An Analysis of Poverty Convergence: Evidence from Pennsylvania Counties

This paper extends applications of unconditional and conditional β-convergence and σ-convergence analysis to poverty rates in a panel data sample of Pennsylvania counties during the period 1990-2019. Spatial structural breaks between rural and urban counties in Pennsylvania plus the possibility that Philadelphia County is an outlier are acknowledged to avoid spurious inferences. The findings support the existence of unconditional β-convergence in the pooled, urban, and rural samples with non-metropolitan areas exhibiting the greatest convergence. However, the largest conditional β-convergence is observed for urban counties, and this outcome is robust to the exclusion of Philadelphia County. Graphical evidence evinces a greater degree of σ-divergence in rural areas relative to the pooled and urban samples with metropolitan areas exhibiting neither convergence nor divergence in the absence of Philadelphia County. Statistical evidence based on ADF and DF-GLS tests reveals the presence of σ-divergence in the pooled and rural samples but weaker findings for the urban counties. Panel data tests for unit roots indicate σ-convergence for the full and rural samples but mixed results for the urban sample depending upon the test employed and whether Philadelphia County is included or not. The findings indicate that further investigation of tailored policy responses to poverty in different geographic areas within the same state is warranted

Rural-Urban Differences in Poverty: An Analysis of Pennsylvania Counties

This study examines the determinants of poverty in rural and urban Pennsylvania counties. Economic and demographic characteristics are evaluated in their relation to the poverty rate using panel data from 2000 to 2019 for the 67 Pennsylvania counties. A two-way fixed effects model is estimated to account for unobserved county-specific and time-specific heterogeneity. The results indicate that there are rural-urban differences in the impacts of explanatory variables. In rural Pennsylvania counties, economic factors have significant effects on the poverty rate. The percentage of employment in manufacturing and construction are negatively related to the poverty rate, while the percentage of renters and employment in agriculture are positively related. In contrast, only the percentage of female-headed households has a positive, statistically significant impact in urban counties. Oaxaca (1973) decomposition indicates that structural characteristics in rural counties help mitigate their poverty rates. The results suggest that different policies must be implemented in urban and rural counties to alleviate poverty

A Count Panel Data Study Of The Schumpeterian Hypothesis

This study estimates the patent-R&D relationship using count panel data. The data is an original panel of 318 firms making R&D investments and applying for patents during the period from 1984 to 1993. A negative binomial model with fixed effects is estimated, taking into account both the discrete nature of the count dependent variable and firm-specific unobserved heterogeneity as well as overdispersion in the data. Firm-level R&D capital, concentration ratios, and various firm size proxies are used as independent variables. Analysis of the data fails to reveal support for the basic tenets of the Schumpeterian Hypothesis. In particular, firm size has a significant negative impact on innovation while industry concentration is statistically insignificant.

Income Inequality and Educational Attainment Rates: The New York Story

This paper examines the relationship between changes in income inequality and educational attainment rates in New York counties during the 1990s. The dependent variable is the change in the Gini coefficient over the decade. The independent variables include the Gini coefficient for 1990, educational attainment rates at the high school, bachelor's degree, and graduate/professional levels, the natural logarithm of population density in the county, real public educational expenditures in the county for several years preceding the 1990s, and an index of racial diversity in the county in 1990. Results of OLS regressions suggest that county population density, and educational attainment rates at the bachelor's and graduate degree levels are associated with increases in county income inequality over time. Alternatively, the initial level of income inequality and the high school attainment rate are associated with decreases in income inequality over time in New York counties.

The Effects of Immigration on Regional Unemployment Rates in The Netherlands

Immigration, Unemployment, The Netherlands, E24, J21, J61, J82, R10, R23,

New Release: An Empirical Analysis of VHS/DVD Rental Success

Movie economics, Movie rental performance, VHS/DVD rental revenue, Word-of-mouth, D00, L10,

International trends in clinical characteristics and oral anticoagulation treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation: Results from the GARFIELD-AF, ORBIT-AF I, and ORBIT-AF II registries

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the world. We aimed to provide comprehensive data on international patterns of AF stroke prevention treatment