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Entrepreneurial Innovation and Sustained Long-run Growth without Weak or Strong Scale Effects

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  • Volker Grossmann

Abstract

R&D-based growth theory suggests that a larger population size raises either the long-run rate of economic growth (“strong scale effect”) or the level of per capita income (“weak scale effect”), with far-reaching policy implications. However, for modern times there is little empirical support for strong scale effects and evidence in favor of weak scale effects is mixed, at best. This paper develops a simple overlapping-generations framework with endogenous occupational choice of heterogeneous agents and entrepreneurial innovations in which any form of scale effect is absent. A higher population growth rate has a negligible, possibly negative effect on the long-run growth rate of per capita income. Long-run growth is sustained also in absence of population growth and generally is policy-dependent.

Suggested Citation

  • Volker Grossmann, 2008. "Entrepreneurial Innovation and Sustained Long-run Growth without Weak or Strong Scale Effects," CESifo Working Paper Series 2264, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2264
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    Cited by:

    1. Grossmann, Volker & Stadelmann, David, 2008. "International Mobility of the Highly Skilled, Endogenous R&D, and Public Infrastructure Investment," IZA Discussion Papers 3366, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic growth; endogenous technical change; entrepreneurial skills; population growth; scale effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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