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Real Convergence, Capital Flows, and Competitiveness in Central and Eastern Europe

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  • Ansgar Belke
  • Gunther Schnabl
  • Holger Zemanek

Abstract

The paper scrutinizes the role of wages and capital flows for competitiveness in the new EU member states in the context of real convergence. For this purpose it extends the seminal Balassa-Samuelson model by international capital markets. The augmented Balassa-Samuelson model is linked to the monetary overinvestment theories of Wicksell and Hayek in order to trace cyclical deviations of real exchange rates from the productivity-driven equilibrium path. Panel estimations for the period from 1993 to 2008 reveal mixed evidence for the role of capital markets for both the economic catch-up process and international competitiveness of the Central and Eastern European countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Ansgar Belke & Gunther Schnabl & Holger Zemanek, 2009. "Real Convergence, Capital Flows, and Competitiveness in Central and Eastern Europe," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 937, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp937
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Ansgar Belke & Ulrich Haskamp & Gunther Schnabl, 2018. "Beyond Balassa and Samuelson: real convergence, capital flows, and competitiveness in Greece," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 409-424, May.
    2. Schnabl, Gunther & Ziegler, Christina, 2011. "Exchange rate and wage policies in Central and Eastern Europe," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 347-360, May.
    3. Piotr Adamczyk & Mateusz Pipień, 2022. "On the Role of Portfolio Indicators of the Capital Flows in the Convergence Processes – An Application of Systems of Regression Equations in the Case of Selected CEE Countries," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 14(3), pages 303-333, September.
    4. Juan Carlos Cuestas & Luis A. Gil-Alana & Karl Taylor, 2016. "Inflation convergence in Central and Eastern Europe vs. the Eurozone: Non-linearities and long memory," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 63(5), pages 519-538, November.
    5. Hubert Gabrisch, 2015. "Net Capital Flows To And The Real Exchange Rate Of Western Balkan Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 60(205), pages 31-52, April – J.
    6. Hiroyuki Imai, 2020. "Was the Balassa–Samuelson Effect Small? Uncaptured Quality Improvements and Japan’s Real Exchange Rate Appreciation, 1956–1970," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 62(4), pages 632-660, December.
    7. Pilar Beneito & Carlos Cháfer, 2020. "Capital Inflows and Costs: The Role of the Euro," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 31(5), pages 977-1008, November.
    8. Gabrisch, Hubert, 2015. "Cross-border finance, trade imbalances and competitiveness in the euro area," MPRA Paper 68518, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. João Alcobia & Ricardo Cabral, 2023. "The Dutch disease of the Euro Area peripheral member states," Working Papers REM 2023/0257, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exchange rate regime; wages; Central and Eastern Europe; EMU accession; panel model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements

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