The determinants of the recent interregional migration flows in Italy: A panel data analysis

The present study investigates the determinants of interregional migration flows in Italy in the light of the upsurge occurred in 1996, after two decades of decreasing internal migration rates. We apply the fixed effect vector decomposition estimator (FEVD) on a gravity model using bilateral migration flows for the period 1996-2005 and show that it improves the estimates with respect to the traditional panel data estimators. We find that omitting distance and in presence of rarely time invariant covariates (e.g., population and income) the standard panel data models significantly bias the estimates. The overall economic level and the probability to find a job (proxied by per capita GDP and unemployment rate) appear to be the key variables whose changes are able to push flows of migrants away from their regions and to direct them to “better off” destinations. We find that migrants leaving the regions in the Centre-North respond differently to the push and pull forces with respect to southern migrants. We then estimate a dynamic model and find evidence for the presence of social networks which in our model take place between each pair of regions.Interregional migration, gravity model, panel data, FEVD.

Internal migration and growth in Italy

The analysis focuses on the impact of interregional migration flows on regional growth rates during the period 1983-2002. A first important result is that migration did affect regional growth rates in Italy. Moreover, the results from the analysis of the two sub-periods, 1983-1992 and 1993-2002, show that the different trends of migration flows during the two decades and their differences in human capital content did affect regional growth in different ways. Both net migration rate and gross migration rates are used as regressors in different estimations. Furthermore, in order to investigate how the human capital content of migrants affected the regional growth, a further specification of the empirical model differentiates the migration rates according with their educational attainment. The outcomes show that migrants with a high educational attainment have the strongest impact on regional growth.internal migration and growth; convergence; human capital; panel data

Determinants of interregional migration in Italy:A panel data analysis

After two decades of low internal migration rates, official national statistics report a considerable increase of internal mobility which started in 1996 and still continues to grow at the time of writing. Using panel data analysis on gross migration flows between regions, this study investigates the role of the main economic determinants during the period 1996-2002.. The analysis distinguishes between the role played by the same explanatory variable in the sending region (push factor) and in the destination region (pull factor). The per capita GDP turns out to be the main economic determinant, showing a strong effect both when it acts as a push factor and when it acts as an attractive factor. On the contrary, the effect of the unemployment rate estimates is much stronger in the sending region than in the destination region. Moreover, the standard gravity variables like distance and population size are also significant and with the expected sign

Internal migration: a review of the literature

The interest of interregional migration flows in economics covers two important aspects. The first aspect concerns the role played by the main macroeconomic variables in determining the intensity and the directions of the migration flows. The second aspect focuses on migration as an important variable that might affect the growth rate. This study reviews and discusses the main literature on migration with respect to these two branches of study.Internal migration; survey; gravity model; migration and growth

Domestic tourism demand in Italy: a Fixed Effect Vector Decomposition estimation

This study investigates the main determinants of the Italian domestic tourism demand measured in terms of regional bilateral tourism flows. We consider a large panel of explanatory variables meant to capture not only the role of traditional economic demand-driven forces, but also qualitative supply-side factors that can be crucial in determining the comparative advantage of the exporting regions. The empirical analysis, performed in the context of an extended gravity model, builds on the Fixed Effect Vector Decomposition estimator (FEVD) developed by Plümper and Troeger (2007). The investigation is conducted for the country as a whole and separately for the two macro-areas, namely the Centre-North and the South. According to our results, at aggregate level, the main determinants of Italian tourism flows appear to be the lagged dependent variable, which control for reputation and habit formation, and relative prices. Also the per capita GDP plays a significant role, but its coefficient suggests that in Italy domestic tourism does not behave as a luxury good, as frequently found in the international tourism context. Another interesting result is that for Italian tourists, domestic destinations and international destinations act as substitutable goods. At sub-sample level two main findings are worth noting. On the one hand, the main outcomes of the full sample analysis are confirmed, on the other hand some interesting differences arise with respect to the impact of the relevant variables. In particular, tourists coming from the southern regions appear to be more concerned than northern ones about variations in their per capita GDP and in price differences.Domestic tourism flows, Gravity model, Fixed Effect Vector Decomposition

A panel estimation of the relationship between income, electric power consumption and CO2 emissions

This paper aims to give a contribution on the still questioned bell-shaped relationship between carbon dioxide polluting emissions and economic growth, which is commonly known in the literature as the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis. In particular, it develops a panel analysis for a group of 77 countries, including 22 OECD and 55 NON-OECD units, over the period 1971-2006. We specify the estimated model by taking into account the role of electric power consumption and compare the performance of alternative panel estimators for a quadratic and cubic specification of the empirical model. Our findings seem to go in favor of the EKC relationship for the entire sample. However, this outcome is not confirmed when moving the analysis at sub-sample level where results highlight a non homogeneous picture across different groups of nations.Panel analysis, Environmental Kuznets Curve, CO2 emissions and Energy use

Determinants of interregional migration in Italy:A panel data analysis

After two decades of low internal migration rates, official national statistics report a considerable increase of internal mobility which started in 1996 and still continues to grow at the time of writing. Using panel data analysis on gross migration flows between regions, this study investigates the role of the main economic determinants during the period 1996-2002.. The analysis distinguishes between the role played by the same explanatory variable in the sending region (push factor) and in the destination region (pull factor). The per capita GDP turns out to be the main economic determinant, showing a strong effect both when it acts as a push factor and when it acts as an attractive factor. On the contrary, the effect of the unemployment rate estimates is much stronger in the sending region than in the destination region. Moreover, the standard gravity variables like distance and population size are also significant and with the expected sign

Internal migration: a review of the literature

The interest of interregional migration flows in economics covers two important aspects. The first aspect concerns the role played by the main macroeconomic variables in determining the intensity and the directions of the migration flows. The second aspect focuses on migration as an important variable that might affect the growth rate. This study reviews and discusses the main literature on migration with respect to these two branches of study

The impact of migration on the cross-border M&A: some evidence for Japan

Facing the rapidly ageing society and shrinking of markets at home, Japanese firms are expanding outbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity at a record pace. This study examines the determinants of Japanese cross-border M&A activity focusing on the role of migrant networks in overcoming the informational barriers to such activity. Migrants include immigrants residing in Japan as well as Japanese citizens residing abroad. Our results suggest that the presence of immigrants and of Japanese citizens residing abroad both increase the probability of acquiring assets in a potential target country. Moreover, both communities exert positive effects on the number and value of outbound M&A deals

Internal migration and growth in Italy

The analysis focuses on the impact of interregional migration flows on regional growth rates during the period 1983-2002. A first important result is that migration did affect regional growth rates in Italy. Moreover, the results from the analysis of the two sub-periods, 1983-1992 and 1993-2002, show that the different trends of migration flows during the two decades and their differences in human capital content did affect regional growth in different ways. Both net migration rate and gross migration rates are used as regressors in different estimations. Furthermore, in order to investigate how the human capital content of migrants affected the regional growth, a further specification of the empirical model differentiates the migration rates according with their educational attainment. The outcomes show that migrants with a high educational attainment have the strongest impact on regional growth