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Do Governance Indicators Explain Development Performance? A Cross-Country Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Han, Xuehui

    (Asian Development Bank)

  • Khan, Haider

    (University of Denver)

  • Zhuang, Juzhong

    (Asian Development Bank)

Abstract

The central question addressed by this study is whether countries with above-average governance grew faster than countries with below-average governance. Using the World Bank’s worldwide governance indicators to measure governance performance, it examines whether a country with governance “surplus” in a given base year (1998) grew faster on average in a subsequent period (1998- 2011) than a country with governance “deficit.” Governance is defined in several dimensions, including government effectiveness, political stability, control of corruption and regulatory quality, voice and accountability, and rule of law. The study finds that government effectiveness, political stability, control of corruption and regulatory quality all have a more significant positive impact on country growth performance than voice and accountability and rule of law. Developing Asian countries with a surplus in government effectiveness, regulatory quality and corruption control are observed to grow faster than those with a deficit in these indicators—up to 2 percentage points annually, while Middle East and North African countries with a surplus in political stability, government effectiveness, and corruption control are observed to grow faster than those with a deficit in these indicators by as much as 2.5 percentage points annually. Good governance is associated with both a higher level of per capita GDP as well as higher rates of GDP growth over time. This suggests that good governance, while important in and of itself, can also help in improving a country’s economic prospects.

Suggested Citation

  • Han, Xuehui & Khan, Haider & Zhuang, Juzhong, 2014. "Do Governance Indicators Explain Development Performance? A Cross-Country Analysis," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 417, Asian Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbewp:0417
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marija Radulović, 2020. "The Impact Of Institutional Quality On Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis Of The Eu And Non-Eu Countries Of Southeast Europe," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 65(225), pages 163-182, April – J.
    2. Sabrina Duarte & Liliana Forzani & Pamela Llop & Rodrigo García Arancibia & Diego Tomassi, 2023. "Socioeconomic Index for Income and Poverty Prediction: A Sufficient Dimension Reduction Approach," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(2), pages 318-346, June.
    3. Sangeeta Khorana & Inmaculada Martínez‐Zarzoso, 2020. "Twenty‐First‐Century Trade Governance: Findings From The Commonwealth Countries," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 38(2), pages 380-396, April.
    4. Sean Dougherty & Andrea Renda, 2017. "Pro-Productivity Institutions: Learning from National Experience," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 32, pages 196-217, Spring.
    5. Noha EMARA & I-Ming CHIU, 2016. "The Impact of Governance Environment on Economic Growth: The Case of Middle Eastern and North African Countries," Journal of Economics Library, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 24-37, March.
    6. Dragos Simona Laura & Mare Codruta & Drule Alexandra Maria, 2016. "Overall Governance Index for Developed and Emerging European Life Insurance Markets," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(10), pages 381-391, October.
    7. Mohammad Nurunnabi, 2018. "Tax evasion and religiosity in the Muslim world: the significance of Shariah regulation," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 371-394, January.
    8. Nathaniel Debono, "undated". "Malta’s Governance Framework: Insights from International Governance Indicators," CBM Policy Papers PP/04/2021, Central Bank of Malta.
    9. Mariarosaria Comunale & Francesco Paolo Mongelli, 2021. "Tracking growth in the euro area subject to a dimensionality problem," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(57), pages 6611-6625, December.
    10. Ignat Ignatov, 2023. "Convergence Determinants and Club Formation in the EU over 1999-2021," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 37-63.
    11. Grabowski, Richard & Self, Sharmistha, 2020. "What factors influence the quality of governance institutions? An Asian perspective," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    12. Luana Enikő Misi Lopes & Natalie Packham & Ursula Walther, 2023. "The effect of governance quality on future economic growth: an analysis and comparison of emerging market and developed economies," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(6), pages 1-33, June.
    13. Mariarosaria Comunale & Francesco Paolo Mongelli, 2019. "Who did it? A European Detective Story. Was it Real, Financial, Monetary and/or Institutional: Tracking Growth in the Euro Area with an Atheoretical Tool," Bank of Lithuania Working Paper Series 70, Bank of Lithuania.
    14. Isabel Gallego-Álvarez & Miguel Rodríguez-Rosa & Purificación Vicente-Galindo, 2021. "Are Worldwide Governance Indicators Stable or Do They Change over Time? A Comparative Study Using Multivariate Analysis," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(24), pages 1-19, December.
    15. Joseph Kwadwo Tuffour & Thelma Mensah, 2018. "The Effects of Governance Type and Economic Crises on Foreign Direct Investment Inflows in Ghana," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 53(2), pages 63-80, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    governance; development performance; Asia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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