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Heterogeneity and Productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Quamrul Ashraf
  • Oded Galor
  • Marc Klemp

Abstract

This research explores the effects of within-group heterogeneity on group-level productivity. It establishes that observed genetic diversity of 230 worldwide ethnic groups, as well as predicted genetic diversity of 1,331 ethnic groups across the globe, has a hump-shaped effect on economic prosperity, reflecting the trade-off between the beneficial and the detrimental effects of diversity on productivity. Moreover, the study demonstrates that variations in within-ethnic-group genetic diversity across ethnic groups contribute to ethnic and thus regional variation in economic development within a country.

Suggested Citation

  • Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2015. "Heterogeneity and Productivity," Working Papers 2015-4, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bro:econwp:2015-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kleibergen, Frank & Paap, Richard, 2006. "Generalized reduced rank tests using the singular value decomposition," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 97-126, July.
    2. Stelios Michalopoulos, 2012. "The Origins of Ethnolinguistic Diversity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1508-1539, June.
    3. Jo Thori Lind & Halvor Mehlum, 2010. "With or Without U? The Appropriate Test for a U‐Shaped Relationship," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(1), pages 109-118, February.
    4. Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor, 2013. "Genetic Diversity and the Origins of Cultural Fragmentation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 528-533, May.
    5. Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2014. "The Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Development Reflected by Nighttime Light Intensity," Working Papers 2014-4, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    6. Nathan Nunn & Diego Puga, 2012. "Ruggedness: The Blessing of Bad Geography in Africa," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(1), pages 20-36, February.
    7. J. Vernon Henderson & Adam Storeygard & David N. Weil, 2012. "Measuring Economic Growth from Outer Space," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(2), pages 994-1028, April.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Frédéric Docquier & Riccardo Turati & Jérôme Valette & Chrysovalantis Vasilakis, 2020. "Birthplace diversity and economic growth: evidence from the US states in the Post-World War II period [Cultural diversity and economic growth: evidence from the US during the age of mass migration]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 321-354.
    2. Giuliano, Paola & Figlio, David & Marchingiglio, Riccardo & Ozek, Umut & Sapienza, Paola, 2021. "Diversity in Schools: Immigrants and the Educational Performance of U.S. Born Students," CEPR Discussion Papers 15933, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Zhaobin Fan & Shujuan Huang & W. Robert J. Alexander, 2017. "Do National Cultural Traits Affect Comparative Advantage in Cultural Goods?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-16, July.
    4. C. Justin Cook & Jason M. Fletcher, 2018. "High-school genetic diversity and later-life student outcomes: micro-level evidence from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 307-339, September.
    5. de la Croix, David & Gobbi, Paula E., 2017. "Population density, fertility, and demographic convergence in developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 13-24.
    6. de la Croix, David & Gobbi, Paula E., 2022. "Population homeostasis in sub-Saharan Africa," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Heterogeneity; Regional Development; Out-of-Africa Hypothesis; Comparative Development; Genetic Diversity; Nighttime Light Intensity;
    All these keywords.

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