Convergence-Divergence of Technological Efficiency and Productivity across World Regions Paper Title

Edward Nissan, Farhang Niroomand

Department of Political Science, International Development and International Affairs, The University of.
School of Business Administration, University of Houston-Victoria, Victoria, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/me.2012.35089                

Abstract

This article examines inequalities between and within 57 countries, categorized by income levels, for efficiency in pro-duction and output per worker for 1965 and 1990. Regression analysis was also employed as a basis of convergence from which countries were evaluated for their potential to actual performance in efficiency and output over a span of 25 years. The findings indicate that gaps between the groups of countries widened as compared to gaps within the groups. Convergence was found to increase between the groups of countries as their income levels rose.

Keywords

Convergence; Divergence; Technological; Efficiency; Productivity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	R. Kurzweil, “The Singularity Is Near,” Penguin Group, New York, 2005.
[2]	P. C. Cheshire and E. J. Malecki, “Growth, Development, and Innovation: A Look Backward and Forward,” Papers in Regional Science, Vol. 83, 2004, pp. 249-267. doi:10.1007/s10110-003-0185-8
[3]	R. Solow, “A Contribu-tion to the Theory of Economic Growth,” Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 70, No. 1, 1956, pp. 65-94. doi:10.2307/1884513
[4]	S. Kumar and R. R. Russell, “Technological Change, Technological Catch-Up, and Capital Deepening: Relative Contribution to Growth and Convergence,” The Ame- rican Economic Review, Vol. 92, No. 3, 2002, pp. 527- 548. doi:10.1257/00028280260136381
[5]	P. M. Romer, “Increasing Returns and Longrun Growth,” Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 94, No. 5, 1986, pp. 1002-1037. doi:10.1086/261420
[6]	R. E. Lucas Jr., “On the Mechanics of Economic Devel- opment,” Journal of Monetary Economics, Vol. 22, No. 1, 1988, pp. 3-42. doi:10.1016/0304-3932(88)90168-7
[7]	A. B. Bernard and C. I. Jones, “Technology and Convergence,” Economic Journal, Vol. 106, No. 437, 1996, pp. 1037-1044. doi:10.2307/2235376
[8]	G. Petrakos and Y. Saratsis, “Re-gional Inequality in Greece,” Papers in Regional Science, Vol. 79, 2000, pp. 57-74. doi:10.1007/s101100050003
[9]	A. Ru-pasingha, S. J. Goetz and D. Freshwater, “Social and Institu-tional Factors as Determinants of Economic Growth: Evidence from the United States Counties,” Papers in Regional Science, Vol. 81, 2002, pp. 139-155. doi:10.1007/s101100100091
[10]	R. W. Ferguson and W. L. Wascher, “Distinguished Lecture of Economics in Government: Lessons from Past Productivity Booms,” The Journal of Eco-nomic Perspec- tives, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2002, pp. 3-28. doi:10.1257/0895330041371286
[11]	W. Keller, “International Technology Diffusion,” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. XLII, No. 3, 2004, pp. 752- 782. doi:10.1257/0022051042177685
[12]	P. K. Narayan and R. Smyth, “Temporal Causality between Human Capital and Real Income in Cointegrated UAR Process: Empirical Evidence from China,” International Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 1-11.
[13]	T. Friedman, “The World Is Flat,” Farrar Straus and Giroux, New York, 2005.
[14]	R. Barro and X. Sala-i-Martin, “Convergence across States and Regions,” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Vol. 1, 1991, pp. 107-182. doi:10.2307/2534639
[15]	R. Florida, “The world Is Spiky: Globalization Has Changed the Economic Playing Field, but Hasn’t Leveled It,” The Atlantic, Vol. 296, 2005, pp. 48-51.
[16]	V. K. Rohatgi, “Statistical Inference,” John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1984.
[17]	J. Creedy, “Dynamics and Income Distribution,” Basil Blackwell, Ltd., Oxford, 1985.
[18]	J. E. Kwoka Jr., “Regularity and Diversity in Firm Size Distribution in US Industries,” Journal of Economics and Business, Vol. 34, 1982, pp. 391-395. doi:10.1016/0148-6195(82)90045-5
[19]	R. J. Stonebraker, “Turnover and Mobility among the 100 Largest Firms: An up-date,” The American Economic Review, Vol. 69, 1979, pp. 968-973.
[20]	L. Pritchett, “Divergence Big-time,” Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 3, 1977, pp. 3-17.
[21]	H. Shibu-sawa, “Cyberspace and Physical Space in an Urban Economy,” Papers in Regional Science, Vol. 79, 2000, pp. 253-270. doi:10.1007/PL00013610
[22]	D. Wessell, “Inequality: An 80s Legacy or Worsening Now?” The Wall Street Journal, 19 Jan-uary 2006, p. A2.