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Geographic clustering and productivity: An instrumental variable approach for classical composers

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Listed author(s):
  • Borowiecki, Karol Jan

Abstract

It is difficult to estimate the impact of geographic clustering on productivity because of endogeneity issues. I use birthplace–cluster distance as an instrumental variable for the incidence of clustering of prominent classical composers born between 1750 and 1899. I find that geographic clustering causally impacts productivity: composers were writing around one additional influential work every 3 years they spent in a cluster. The best composers and those who migrated to Paris appear to be the greatest beneficiaries of clustering. Placebo tests disclose that the effects are attributable to locating in contemporaneous cluster cities, as opposed to historical cluster locations or large cities in general.

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File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094119012000484
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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Urban Economics.

Volume (Year): 73 (2013)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 94-110

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Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:73:y:2013:i:1:p:94-110
DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2012.07.004
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/622905

Keywords: Geographic concentration; Cities; Mobility; Productivity; Urban history; Composer;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
  • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
  • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
  • N90 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - General, International, or Comparative
  • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
  • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
  • Z19 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Other

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Cited by:

  1. Horbach, Jens & Janser, Markus, 2016. "The role of innovation and agglomeration for employment growth in the environmental sector," Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145500, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
  2. Karol J Borowiecki, 2015. "Agglomeration economies in classical music," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 443-468, 08.
  3. Patrick Georges & Aylin Seçkin, 2013. "Black notes and white noise: a hedonic approach to auction prices of classical music manuscripts," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 37(1), pages 33-60, February.
  4. Andrej Srakar & Petja Grafenauer & Marilena Vecco, 2016. "Being Central and Productive? Evidence from Slovenian Visual Artists in the 19th and 20th Century," ACEI Working Paper Series AWP-09-2016, Association for Cultural Economics International, revised Sep 2016.
  5. Borowiecki, Karol J. & Navarrete, Trilce, 2015. "Digitization of heritage collections as indicator of innovation," Discussion Papers of Business and Economics 14/2015, Department of Business and Economics, University of Southern Denmark.
  6. Karol Jan Borowiecki, 2015. "Historical origins of cultural supply in Italy," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 67(3), pages 781-805.
  7. Patrick Georges & Aylin Seçkin, 2012. "Auction Prices of Classical Music Manuscripts – A Hedonic Approach," Working Papers 1202E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
  8. Federico Etro & Elena Stepanova, 2016. "Art Auctions and Art Investment in the Golden Age of British Painting," LEM Papers Series 2016/34, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
  9. Alan De Bromhead & Karol Jan Borowiecki, 2016. "Immigration and the demand for life insurance: evidence from Canada, 1911," European Review of Economic History, Oxford University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 147-175.
  10. Borowiecki, Karol Jan & Kavetsos, Georgios, 2015. "In fatal pursuit of immortal fame: Peer competition and early mortality of music composers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 30-42.
  11. Karol Jan BOROWIECKI & Georgios KAVETSOS, 2011. "Does Competition Kill? The Case of Classical Composers," Trinity Economics Papers tep1111, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
  12. Karol Jan BOROWIECKI, 2011. "Conflict-induced Migration of Composers: An Individual-level Study," Trinity Economics Papers tep0511, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.

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