IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/presci/v100y2021i2p327-348.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does EU regional policy promote local TFP growth? Evidence from the Italian Mezzogiorno

Author

Listed:
  • Giuseppe Albanese
  • Guido de Blasio
  • Andrea Locatelli

Abstract

Total factor productivity (TFP) explains the bulk of the differences in income level across territories. A major policy issue refers to the ability of place‐based policy to promote TFP growth in backward areas. We investigate the effect of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) on local TFP growth in Southern Italy between 2007 and 2015. By using different empirical models (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) cross‐section, panel fixed‐effect regressions and a spatial regression discontinuity design), we show that, on average, local TFP seems to be rather unresponsive to EU programmes. Some suggestive evidence of a positive effect is found for ERDF infrastructure investments and for the areas characterized by higher institutional quality and population density. La productividad total de los factores (PTF) explica la mayor parte de las diferencias en el nivel de ingresos entre territorios. Una cuestión política importante es la capacidad de las políticas basadas en un lugar para promover el crecimiento de la PTF en zonas más atrasadas. Este artículo investiga el efecto del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) en el crecimiento de la PTF local en el sur de Italia entre 2007 y 2015. Mediante el uso de diferentes modelos empíricos (el transversal de operador de selección y contracción mínima absoluta o LASSO, por sus siglas en inglés, las regresiones de panel de efectos fijos y un diseño de regresión en discontinuidad espacial), se mostró que, en promedio, la PTF local parece no responder a los programas de la UE. Se encontró cierta evidencia que sugiere un efecto positivo para las inversiones en infraestructura del FEDER y para las zonas caracterizadas por una mayor calidad institucional y densidad de población. 所得水準の地域間の差異の大部分は、全要素生産性 (Total Factor Productivity:TFP)によって説明される。政策上の主な課題は、位置に基づいた政策に後進地域におけるTFPの成長の促進する可能性があるかどうかということである。2007~2015年の南イタリアの地域のTFPの成長に対する欧州地域開発基金(European Regional Development Fund:ERDF)の効果を検討した。様々な実証モデル[最小絶対値縮小選択演算子 (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator: LASSO)による横断面、パネルデータ固定効果回帰、空間的回帰不連続デザイン]による分析から、地域のTFPには、大抵は、EUのプログラムの効果がほとんど認められないことが示された。ERDFのインフラ投資と、制度の質が高く人口密度が高いという特徴がある地域には、プラスの効果を示唆するエビデンスが認められた。

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Albanese & Guido de Blasio & Andrea Locatelli, 2021. "Does EU regional policy promote local TFP growth? Evidence from the Italian Mezzogiorno," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(2), pages 327-348, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:100:y:2021:i:2:p:327-348
    DOI: 10.1111/pirs.12574
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/pirs.12574
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/pirs.12574?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maximilian v. Ehrlich & Henry G. Overman, 2020. "Place-Based Policies and Spatial Disparities across European Cities," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 128-149, Summer.
    2. Sascha O. Becker & Peter H. Egger & Maximilian von Ehrlich, 2013. "Absorptive Capacity and the Growth and Investment Effects of Regional Transfers: A Regression Discontinuity Design with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 29-77, November.
    3. Sara Calligaris & Massimo Del Gatto & Fadi Hassan & Gianmarco I P Ottaviano & Fabiano Schivardi & Tommaso MonacelliManaging Editor, 2018. "The productivity puzzle and misallocation: an Italian perspective," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 33(96), pages 635-684.
    4. Anthony Briant & Miren Lafourcade & Benoît Schmutz, 2015. "Can Tax Breaks Beat Geography? Lessons from the French Enterprise Zone Experience," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(2), pages 88-124, May.
    5. Chang-Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2010. "Development Accounting," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 207-223, January.
    6. Andr�s Rodr�guez-Pose & Enrique Garcilazo, 2015. "Quality of Government and the Returns of Investment: Examining the Impact of Cohesion Expenditure in European Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(8), pages 1274-1290, August.
    7. Emanuele Ciani & Guido de Blasio, 2015. "European structural funds during the crisis: evidence from Southern Italy," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-31, December.
    8. Alfonso Irarrazabal & Andreas Moxnes & Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe, 2013. "Heterogeneous Firms or Heterogeneous Workers? Implications for Exporter Premiums and the Gains from Trade," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(3), pages 839-849, July.
    9. Andrea Lasagni & Annamaria Nifo & Gaetano Vecchione, 2015. "Firm Productivity And Institutional Quality: Evidence From Italian Industry," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 774-800, November.
    10. Bernini, Cristina & Pellegrini, Guido, 2011. "How are growth and productivity in private firms affected by public subsidy? Evidence from a regional policy," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 253-265, May.
    11. Maximilian v. Ehrlich & Tobias Seidel, 2018. "The Persistent Effects of Place-Based Policy: Evidence from the West-German Zonenrandgebiet," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(4), pages 344-374, November.
    12. Riccardo Crescenzi & Marco Di Cataldo & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2016. "Government Quality And The Economic Returns Of Transport Infrastructure Investment In European Regions," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 555-582, September.
    13. Chiara Criscuolo & Ralf Martin & Henry G. Overman & John Van Reenen, 2019. "Some Causal Effects of an Industrial Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(1), pages 48-85, January.
    14. Konstantins Benkovskis & Olegs Tkacevs & Naomitsu Yashiro, 2018. "Importance of EU Regional Support Programmes for Firm Performance," Working Papers 2018/01, Latvijas Banka.
    15. Valentina Aiello & Pierre Maurice Reverberi & Cristina Brasili, 2019. "Regional diversity in experiences of cohesion policy: The cases of Emilia‐Romagna and Calabria," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 98(6), pages 2275-2293, December.
    16. Andrea Locatelli & Emanuele Ciani & Marcello Pagnini, 2019. "TFP Differentials across Italian Macro-Regions: An Analysis of Manufacturing Corporations between 1995 and 2015," Politica economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 2, pages 209-242.
    17. Matias Busso & Jesse Gregory & Patrick Kline, 2013. "Assessing the Incidence and Efficiency of a Prominent Place Based Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(2), pages 897-947, April.
    18. Valter Di Giacinto & Matteo Gomellini & Giacinto Micucci & Marcello Pagnini, 2014. "Mapping local productivity advantages in Italy: industrial districts, cities or both?," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(2), pages 365-394.
    19. Bronzini, Raffaello & Piselli, Paolo, 2009. "Determinants of long-run regional productivity with geographical spillovers: The role of R&D, human capital and public infrastructure," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 187-199, March.
    20. Becker, Sascha O. & Egger, Peter H. & von Ehrlich, Maximilian, 2010. "Going NUTS: The effect of EU Structural Funds on regional performance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(9-10), pages 578-590, October.
    21. Joshua D. Angrist & Miikka Rokkanen, 2015. "Wanna Get Away? Regression Discontinuity Estimation of Exam School Effects Away From the Cutoff," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 110(512), pages 1331-1344, December.
    22. Neumark, David & Kolko, Jed, 2010. "Do enterprise zones create jobs? Evidence from California's enterprise zone program," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 1-19, July.
    23. Accetturo, Antonio & de Blasio, Guido, 2012. "Policies for local development: An evaluation of Italy's “Patti Territoriali”," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1-2), pages 15-26.
    24. Jeremy T. Fox & Valérie Smeets, 2011. "Does Input Quality Drive Measured Differences In Firm Productivity?," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 52(4), pages 961-989, November.
    25. Federico Cingano & Fabiano Schivardi, 2004. "Identifying the Sources of Local Productivity Growth," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 2(4), pages 720-742, June.
    26. Antonella Rita Ferrara & Philip McCann & Guido Pellegrini & Dirk Stelder & Flavia Terribile, 2017. "Assessing the impacts of Cohesion Policy on EU regions: A non-parametric analysis on interventions promoting research and innovation and transport accessibility," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(4), pages 817-841, November.
    27. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    28. Enrico Moretti, 2014. "Local Economic Development, Agglomeration Economies, and the Big Push: 100 Years of Evidence from the Tennessee Valley Authority," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 129(1), pages 275-331.
    29. Bernini, Cristina & Cerqua, Augusto & Pellegrini, Guido, 2017. "Public subsidies, TFP and efficiency: A tale of complex relationships," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 751-767.
    30. Mara Giua, 2017. "Spatial Discontinuity For The Impact Assessment Of The Eu Regional Policy: The Case Of Italian Objective 1 Regions," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 109-131, January.
    31. Annamaria Nifo & Gaetano Vecchione, 2014. "Do Institutions Play a Role in Skilled Migration? The Case of Italy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(10), pages 1628-1649, October.
    32. Ilaria Angelis & Guido Blasio & Lucia Rizzica, 2020. "Lost in Corruption. Evidence from EU Funding to Southern Italy," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 6(2), pages 355-377, July.
    33. Guido Pellegrini & Flavia Terribile & Ornella Tarola & Teo Muccigrosso & Federica Busillo, 2013. "Measuring the effects of European Regional Policy on economic growth: A regression discontinuity approach," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(1), pages 217-233, March.
    34. Nicholas Charron & Lewis Dijkstra & Victor Lapuente, 2014. "Regional Governance Matters: Quality of Government within European Union Member States," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(1), pages 68-90, January.
    35. Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), 2005. "Handbook of Economic Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
    36. Hornbeck, Richard & Moretti, Enrico, 2019. "Estimating Who Benefits from Productivity Growth: Direct and Indirect Effects of City Manufacturing TFP Growth on Wages, Rents, and Inequality," IZA Discussion Papers 12277, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    37. Cerqua, Augusto & Pellegrini, Guido, 2018. "Local policy effects at a time of economic crisis," MPRA Paper 85621, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    38. Bronzini, Raffaello & de Blasio, Guido, 2006. "Evaluating the impact of investment incentives: The case of Italy's Law 488/1992," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 327-349, September.
    39. Simone Lenzu & Francesco Manaresi, 2019. "Sources and implications of resource misallocation: new evidence from firm-level marginal products and user costs," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 485, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    40. Gilles Duranton & J. V. Henderson & William C. Strange (ed.), 2015. "Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 5, number 5.
    41. Reynolds, C. Lockwood & Rohlin, Shawn M., 2015. "The effects of location-based tax policies on the distribution of household income: Evidence from the federal Empowerment Zone program," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 1-15.
    42. Matthew Freedman, 2013. "Targeted Business Incentives and Local Labor Markets," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 48(2), pages 311-344.
    43. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & Mariko J. Klasing & Petros Milionis, 2018. "Regional economic development in Europe: the role of total factor productivity," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(4), pages 461-476, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Atella, Vincenzo & Braione, Manuela & Ferrara, Giancarlo & Resce, Giuliano, 2023. "Cohesion Policy Funds and local government autonomy: Evidence from Italian municipalities," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    2. Beniamino Quintieri & Giovanni Stamato, 2021. "Qualità delle istituzioni e politiche di coesione nel Mezzogiorno," Regional Economy, , vol. 5(Q3), pages 3-13.
    3. Monturano, Gianluca & Resce, Giuliano & Ventura, Marco, 2022. "Place-Based Policies and the location of economic activity: evidence from the Italian Strategy for Inner areas," Economics & Statistics Discussion Papers esdp22087, University of Molise, Department of Economics.
    4. Samuel Nocito & Marcello Sartarelli & Francesco Sobbrio, 2021. "A Beam of Light: Media, Tourism & Economic Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 9055, CESifo.
    5. Di Stefano, Roberta & Resce, Giuliano, "undated". "The Determinants of Missed Funding: Predicting the Paradox of Increased Need and Reduced Allocation," Economics & Statistics Discussion Papers esdp23092, University of Molise, Department of Economics.
    6. Albanese, Giuseppe & Carrieri, Vincenzo & Speziali, Maria Maddalena, 2021. "Looking for a Star: Evaluating the Effect of the Cohesion Policy on Regional Well-Being," IZA Discussion Papers 14521, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giuseppe Albanese & Guido de Blasio & Andrea Locatelli, 2019. "Place-based Policy and Local TFP," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1253, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    2. Neumark, David & Simpson, Helen, 2015. "Place-Based Policies," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: Gilles Duranton & J. V. Henderson & William C. Strange (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 1197-1287, Elsevier.
    3. Giuseppe Albanese & Guglielmo Barone & Guido DeBlasio, 2021. "The impact of place-based policies on income distribution," Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography 2021-04, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, revised Mar 2021.
    4. Jia, Junxue & Ma, Guangrong & Qin, Cong & Wang, Liyan, 2020. "Place-based policies, state-led industrialisation, and regional development: Evidence from China's Great Western Development Programme," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    5. Brachert, Matthias & Dettmann, Eva & Titze, Mirko, 2019. "The regional effects of a place-based policy – Causal evidence from Germany," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    6. Antonio Accetturo & Giuseppe Albanese & Alessio D'Ignazio, 2020. "A new phoenix? Large plants regeneration policies in Italy," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 878-902, November.
    7. Cingano, Federico & Palomba, Filippo & Pinotti, Paolo & Rettore, Enrico, 2022. "Making Subsidies Work: Rules vs. Discretion," IZA Discussion Papers 15172, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Augusto Cerqua & Guido Pellegrini, 2023. "I will survive! The impact of place-based policies when public transfers fade out," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(8), pages 1605-1618, August.
    9. Maximilian v. Ehrlich & Henry G. Overman, 2020. "Place-Based Policies and Spatial Disparities across European Cities," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 128-149, Summer.
    10. Giuseppe Albanese & Guglielmo Barone & Guido de Blasio, 2023. "The impact of place‐based policies on interpersonal income inequality," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(358), pages 508-530, April.
    11. Cerqua, Augusto & Pellegrini, Guido, 2018. "Local policy effects at a time of economic crisis," MPRA Paper 85621, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Ramboer, Sander & Reynaerts, Jo, 2020. "Indecent proposals: Estimating the impact of regional state aid through EU guideline compliance," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    13. Titze, Mirko & Dettmann, Eva & Brachert, Matthias, 2016. "Identifying the effects of place-based policies – Evidence from Germany," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145735, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    14. Cerciello, Massimiliano & Agovino, Massimiliano & Garofalo, Antonio, 2019. "The caring hand that cripples? The effects of the European regional policy on local labour market participation in Southern Italy," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    15. Givord, Pauline & Quantin, Simon & Trevien, Corentin, 2018. "A long-term evaluation of the first generation of French urban enterprise zones," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 149-161.
    16. Di Stefano, Roberta & Resce, Giuliano, "undated". "The Determinants of Missed Funding: Predicting the Paradox of Increased Need and Reduced Allocation," Economics & Statistics Discussion Papers esdp23092, University of Molise, Department of Economics.
    17. Albanese, Giuseppe & Carrieri, Vincenzo & Speziali, Maria Maddalena, 2021. "Looking for a Star: Evaluating the Effect of the Cohesion Policy on Regional Well-Being," IZA Discussion Papers 14521, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Blouri, Yashar & Ehrlich, Maximilian V., 2020. "On the optimal design of place-based policies: A structural evaluation of EU regional transfers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    19. Marco Di Cataldo, 2016. "Gaining and losing EU Objective 1 funds: Regional development in Britain and the prospect of Brexit," LEQS – LSE 'Europe in Question' Discussion Paper Series 120, European Institute, LSE.
    20. Alexandre, Fernando & Chaves, Miguel & Portela, Miguel, 2022. "Investment Grants and Firms' Productivity: How Effective Is a Grant Booster Shot?," IZA Discussion Papers 15779, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:100:y:2021:i:2:p:327-348. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1056-8190 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.