IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jecomi/v5y2017i3p27-d105700.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regional Economic Convergence in Turkey: Does the Government Really Matter for?

Author

Listed:
  • Mustafa Gömleksiz

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

  • Ahmet Şahbaz

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

  • Birol Mercan

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuklu 42060, Turkey)

Abstract

Solow (1956) has made an essential contribution to the Neo-classical growth approach through the economic convergence hypothesis. It assumes that poorer countries’ or regions’ per capita incomes tend to grow at faster rates than the richer ones. Convergence could occur either among a group of economies with the same steady states or within regions in which their fundamental dynamics differ, and thus they exhibit multiple steady states. This study aims to investigate convergence with respect to GDP per capita across NUTS 2 regions in Turkey for the time period 2004–2014. In the convergence process, we also inquire into role of government in terms of regional government investments and fixed investment incentives. All the empirical results confirm the validity of the convergence hypothesis at a regional level. Also, in the context of the convergence process, it is possible to conclude that the role of government is likely to be decisive in solving regional economic disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa Gömleksiz & Ahmet Şahbaz & Birol Mercan, 2017. "Regional Economic Convergence in Turkey: Does the Government Really Matter for?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:5:y:2017:i:3:p:27-:d:105700
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/5/3/27/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/5/3/27/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    2. Urmas Varblane & Priit Vahter, 2005. "An Analysis Of The Economic Convergence Process In The Transition Countries," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 37, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    3. Jesus Crespo Cuaresma & Doris Ritzberger-Grunwald & Maria Antoinette Silgoner, 2008. "Growth, convergence and EU membership," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(5), pages 643-656.
    4. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, April.
    5. repec:adr:anecst:y:1999:i:55-56:p:16 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    7. Robert J. Barro & Xavier Sala-i-Martin, 1991. "Convergence across States and Regions," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 22(1), pages 107-182.
    8. Friedman, Milton, 1992. "Do Old Fallacies Ever Die?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(4), pages 2129-2132, December.
    9. Giuseppe Arbia & Gianfranco Piras, 2004. "Convergence in per-capita GDP across European regions using panel data models extended to spatial autocorrelation effects," ERSA conference papers ersa04p524, European Regional Science Association.
    10. Guillaume Gaulier & Christophe Hurlin & Philippe Jean-Pierre, 1999. "Testing Convergence: A Panel Data Approach," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 55-56, pages 411-427.
    11. Celine Bonnefond, 2014. "Growth Dynamics And Conditional Convergence Among Chinese Provinces: A Panel Data Investigation Using System Gmm Estimator," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 39(4), pages 1-25, December.
    12. Ferhan Gezici & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, 2004. "Regional Convergence And The Economic Performance Of Peripheral Areas In Turkey," Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(2), pages 113-132, July.
    13. Canova, Fabio & Marcet, Albert, 1995. "The Poor Stay Poor: Non-Convergence Across Countries and Regions," CEPR Discussion Papers 1265, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. Michael Lee & Ritchard Longmire & Laszlo Matyas & Mark Harris, 1998. "Growth convergence: some panel data evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 907-912.
    15. Ranjpour Reza & Karimi Takanlou Zahra, 2008. "Evaluation of the Income Convergence Hypothesis in Ten New Members of the European Union. A Panel Unit Root Approach," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 55(2), pages 157-166, June.
    16. Leo Michelis & Athanasios Papadopoulos & Gregory Papanikos, 2004. "Regional convergence in Greece in the 1980s: an econometric investigation," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(8), pages 881-888.
    17. Jülide Yildirim & Nadir Öcal & Süheyla Özyildirim, 2009. "Income Inequality and Economic Convergence in Turkey: A Spatial Effect Analysis," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 32(2), pages 221-254, April.
    18. Alper Aslan & Ferit Kula, 2011. "Is there Really Divergence Across Turkish Provinces? Evidence From the Lagrange Multiplier Unit Root Tests," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 539-549, March.
    19. Kenneth Button, 1998. "original: Infrastructure investment, endogenous growth and economic convergence," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 32(1), pages 145-162.
    20. Jonathan Temple, 1999. "The New Growth Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(1), pages 112-156, March.
    21. Baumol, William J, 1986. "Productivity Growth, Convergence, and Welfare: What the Long-run Data Show," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(5), pages 1072-1085, December.
    22. Quah, Danny T., 1996. "Empirics for economic growth and convergence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1353-1375, June.
    23. Michelis, Leo & Neaime, Simon, 2004. "Income Convergence in the Asia-Pacific Region," Journal of Economic Integration, Center for Economic Integration, Sejong University, vol. 19, pages 470-498.
    24. A. Özlem Önder & Ertuğrul Deliktaş & Metin Karadağ, 2009. "The Impact of Public Capital Stock on Regional Convergence in Turkey," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(7), pages 1041-1055, February.
    25. Barro, Robert J & Sala-i-Martin, Xavier, 1992. "Convergence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(2), pages 223-251, April.
    26. Nazrul Islam, 1995. "Growth Empirics: A Panel Data Approach," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(4), pages 1127-1170.
    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. Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh & Iram Mushtaq & Asad Abbas & Sana Sultan, 2024. "Convergence Hypothesis and Economic Growth in ECO Countries: An Insight from MM-QR Approach," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 13(1), pages 89-104.
    2. Shah Imtiyaz Ahmad & Haq Imtiyaz ul, 2022. "Convergence or Divergence in Economic Growth of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," Studia Universitatis „Vasile Goldis” Arad – Economics Series, Sciendo, vol. 32(4), pages 58-80, December.
    3. Dukhabandhu Sahoo & Diptimayee Mishra & Auro Kumar Sahoo & Phendulwa Zikhona Makunga & Jayanti Behera, 2020. "Regional and subregional analyses of macroeconomic policy strategies for growth and equality in Southern Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-176, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Adiwan F. Aritenang, 2021. "The Importance of Agglomeration Economies and Technological Level on Local Economic Growth: the Case of Indonesia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(2), pages 544-563, June.
    5. Duran, Hasan Engin, 2019. "Asymmetries in regional development: Does TFP or capital accumulation matter for spatial inequalities?," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    6. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2023. "The Influence of Investment, Energy Infrastructure, and Human Capital Towards Convergence of Regional Disparities in Sumatra Island, Indonesia; Using Oil and Gas Data and Without Oil and Gas," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 139-149, July.
    7. Tomal Mateusz, 2019. "House Price Convergence on the Primary and Secondary Markets: Evidence from Polish Provincial Capitals," Real Estate Management and Valuation, Sciendo, vol. 27(4), pages 62-73, December.
    8. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2022. "Does Investment and Energy Infrastructure Influence Convergence in Sumatra Island, Indonesia?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 274-281, July.

    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. Burcu Ozcan, 2014. "Does Income Converge among EU Member Countries following the Post-War Period? Evidence from the PANKPSS Test," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(3), pages 22-38, October.
    2. Magrini, Stefano, 2004. "Regional (di)convergence," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 62, pages 2741-2796, Elsevier.
    3. Massimiliano Affinito, 2011. "Convergence clubs, the euro-area rank and the relationship between banking and real convergence," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 809, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Durlauf, Steven N. & Quah, Danny T., 1999. "The new empirics of economic growth," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & M. Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 4, pages 235-308, Elsevier.
    5. Cem Ertur & Julie Le Gallo & Catherine Baumont, 2006. "The European Regional Convergence Process, 1980-1995: Do Spatial Regimes and Spatial Dependence Matter?," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 29(1), pages 3-34, January.
    6. Soukiazis, Elias & Antunes, Micaela, 2011. "Is foreign trade important for regional growth? Empirical evidence from Portugal," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 1363-1373, May.
    7. de la Fuente, Angel, 1997. "The empirics of growth and convergence: A selective review," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 23-73, January.
    8. Iancu, Aurel, 2007. "The Question of Economic Convergence - first part -," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 4(3), pages 5-18, September.
    9. Maurseth, Per Botolf, 2001. "Convergence, geography and technology," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 247-276, September.
    10. Celbis M.G. & Crombrugghe D.P.I. de, 2014. "Can internet infrastructure help reduce regional disparities? : evidence from Turkey," MERIT Working Papers 2014-078, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Eckey, Hans-Friedrich & Döring, Thomas & Türck, Matthias, 2006. "Convergence of regions from 23 EU member states," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 86, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    12. ?gel de la Fuente, "undated". "Convergence Across Countries And Regions: Theory And Empirics," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 447.00, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    13. Persson, Joakim, 1999. "Demographic and Per Capita Income Dynamics: A Convergence Study on Demographics, Human Capital, and Per Capita Income for the US States," Working Paper Series 156, Trade Union Institute for Economic Research.
    14. Eckey, Hans-Friedrich & Türck, Matthias, 2005. "Convergence of EU-regions: A literature report," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 80, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    15. Sala-i-Martin, Xavier X., 1996. "Regional cohesion: Evidence and theories of regional growth and convergence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1325-1352, June.
    16. Magrini, Stefano, 1999. "The evolution of income disparities among the regions of the European Union," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 257-281, March.
    17. Stephen Dobson & Carlyn Ramlogan & Eric Strobl, 2006. "Why Do Rates Of Β‐Convergence Differ? A Meta‐Regression Analysis," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 53(2), pages 153-173, May.
    18. Cristina D. Checherita, 2009. "Variations on economic convergence: The case of the United States," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 88(2), pages 259-278, June.
    19. Anang Budi Gunawan & Carlos Mendez & Shigeru Otsubo, 2021. "Provincial income convergence clubs in Indonesia: Identification and conditioning factors," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2540-2575, December.
    20. Leone Leonida & Daniel Montolio, 2001. "Convergence and Inter-Distributional Dynamics among the Spanish Provinces. A Non-parametric Density Estimation Approach," Working Papers 2001/7, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

    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:gam:jecomi:v:5:y:2017:i:3:p:27-:d:105700. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.