IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nst/samfok/9809.html

Regional income convergence, skilled migration and productivity response: Explaining relative stagnation in the periphery

Author

Listed:
  • Joern Rattsoe

    (Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Hildegunn Ekroll Stokke

    (Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Most country growth experiences imply urbanization with labor migration from poor to rich regions and relative stagnation in the periphery. We study mechanisms holding back regional income convergence emphasizing the importance of productivity. Recent research has addressed the effects of labor mobility for income convergence in the neoclassical growth model, but finds that migration has limited effect on the convergence process. We build skilled labor migration into a multi-regional neoclassical growth model and assume that skilled labor affects productivity. The formulation takes advantage of open economy growth models where human capital influences innovation and technology adoption. Skilled labor outmigration from periphery regions reduces the capacity to generate productivity growth. Calibration of the regional growth model shows that skilled outmigration has quantitative importance for the growth performance of the periphery with realistic parameters. The analysis of the consequences of capital shock reproducing backwardness shows how migration equilibrium can be reestablished only after prolonged relative stagnation.

Suggested Citation

  • Joern Rattsoe & Hildegunn Ekroll Stokke, 2009. "Regional income convergence, skilled migration and productivity response: Explaining relative stagnation in the periphery," Working Paper Series 9809, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    • Handle: RePEc:nst:samfok:9809
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.svt.ntnu.no/iso/WP/2009/1_jrhs_region270109.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jess Benhabib & Mark M. Spiegel, 2002. "Human capital and technology diffusion," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue nov.
    2. Joshua Hojvat Gallin, 2004. "Net Migration and State Labor Market Dynamics," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 22(1), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Roback, Jennifer, 1982. "Wages, Rents, and the Quality of Life," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(6), pages 1257-1278, December.
    4. Azariadis, Costas & Stachurski, John, 2005. "Poverty Traps," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 5, Elsevier.
    5. Benhabib, Jess & Spiegel, Mark M., 1994. "The role of human capital in economic development evidence from aggregate cross-country data," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 143-173, October.
    6. Jérôme Vandenbussche & Philippe Aghion & Costas Meghir, 2006. "Growth, distance to frontier and composition of human capital," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 97-127, June.
    7. repec:fth:stanho:e-92-3 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Jordan Rappaport, 1999. "Local Growth Empirics," CID Working Papers 23, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    9. Rappaport, Jordan, 2005. "How does labor mobility affect income convergence?," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 567-581, March.
    10. Paul Evans, 1997. "How Fast Do Economies Converge?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(2), pages 219-225, May.
    11. Masahisa Fujita & Jacques‐François Thisse, 2003. "Does Geographical Agglomeration Foster Economic Growth? And Who Gains and Loses from It?," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 54(2), pages 121-145, June.
    12. Robert E. Lucas, 2009. "Trade and the Diffusion of the Industrial Revolution," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(1), pages 1-25, January.
    13. Benhabib, Jess & Spiegel, Mark M., 2005. "Human Capital and Technology Diffusion," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 13, pages 935-966, Elsevier.
    14. Rappaport, Jordan, 2004. "Why are population flows so persistent?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 554-580, November.
    15. Francesco Caselli & Wilbur John Coleman II, 2006. "The World Technology Frontier," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(3), pages 499-522, June.
    16. Matsuyama, Kiminori, 1992. "Agricultural productivity, comparative advantage, and economic growth," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 317-334, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hildegunn Stokke & Jörn Rattsö, 2011. "Income convergence, migration and geography: Distribution analysis of regions in Norway," ERSA conference papers ersa10p174, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Elena Vakulenko, 2016. "Does migration lead to regional convergence in Russia?," International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(1), pages 1-25.
    3. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2011. "Migration and dynamic agglomeration economies: Regional income growth in Norway," Working Paper Series 11111, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rattsø, Jørn & Stokke, Hildegunn, 2009. "Wage inequality, comparative advantage and skill biased technical change in South Africa," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Frankfurt a.M. 2009 34, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.
    2. Jørn Rattsø & Torfinn Harding, 2009. "Looking Abroad, but Lagging Behind: How the World Technology Frontier Affects South Africa," Working Paper Series 10209, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    3. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2009. "Trade barriers to growth in South Africa: Endogenous investment-productivity-trade interaction," DEGIT Conference Papers c014_010, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    4. Rappaport, Jordan, 2005. "How does labor mobility affect income convergence?," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 567-581, March.
    5. Rosa Bernardini Papalia & Silvia Bertarelli & Carlo Filippucci, 2011. "Human capital, technological spillovers and development across OECD countries," Working Papers 15, AlmaLaurea Inter-University Consortium.
    6. Adriana Di Liberto & Francesco Pigliaru & Piergiorgio Chelucci, 2011. "International Tfp Dynamics And Human Capital Stocks: A Panel Data Analysis, 1960–2003," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 57(1), pages 156-182, March.
    7. Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2009. "Multinational supermarket chains in developing countries: does local agriculture benefit?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 40(6), pages 645-656, November.
    8. Young, Andrew T. & Higgins, Matthew J. & Levy, Daniel, 2013. "Heterogeneous Convergence," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 120(2), pages 238-241.
    9. Marattin, Luigi & Marzo, Massimiliano & Zagaglia, Paolo, 2013. "Distortionary tax instruments and implementable monetary policy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 219-243.
    10. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2011. "Accumulation of education and regional income growth: Limited human capital effects in Norway," Working Paper Series 11211, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    11. Matthew Higgins & Daniel Levy & Andrew T. Young, 2003. "Growth and Convergence across the US: Evidence from County-Level Data," Working Papers 2003-03, Bar-Ilan University, Department of Economics.
    12. Frederic DOCQUIER & Çaglar OZDEN & Giovanni PERI, 2010. "The Wage Effects of Immigration and Emigration," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2010044, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    13. Higgins, Matthew J. & Levy, Daniel & Young, Andrew T., 2006. "Growth and Convergence across the United States: Evidence from County-Level Data," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 88(4), pages 671-681.
    14. Rappaport, Jordan, 2004. "Why are population flows so persistent?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 554-580, November.
    15. Schiffbauer, Marc, 2006. "Theoretical and methodological study on the role of public policies in fostering innovation and growth," Papers DYNREG04, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    16. Massimo Del Gatto & Adriana Di Liberto & Carmelo Petraglia, 2011. "Measuring Productivity," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5), pages 952-1008, December.
    17. Michal BURZYŃSKI & Christoph DEUSTER & Frédéric DOCQUIER, 2018. "The Geography of Talent: Development Implications and Long-Run Prospects," Working Papers P221, FERDI.
    18. Sara Barcenilla & Gregorio Gimenez & Carmen López-Pueyo, 2019. "Differences in Total Factor Productivity Growth in the European Union: The role of Human Capital by Income Level," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2019(1), pages 70-85.
    19. Sucharita Ghosh & Camilla Mastromarco, 2013. "Cross-border Economic Activities, Human Capital and Efficiency: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis for OECD Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(6), pages 761-785, June.
    20. Maliranta, Mika & Asplund, Rita, 2007. "Training and Hiring Strategies to Improve Firm Performance," Discussion Papers 1105, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nst:samfok:9809. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Anne Larsen (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/isontno.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.