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Regional Economic Convergence in Turkey: Does the Government Really Matter for?

Author

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  • Mustafa Gömleksiz

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

  • Ahmet Şahbaz

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

  • Birol Mercan

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

Abstract

Solow (1956) has made an essential contribution to the Neo-classical growth approach through the economic convergence hypothesis. It assumes that poorer countries’ or regions’ per capita incomes tend to grow at faster rates than the richer ones. Convergence could occur either among a group of economies with the same steady states or within regions in which their fundamental dynamics differ, and thus they exhibit multiple steady states. This study aims to investigate convergence with respect to GDP per capita across NUTS 2 regions in Turkey for the time period 2004–2014. In the convergence process, we also inquire into role of government in terms of regional government investments and fixed investment incentives. All the empirical results confirm the validity of the convergence hypothesis at a regional level. Also, in the context of the convergence process, it is possible to conclude that the role of government is likely to be decisive in solving regional economic disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa Gömleksiz & Ahmet Şahbaz & Birol Mercan, 2017. "Regional Economic Convergence in Turkey: Does the Government Really Matter for?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:5:y:2017:i:3:p:27-:d:105700
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Dukhabandhu Sahoo & Diptimayee Mishra & Auro Kumar Sahoo & Phendulwa Zikhona Makunga & Jayanti Behera, 2020. "Regional and subregional analyses of macroeconomic policy strategies for growth and equality in Southern Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-176, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2023. "The Influence of Investment, Energy Infrastructure, and Human Capital Towards Convergence of Regional Disparities in Sumatra Island, Indonesia; Using Oil and Gas Data and Without Oil and Gas," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 139-149, July.
    4. Adiwan F. Aritenang, 2021. "The Importance of Agglomeration Economies and Technological Level on Local Economic Growth: the Case of Indonesia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(2), pages 544-563, June.
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    6. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2022. "Does Investment and Energy Infrastructure Influence Convergence in Sumatra Island, Indonesia?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 274-281, July.
    7. Duran, Hasan Engin, 2019. "Asymmetries in regional development: Does TFP or capital accumulation matter for spatial inequalities?," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).

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