What Determines the Long run Growth in Kenya?

Lifting the long run growth rate is, arguably, the pursuit of every economy. What should Kenya do to enhance its long run growth rate? This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Kenya. We utilized the theoretical insights from the Solow (1956) growth model and its extension by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992) and followed Senhadji’s (2000) growth accounting procedure. We find that growth in Kenya, until the 1990s was mainly due to factor accumulation. Since then, TFP has made a small contribution to growth. Our findings imply that while variables like overseas development aid, foreign direct investment and progress of financial sector improves TFP, trade openness is the key determinant. Consequently, policy makers should focus on policies that improve trade openness if long run growth rate is to be raised.Solow model, growth accounting, total factor productivity.

What Determines the Long run Growth in Kenya?

Lifting the long run growth rate is, arguably, the pursuit of every economy. What should Kenya do to enhance its long run growth rate? This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Kenya. We utilized the theoretical insights from the Solow (1956) growth model and its extension by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992) and followed Senhadji’s (2000) growth accounting procedure. We find that growth in Kenya, until the 1990s was mainly due to factor accumulation. Since then, TFP has made a small contribution to growth. Our findings imply that while variables like overseas development aid, foreign direct investment and progress of financial sector improves TFP, trade openness is the key determinant. Consequently, policy makers should focus on policies that improve trade openness if long run growth rate is to be raised.Solow model; growth accounting; total factor productivity

Getting people out of unemployment: A spatial perspective across Auckland

Reducing the unemployment rate is an aim of most governing authorities. This paper presents a socio-economic analysis of area-level employment rate changes across Auckland using Census area-level data for the time period 1996 to 2006. Exploratory spatial data analyses suggest the presence of strong spatial patterns in intra-city employment rates changes. Application of seemingly unrelated regressions highlight forces, such as education, that are associated with increases in part time and full time employment relative to being unemployed.Unemployment; Seemingly unrelated regressions; Queen spatial weights

How to Increase the Growth Rate in South Africa?

Given the concern about the low growth rates in African countries, this paper deals with the issue of how to increase the said growth rates by using South Africa as a case study. This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) and productivity growth. We utilise the theoretical insights from the Solow (1956) growth model and its extension by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992). Our empirical methodology is based on the London School of Economics Hendry’s General to Specific Instrumental Variable method and Gregory and Hansen’s (1996a; 1996b) structural break technique. Our findings imply that variables like human capital, trade openness, foreign direct investment, financial efficiency, democracy and financial reforms improves TFP and productivity growth in South Africa. Importantly, the key determinants appear to be democracy and financial liberalisation.Solow model; total factor productivity; productivity growth.

How to Increase the Growth Rate in South Africa?

Given the concern about the low growth rates in African countries, this paper deals with the issue of how to increase the said growth rates by using South Africa as a case study. This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP)and productivity growth. We utilise the theoretical insights from the Solow (1956) growth model and its extension by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992). Our empirical methodology is based on the London School of Economics Hendry’s General to Specific Instrumental Variable method and Gregory and Hansen’s (1996a; 1996b) structural break technique. Our findings imply that variables like human capital, trade openness, foreign direct investment, financial efficiency, democracy and financial reforms improves TFP and productivity growth in South Africa. Importantly, the key determinants appear to be democracy and financial liberalisation.Solow model; total factor productivity; productivity growth

Do Non-Economic Quality of Life Factors Drive Immigration?

This paper contributes to the immigration literature by generating two unique non-economic quality of life (QOL) indices and testing their role on recent migration patterns. Applying the generated quality of life indices in conjunction with other independent welfare measures to an extended gravity model of immigration for 16 OECD destination countries from 1991 to 2000 suggests an insignificant role for QOL in the immigration process. The panel results suggest that other economic variables such as the stock of immigrants from the source country already living in the OECD destination country, population size, relative incomes, and geographic factors all significantly drive the flow of immigration for the sample.immigration, quality of life, gravity model

Culture, participative decision making and job satisfaction

This study explores the impact of culture on participative decision making (PDM) and job satisfaction (JS) using data obtained from the European Values Study. We parameterise two different cultural variables using principal components analysis: first a continuum based on survival versus self-expression values, and second a continuum based on traditional versus secular-rational values. Application of ordered logistic regression to Likert scales of PDM and JS suggest that greater self-expression in the survival versus self-expression variable enhances both PDM and JS; more traditional values in the traditional versus secular-rational continuum have the same effect.Job satisfaction; participatory decision making; culture

Temporary versus permanent employment: Does health matter?

Poor health may inhibit active participation in the labour market and restrict the types of employment available to an individual. This paper uses recent survey data from New Zealand and employs a bivariate probit approach (to address sample selection issues) for investigating the relationship between health status and employment type. We find that health issues (and in particular mental health) are negatively related to the likelihood of being employed; and entering full-time and / or permanent employment. The picture with respect to temporary work is a little more fuzzy, with mixed results, and only minimal evidence is found that poor health is positively related to being in temporary employment

What Determines the Long run Growth in Kenya?

Lifting the long run growth rate is, arguably, the pursuit of every economy. What should Kenya do to enhance its long run growth rate? This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Kenya. We utilized the theoretical insights from the Solow (1956) growth model and its extension by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (1992) and followed Senhadji’s (2000) growth accounting procedure. We find that growth in Kenya, until the 1990s was mainly due to factor accumulation. Since then, TFP has made a small contribution to growth. Our findings imply that while variables like overseas development aid, foreign direct investment and progress of financial sector improves TFP, trade openness is the key determinant. Consequently, policy makers should focus on policies that improve trade openness if long run growth rate is to be raised