IS THERE AN INDISPENSABLE ROLE FOR GOVERNMENT DURING RECOVERY FROM AN EARTHQUAKE? A THEORETICAL ELABORATION

It is commonly argued that catastrophic effects of physical shocks are recovered consequentially due to internal adjustment mechanisms economies retain. The theoretical literature on growth implications of earthquakes relies on the same premise, by and large, putting relatively minor role on the shoulders of governments as an external source in recovering from catastrophic effects of an earthquake. This paper elaborates theoretically whether there is an indispensable role for government during recovery from the destructive effects of an earthquake. To this end, we employ a specific growth environment, namely AK framework, which imposes constant ratios on the quantities of the model from the start. It follows that, when a physical shock hits the economy, the model fails to restore these conditions automatically. The paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it shows that an indispensable role for government in restoring equilibrium after an earthquake is a theoretical possibility. Second, it advances our understanding on the procedure of restoring equilibrium when there are fixed ratios between quantities, an issue that is not known very much in the literature.Natural disasters, earthquakes, constancy conditions, economic growth

A SHORT NOTE ON THE SOLUTION PROCEDURE OF BARRO AND SALA-I-MARTIN FOR RESTORING CONSTANCY CONDITIONS

The so-called AK models (and models that reduce to AK models without generating transitional dynamics) give rise to a very special property that is called constancy conditions. These conditions impose fix ratios among quantities of the model from the start. Hence, knowing one of the initial values of stock variables becomes sufficient to derive time paths of other variables, given constancy conditions. One source of upsetting these conditions is physical shocks. When a shock disturbs these conditions, preserving intertemporal maximization requires restoring them, preferably immediately. This can be done only by employing a temporary maximization problem, in general. Barro and Sala-i-Martin (1995, pp.172-9) offer a solution procedure based on the idea that the abundant variable has to be kept constant while the scarce variable is let to grow till the condition is satisfied. This note contributes to the discussion in two ways. First, it shows that the solution procedure suggested by Barro and Sala-i-Martin (1995) contains flaws. Second, it shows the right solution procedure that restores constancy conditions.Constancy conditions, economic growth, natural shocks, physical shocks

Defense Spending and Economic Growth:A Theoretical Manifestation for Empirical Studies

Defense literature is still in need of a theoretical framework in the neoclassical sense, in regard to empirical research on the relationship between defense spending and economic growth. In this respect, Dunne, Smith and Willenbockel (2005), although not without technical problems, represented a breakthrough in the field. In addition, the whole empirical literature following Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992) is based on the unrealistic assumption that technological progress is identical across countries and constant in time. Recently, Bayraktar-Saglam and Yetkiner (2012) developed a theoretical framework that overcomes the unrealistic assumption of constant and identical rates of technological progress. In this paper, we achieve two things. First, we develop the true growth-defense model, based on Dunne, Smith and Willenbockel (2005). Second, we overcome the general weakness of constant and identical technological progress assumption in empirical growth studies by employing Bayraktar-Saglam and Yetkiner (2012) growth framework. We show that the intensity of defense spending in GDP has both positive and negative effects. In this respect, the theory supports the findings of the empirical literature, which are inconclusive in nature.Military Expenditure, Defense Spending, Convergence, Economic Growth

Endogenous Determination of FDI Growth and Economic Growth:The OECD Case

This paper tests the endogenous relationship between FDI growth and economic growth using a panel dataset for 23 OECD countries for the period 1975-2004. In particular we estimate a two-equation simultaneous equation system with the generalized methods of moments (GMM) that treats economic growth and FDI growth as endogenous variables. We find that FDI growth and economic growth are significant determinants of each other. We also find that export growth rate and human capital are statistically significant determinants of both FDI growth and economic growth. Our findings lead us to conclude that FDI growth and economic growth have an endogenous relationship.FDI growth, economic growth, Panel Data, GMM

Macroeconomic implications of virtual shopping : a theoretical approach

Recently, parallel to developments in the communication technology, online shopping has become increasingly popular for many products, like books, CDs, software, and computers. Most analysts conjecture that the future will witness a wider basket of products and a higher trade volume via the Internet. This paper investigates the economic implications of Internet shopping in a Ricardian equilibrium framework. First, it shows the necessary and sufficient condition for the shift to Internet shopping. Next, it indicates that macroeconomic variables like consumption and income rise when this shift takes place. Thus, this paper shows that the economic implications of Internet shopping will be higher than the current experience and Internet shopping will become an important element of the `new economy\' when the bulky part of the shopping is done via the Internet.

A Panel Data Approach for Income-Health Causality

This study provides evidence on income-health causality by employing a large micro panel data set with a VAR representation. The findings verify that dominant type of causality is bidirectional which cast doubt on the performance OLS estimates in the literature. Moreover, one-way causality pattern is not similar for different income groups. One-way causality generally runs from income to health in low- and middle-income countries whereas the reverse holds for high-income countries.Income, Health, Granger Causality

An Endogenous Growth Model à la Romer with Embodied Energy-Saving Technological Change

In this paper, we extend the Romer (1990) model in two ways. First, we include energy consumption of intermediates. Secondly, intermediates become heterogeneous due to endogenous energy saving technical change. However, aggregate effective capital is still subject to endogenous technical change of the ‘love of variety’ type, as in the original Romer model. We show that the resulting system can still generate steady state growth, but the growth rate depends negatively on the growth of real energy prices. The reason is that real energy price rises will lower the profitability of using new intermediate goods and hence the profitability of doing research, ceteris paribus. Hence, in this set-up rising real energy prices are not countered by stepping up research, but provide a negative stimulus to R&D instead. We also show that in these circumstances the introduction of an energy tax that is recycled in the form of an R&D subsidy may actually increase growth, while increasing the capital intensity of production at the same time.economics of technology ;

Does Information and Communication Technology Sustain Economic Growth? The Underdeveloped and Developing Countries Case

This paper tests the impact of ICT on economic growth for underdeveloped and developing countries by using a panel dataset for the period of 1995-2006. We first develop the theory of the relationship between ICT and economic growth. We show that ICT-capital has a positive effect both on long-run and transitional income per capita, if it is considered as a factor of production. Next, we estimate a panel data set with 131 underdeveloped and developing countries under the assumption that ICT is one of the determining factors of economic growth. We find that ICT has positive and significant effect on economic growth even after the use of some control variables.ICT, economic growth, panel data, GMM

Does Information and Communication Technologies Sustain Economic Growth? The Underdeveloped and Developing Countries Case

This paper tests the impact of ICT on economic growth for underdeveloped and developing countries by using a panel dataset for the period of 1995-2006. We first develop the theory between ICT and economic growth. We show that ICT capital has a positive effect both on long-run and transitional income per capita, if it is considered as a factor of production. Next, we estimate a panel data set with 131 underdeveloped and developing countries under the assumption that ICT is one of the determining factors of economic growth. We find that ICT has positive and significant effect on economic growth even after the use of some control variables.ICT, economic growth, Panel Data, GMM, human capital, developing countries, underdeveloped countries

Health, Labour Productivity and Growth

Under the standard neo-classical growth framework, conditional convergence studies assume that a country with a higher initial human capital among others ''performs'' better. Nevertheless the growth implications of health, another component of human capital, compared to education, have not been investigated thoroughly within the optimum growth framework yet. The aim of this study is to show rigorously the positive association between per capita income and health status of an economy and thereby provide a theoretical background for using ''health'' variables in conditional convergence analyses. This positive relationship between health and per capita output is first shown in the standard neo-classical growth framework where the health status is exogenously given. Endogenising health then enables us to analyse the impact of optimal expenditure on health care on steady state growth and transition dynamics.Economics ;