This paper investigates the location of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Italy over the period 1986-1999. FDI are measured through the frequencies of acquisitions and greenfield investments per province and sector, so count data models are applied. The results show that the location...

Using a balanced longitudinal data set on Italian manufacturing firms born in 1996 and active in 2000, we analyse the firm size dynamics. The aim is to assess the presence of non-linearities and/or discontinuities in the growth behaviour generated by the employment protection legislation (EPL),...

In this paper we use spatial dependence panel data models to analyse regional growth behaviour in Italy. Controlling for fixed-effects allows us to disentangle the effect of spatial dependence (or spatial interaction) from that of spatial heterogeneity and of omitted variables and, thus, to...

Testing regional convergence hypothesis involves important data issues. In empirical circumstances the problem arises of finding the best data to test the theory and the best estimators for the associated modelling. In the literature usually little attention is given to the level of spatial...

This paper compares different conditional density estimators to analyze the cross-sectional distribution dynamics of regional per-capita incomes in Europe during the period 1980-2002. First, a kernel estimator with fixed bandwidth gives evidence of convergence. With a modified estimator with...

In spite of the huge amount of public aids to poor regions, relative movements in the distribution of income, labor productivity and employment rates across European regions show no positive relation with the distribution of the Structural Funds. Specifically, widening employment gaps and a...

This paper employs recently developed non stationary panel methodologies that assume some cross-section dependence to estimate the production function for Italian regions in the industrial sector over the period 1970-1998. The analysis consists in three steps. First, unit root tests for...

The regional distribution of labor productivity in Western Europe is characterised by a Core-Periphery spatial pattern: high (low) productivity regions are in a proximate relationship with other high (low) productivity regions. Over the last twenty years, intra-distribution dynamics has...

Using data on 5509 foreign subsidiaries established in 50 regions of 8 EU countries over the period 1991-1999, we estimate a mixed logit model of the location choice of multinational firms in Europe. In particular, we focus on the role of EU Cohesion Policy in attracting foreign investors from...

In this paper, we present an empirical study of per capita income convergence in Italy over the period 1951-2000 based on a fine level of aggregation (the NUTS-3 EU regions represented by the Italian provinces). Concerning the statistical methodology, we use both nonparametric and spatial...