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Technological Progress and Economic Geography_x0003_

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  • Jacques Thisse
  • Takatoshi Tabuchi
  • Xiwei Zhu

Abstract

New economic geography focuses on the impact of falling transport costs on the spatial distribution of activities. However, it disregards the role of technological innovations, which are central to modern economic growth, as well as the role of migration costs, which are a strong impediment to moving. We show that this neglect is unwarranted. Regardless of the level of transport costs, rising labor productivity fosters the agglomeration of activities, whereas falling transport costs do not affect the location of activities. When labor is heterogeneous, the number of workers residing in the more productive region increases by decreasing order of productive efficiency when labor productivity rises.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacques Thisse & Takatoshi Tabuchi & Xiwei Zhu, 2014. "Technological Progress and Economic Geography_x0003_," ERSA conference papers ersa14p276, European Regional Science Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marta Aloi & Joanna Poyago-Theotoky & Frederic Tournemaine, 2018. "Growth and the Geography of Knowledge," CESifo Working Paper Series 6951, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    new economic geography; technological progress; labor productivity; migration costs; labor heterogeneity. Classifcation:;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • 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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