) has a positive and statistically...

Custom software is distinct from other types of capital in that it is non-rival—once a firm makes an investment in custom software, it can be used simultaneously across its many establishments. Using confidential US Census data, we document that while firms with more establishments are more...