We estimate for the first time the impact of hurricane strikes on local economic growth rates and how this is reflected in more aggregate growth patterns. To this end we assemble a panel data set of US coastal counties' growth rates and construct a novel hurricane destruction index that is based...

We empirically estimate the impact of hurricane strikes on local crop productivity in the Caribbean region. To this end we first identify local cropland at 1km2 geographical units via Global Land Cover data. We then employ a windfield model combined with a power dissipation equation on hurricane...

We investigate the effect of hurricane strikes on housing prices in U.S. coastal cities. To this end, we construct a new index of hurricane destruction which varies over time and space. Using this index and an annual, two equation, dynamic equilibrium correction panel model with area and time...

The paper investigates how urban primacy affects economic growth across countries. Using semi-parametric estimation techniques on a cross-country panel for the years 1960—90, an increasing relationship is unearthed between urban primacy and growth. This result holds even when limiting the...

In this paper, we examine the role of industrial clusters and infrastructure in mitigating or magnifying the impact of the 1995 Kobe earthquake on the survival of manufacturing plants and their post-earthquake economic performance. Our methodological approach is to use information on...

The authors analyze Ireland's experience with equality legislation since the passage of the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act of 1974 and the Employment Equality Act of 1977. After providing a detailed analysis of how the Acts function, they econometrically estimate the effects of equality...