This paper examines empirically whether and how regional integration leads to convergence and growth amongst developing countries. Using standard growth models for nearly 100 developing countries over 1970-2004 we cannot establish robust growth effects of regional integration as such at the...

This paper quantifies the interdependence in labor markets that exists in the Mercosur countries. Two sets of panel data are constructed: one formed by the aggregation of annual time series data from Argentina and Brazil, and another with data from Uruguay and Paraguay. These two sets of data...

The paper addresses the linkage between certain aspects of the increasing economic integration of world markets and the level of child labour. We empirically examine, first, the often-cited conventional wisdom that multinational enterprises invest in countries where the extent of child labour is...

This paper introduces a more sophisticated two-sector model of endogenous long-run growth without scale effects. The world economy consists of two similarly developed countries both of which are capable of producing manufacturings and services. The knowledge-based services as intermediate inputs...

This paper attempts to quantify the extent to which U.S. growth is an “engine” of the world economy. Results based on fixed-effects estimation using panel data suggest a significant positive impact of U.S. growth on growth in the rest of the world, especially developing countries, in recent...

This paper examines the qualitative impact and the degree of effectiveness of several labor market policies when domestic union’s wage response and economic integration are explicitly taken into account. The employment policies considered include payroll tax cuts, unemployment benefits cuts,...

This paper attempts to quantify the extent to which U.S. growth is an “engine” of the world economy. Results based on fixed-effects estimation using panel data suggest a significant positive impact of U.S. growth on growth in the rest of the world, especially developing countries, in recent...

We analyze industrial specialization and geographic concentration patterns within the NAFTA area during 1988-2000 and examine the determinant of spatial concentration. NAFTA countries have become increasingly dissimilar over time. A changing spatial structure of total NAFTA manufacturing is also...

In this paper the Balassa steps of economic integration are first reviewed, and then extended to cover currernt integration configurations. Pre-conditions for each stage of integration are detailed using a backward-looking economic conditionality approach, and then both economic and political...

The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of political asymmetries on a FTA and a CU. I have shown that either a higher lobbying sensitivity to the foreign firm or a more susceptibility of politicians to lobbying are sufficient to lead to a higher tariff protection at the individual...