IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wpa/wuwpma/0511009.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in the Italian Regions

Author

Listed:
  • Guido Ascari

    (University of Pavia)

  • Valeria Di Cosmo

    (University of Pavia)

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of TFP for Italian regions. We find strong evidence in favour of the factors commonly suggested by the theoretical literature. In particular, R&D expenditures and the number of researchers are positively related to regional TFP. Moreover, human capital is an important determinant of TFP. Finally, we find a strong difference between Northern and Southern regions, particularly regarding the effect of research activity and social capital. Our results are robust across different estimation methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Guido Ascari & Valeria Di Cosmo, 2005. "Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in the Italian Regions," Macroeconomics 0511009, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpma:0511009
    Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 26. University of Pavia, Department of Economics, Working Paper # 170 (12-04)
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://econwpa.ub.uni-muenchen.de/econ-wp/mac/papers/0511/0511009.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Bond & Anke Hoeffler & Jonathan Temple, 2001. "GMM Estimation of Empirical Growth Models," Economics Papers 2001-W21, Economics Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
    2. Parente, Stephen L. & Prescott, Edward C., 2005. "A Unified Theory of the Evolution of International Income Levels," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 21, pages 1371-1416, Elsevier.
    3. Jonathan Temple, 2003. "Growth effects of education and social capital in the OECD countries," OECD Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2001(2), pages 57-101.
    4. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & John Van Reenen, 2004. "Mapping the Two Faces of R&D: Productivity Growth in a Panel of OECD Industries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(4), pages 883-895, November.
    5. Keller, Wolfgang, 1998. "Are international R&D spillovers trade-related?: Analyzing spillovers among randomly matched trade partners," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(8), pages 1469-1481, September.
    6. Aghion, Philippe & Howitt, Peter, 1992. "A Model of Growth through Creative Destruction," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(2), pages 323-351, March.
    7. Federico Bonaglia & Eliana La Ferrara & Massimiliano Marcellino, 2000. "Public Capital and Economic Performance: Evidence from Italy," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 59(2), pages 221-244, September.
    8. Edmond, Chris, 2001. "Some Panel Cointegration Models of International R&D Spillovers," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 241-260, April.
    9. Richard Blundell & Stephen Bond & Frank Windmeijer, 2000. "Estimation in dynamic panel data models: improving on the performance of the standard GMM estimator," IFS Working Papers W00/12, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    10. Ruth A. Judson & Ann L. Owen, "undated". "Estimating Dynamic Panel Data Models: A Practical Guide for Macroeconomists," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 1997-03, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), revised 10 Dec 2019.
    11. 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.
    12. Lucio Picci, 1999. "Productivity and Infrastructure in the Italian Regions," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 58(3-4), pages 329-353, December.
    13. Prescott, Edward C, 1998. "Needed: A Theory of Total Factor Productivity," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 39(3), pages 525-551, August.
    14. Francesco Aiello & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2000. "Uneven Regional Development in Italy: Explaining Differences in Productivity Levels," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 59(2), pages 270-298, September.
    15. Adriana Di Liberto & Francesco Pigliaru & Roberto Mura, 2008. "How to measure the unobservable: a panel technique for the analysis of TFP convergence," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 60(2), pages 343-368, April.
    16. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & John Van Reenen, 2003. "R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 105(1), pages 99-118, March.
    17. Eliana La Ferrara & Massimiliano Marcellino, "undated". "TFP, Costs, and Public Infrastructure: An Equivocal Relationship," Working Papers 176, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    18. Stephen Bond & Anke Hoeffler, 2001. "GMM Estimation of Empirical Growth Models," Economics Series Working Papers 2001-W21, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    19. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    20. Judson, Ruth A. & Owen, Ann L., 1999. "Estimating dynamic panel data models: a guide for macroeconomists," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 9-15, October.
    21. 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. Aiello, Francesco & Pupo, Valeria & Ricotta, Fernand, 2011. "Explaining TFP at firm level in Italy. Does location matter?," MPRA Paper 35656, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Bianca Biagi & Maria Gabriela Ladu, 2018. "Productivity and employment dynamics: new evidence from Italian regions," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 35(2), pages 313-336, August.
    3. Jesus Felipe & John McCombie, 2012. "Problems with Regional Production Functions and Estimates of Agglomeration Economies: A Caveat Emptor for Regional Scientists," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_725, Levy Economics Institute.
    4. Bernardo Maggi & Marco Guida, 2011. "Modelling non-performing loans probability in the commercial banking system: efficiency and effectiveness related to credit risk in Italy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 269-291, October.
    5. Phu Nguyen-Van & Thi Kim Cuong Pham & Duc-Anh Le, 2019. "Productivity and public expenditure: a structural estimation for Vietnam’s provinces," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 95-120, February.
    6. Silvia Dal Bianco, 2009. "A Reassessment of Italian Regional Convergence through a Non-Parametric Approach," Quaderni di Dipartimento 099, University of Pavia, Department of Economics and Quantitative Methods.
    7. Antonio Alvarez & Rafael Garduño-Rivera & Hector M. Nuñez, 2017. "Mexico's North-South divide: The regional distribution of state inefficiency 1988–2008," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(4), pages 843-858, November.
    8. Pompei, Fabrizio, 2013. "Efficiency And Productivity Growth Across The Italian Regions: The Regional Divide Revisited," MPRA Paper 52052, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Diana Barros, Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2021. "The technology balance of payments and international competitiveness: a panel data analysis of southern European countries, 2000-2017," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 18(1), pages 105-136, June.
    10. Maffezzoli Marco, 2006. "Convergence Across Italian Regions and the Role of Technological Catch-Up," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-43, August.
    11. Stefano Manzocchi & Beniamino Quintieri & Gianluca Santoni, 2017. "Local manufacturing productivity markers: an empirical study of the Italian counties," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(1), pages 255-279, July.
    12. Paola Cardamone & Valeria Pupo & Fernanda Ricotta, 2016. "Do Firms Benefit from University Research? Evidence from Italy," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 2(3), pages 445-471, November.
    13. Grace Carolina Guevara‐Rosero, 2021. "Determinants of manufacturing micro firms' productivity in Ecuador. Do industry and canton where they operate matter?," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 1215-1248, August.
    14. Giuseppe Albanese & Marco M. Sorge, 2010. "On the Production Function for Italy," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 118(4), pages 401-416.
    15. Davide Piacentino, 2008. "Productivity, Infrastructures and Convergence: Panel Data Evidence on Italian Regions," SCIENZE REGIONALI, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2008(2), pages 5-26.
    16. Álvarez, Antonio & Garduño, Rafael & Núñez, Héctor, 2016. "Modelling the effect of crime on economic activity: The case of Mexican states," Efficiency Series Papers 2016/01, University of Oviedo, Department of Economics, Oviedo Efficiency Group (OEG).
    17. Leonid Limonov & Marina Nesena, 2020. "Impact of ethno‐demographic structure of the population on performance of the Russian regions," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(4), pages 657-670, August.
    18. Aiello, Francesco & Pupo, Valeria & Ricotta, Fernanda, 2013. "Firm heterogeneity in TFP, sectoral innovation and geography. Evidence from Italy," MPRA Paper 48573, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Daniele, Vittorio, 2007. "Divari regionali e crescita del Mezzogiorno, 1980-2004 [Sources of growth and convergence among Italian regions 1980-2004]," MPRA Paper 4994, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 02 Aug 2007.
    20. Joseph Byrne & Giorgio Fazio & Davide Piacentino, 2009. "Total Factor Productivity Convergence among Italian Regions: Some Evidence from Panel Unit Root Tests," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 63-76.
    21. Duc-Anh Le & Phu Nguyen-Van & Thi Kim Cuong Pham, 2016. "Public expenditure, growth and productivity of Vietnam’s provinces," Working Papers of BETA 2016-17, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    22. Joseph Byrne & Giorgio Fazio & Davide Piacentino, 2005. "Convergence in TFP among Italian Regions - Panel Unit Roots with Heterogeneity and Cross Sectional Dependence," ERSA conference papers ersa05p591, European Regional Science Association.
    23. Jesus Felipe & John McCombie, 2012. "Agglomeration Economies, Regional Growth, and the Aggregate Production Function: A Caveat Emptor for Regional Scientists," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(4), pages 461-484, December.
    24. Calcagnini, Giorgio & Marin, Giovanni & Perugini, Francesco, 2021. "Labour flexibility, internal migration and productivity in Italian regions," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 308-320.

    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. Capolupo, Rosa, 2009. "The New Growth Theories and Their Empirics after Twenty Years," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 3, pages 1-72.
    2. Adriana Di Liberto & Francesco Pigliaru & Roberto Mura, 2008. "How to measure the unobservable: a panel technique for the analysis of TFP convergence," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 60(2), pages 343-368, April.
    3. Pop Silaghi, Monica Ioana & Alexa, Diana & Jude, Cristina & Litan, Cristian, 2014. "Do business and public sector research and development expenditures contribute to economic growth in Central and Eastern European Countries? A dynamic panel estimation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 108-119.
    4. Massimo Del Gatto & Adriana Di Liberto & Carmelo Petraglia, 2011. "Measuring Productivity," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5), pages 952-1008, December.
    5. Johanna Vogel, 2015. "The two faces of R&D and human capital: Evidence from Western European regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 525-551, August.
    6. Adriana Di Liberto & Stefano Usai, 2011. "TFP convergence across European regions," ERSA conference papers ersa10p409, European Regional Science Association.
    7. Indunil De Silva & Sudarno Sumarto, 2015. "Dynamics Of Growth, Poverty And Human Capital: Evidence From Indonesian Sub-National Data," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 1-33, June.
    8. Dimitar Eftimoski, 2020. "Some new insights on economic convergence and growth in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 47(4), pages 863-884, November.
    9. Rosa Bernardini Papalia & Silvia Bertarelli, 2013. "Nonlinearities in economic growth and club convergence," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 1171-1202, June.
    10. Marcelo Soto, 2006. "The Causal Effect of Education on Aggregate Income," Working Papers 0605, International Economics Institute, University of Valencia.
    11. Bayraktar-Sağlam, Bahar & Yetkiner, Hakan, 2014. "A Romerian contribution to the empirics of economic growth," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 257-272.
    12. Salvatore Capasso & Maria Rosario Carillo & Rita De Siano, 2012. "Migration Flows, Structural Change And Growth Convergence: A Panel Data Analysis Of The Italian Regions," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 80(4), pages 468-498, July.
    13. Marcelo Soto, 2006. "Estimating the Social Return on Schooling," Papers of the Annual IUE-SUNY Cortland Conference in Economics, in: Oguz Esen & Ayla Ogus (ed.), Proceedings of the Conference on Human and Economic Resources, pages 43-65, Izmir University of Economics.
    14. Petreski, Marjan, 2009. "Analysis of exchange-rate regime effect on growth: theoretical channels and empirical evidence with panel data," Economics Discussion Papers 2009-49, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Wesley Burnett, J. & Madariaga, Jessica, 2017. "The convergence of U.S. state-level energy intensity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 357-370.
    16. Harald Badinger & Werner Muller & Gabriele Tondl, 2004. "Regional Convergence in the European Union, 1985- 1999: A Spatial Dynamic Panel Analysis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(3), pages 241-253.
    17. Davide Piacentino, 2008. "Productivity, Infrastructures and Convergence: Panel Data Evidence on Italian Regions," SCIENZE REGIONALI, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2008(2), pages 5-26.
    18. Vogel, Johanna, 2013. "Regional Convergence in Europe: A Dynamic Heterogeneous Panel Approach," MPRA Paper 51794, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Francesco Aiello & Camilla Mastromarco & Angelo Zago, 2011. "Be productive or face decline. On the sources and determinants of output growth in Italian manufacturing firms," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 787-815, December.
    20. Roth,Felix & Thum, Anna-Elisabeth, 2010. "Does intangible capital affect economic growth?," CEPS Papers 3667, Centre for European Policy Studies.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Total factor productivity; Italian regions; panel data; human capital; social capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:wpa:wuwpma:0511009. 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: EconWPA The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask EconWPA to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://econwpa.ub.uni-muenchen.de .

    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.