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Structural cohesion in Europe: Stylized facts

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  • Bickenbach, Frank
  • Bode, Eckhardt
  • Krieger-Boden, Christiane

Abstract

This paper establishes eight stylized facts on the evolution of the localization of economic activity across industries and regions in the EU-15 since 1980. Localization, which nests concentration and specialization, is measured by a Theil index. The stylized facts reveal a broad aggregate trend towards structural convergence in the EU-15. The by far most important drivers of this convergence have been the sectoral structural change from highly concentrated agriculture and manufacturing industries towards dispersed services, and a continuing dispersion of services. The manufacturing sector, by contrast, worked against this structural convergence as it has become spatially more concentrated. The stylized facts also reveal that virtually all countries and most of their regions participated in this structural convergence. The speed of aggregate structural cohesion slowed down considerably in the early 1990s, however.

Suggested Citation

  • Bickenbach, Frank & Bode, Eckhardt & Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2010. "Structural cohesion in Europe: Stylized facts," Kiel Working Papers 1669, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:1669
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Stierle & Ulrike Stierle-von Schütz & Stijn Rocher, 2018. "How did Regional Economic Structures in the EU Change during the Economic Crisis?," European Economy - Discussion Papers 088, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    2. Frank Bickenbach & Eckhardt Bode, 2013. "New Economic Geography and Reunified Germany at Twenty: A Fruitful Match?," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 120-153, June.
    3. Franz-Josef Bade & Eckhardt Bode & Eleonora Cutrini, 2015. "Spatial fragmentation of industries by functions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(1), pages 215-250, January.
    4. Frank Bickenbach & Eckhardt Bode & Christiane Krieger-Boden, 2013. "Closing the gap between absolute and relative measures of localization, concentration or specialization," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(3), pages 465-479, August.
    5. Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2016. "EU cohesion policy, past and present: Sustaining a prospering and fair European Union?," Kiel Working Papers 2037, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Theil index; localization; specialization; concentration; European Union; cohesion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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