Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles) ISSN (Print) 1468-2702 - ISSN (Online) 1468-2710 Published by Oxford University Press[372 journals]
Authors:Ezcurra R; Rodríguez-Pose A. Pages: 1149 - 1178 Abstract: The article examines the link between ethnic segregation and spatial inequality in 71 countries with different levels of economic development. The results reveal that ethnic segregation is associated with significantly higher levels of spatial inequality. This finding is not affected by the inclusion of various covariates that may influence both spatial inequality and the geographical distribution of ethnic groups, and is confirmed by a number of robustness tests. The results also suggest that political decentralisation and government quality could act as transmission channels linking ethnic segregation and spatial inequality. PubDate: 2017-04-25 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbx007 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2017)
Authors:Cortinovis N; Xiao J, Boschma R, et al. Pages: 1179 - 1208 Abstract: Industrial diversification is crucial for economies to prosper. Recent studies have shown that regional economies tend to diversify into sectors that are related to those already present in the region. However, no study yet has investigated the impact of regional institutions. The objective of the article is to analyze how formal and informal institutions influence regional diversification. Studying 118 European regions in the period 2004–2012, we find evidence that institutions, and especially bridging social capital, matter for regions to diversify into new industries. Our results suggest that regional institutions relevant for diversification in regions are predominantly informal in character rather than formal, and bridging rather than bonding. PubDate: 2017-02-17 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbx001 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2017)
Authors:Inci E; Ommeren J, Kobus M. Pages: 1301 - 1323 Abstract: Existing work emphasizes the importance of traffic congestion externalities, but typically ignores cruising-for-parking externalities. We estimate the marginal external cruising costs of parking—that is, the time costs that an additional parked car imposes on drivers by inducing them to cruise for parking—which is one of the main components of cruising-for-parking externalities. The level of cruising is identified by examining to what extent the car inflow rate into a parking location falls with parking occupancy level. For a commercial street in Istanbul, we demonstrate that a marginal car parking for an hour induces 3.6 other cars to cruise for parking. This translates into an external cruising cost that is in the same order of magnitude with the external traffic congestion cost created by the trip. PubDate: 2017-03-22 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbx004 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2017)
Authors:Canavire-Bacarreza G; Martinez-Vazquez J, Yedgenov B. Pages: 1209 - 1249 Abstract: This paper contributes to the existing literature on the determinants of fiscal decentralization by exploring in depth the empirical relevance of physical geography as a determinant of fiscal decentralization; more geographically diverse countries show greater heterogeneity among their citizens. The theoretical framework imbeds geography into the concept of spatial decay in the provision of public services and our empirical estimation employs a panel data set for 94 countries for the period 1970–2010. Following the ‘first nature’ geography literature we construct a geographical fragmentation index based on elevation data and find that geographical fragmentation and area are significantly and positively related to fiscal decentralization. Following the ‘second nature’ geography literature we interact the geographical fragmentation index with time variant infrastructure variables, in order to test the effect that infrastructure and communications have on physical geography and fiscal decentralization. While the development of infrastructure tends to reduce the effect of physical geography on decentralization, this effect is rather small and mostly statistically insignificant. PubDate: 2016-12-26 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbw032 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2016)
Authors:Giacomelli S; Menon C. Pages: 1251 - 1282 Abstract: Poor contract enforcement can importantly affect firms’ incentives to grow. We investigate the causal effect of the weakness of contract enforcement on average firm size across Italian municipalities, exploiting spatial discontinuities in court jurisdictions for identification. Italy provides an ideal environment for this exercise, as it displays wide variation in judicial efficiency across courts, while the allocation of municipalities to jurisdictions is a historical legacy and does not overlap with other political or economic discontinuities. Our estimates indicate that reducing the length of judicial proceedings (i.e. improving contract enforceability) by 10% at court level leads to a 2% increase in average size of local firms. The outcome on turnover growth is of the same magnitude, suggesting that the effect operates at the intensive margin. PubDate: 2016-10-02 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbw030 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2016)
Authors:Winke T. Pages: 1283 - 1300 Abstract: This paper assesses the implicit valuation of aircraft noise by looking at changes in list offer prices for owner-occupied apartments around the airport of Frankfurt, Germany. A differences-in-differences research design permits circumvention of typical endogeneity problems in hedonic price estimations: Namely, the construction of the northwest runway in 2011 led to new aircraft noise exposure and subsequent price decreases in some southern parts of Frankfurt. The paper compares price changes in differentially affected areas around the announcement of the runway location in December 2007 and around its commissioning in October 2011. Noise changes are measured using publicly known noise projections as well as detailed noise assessment data for 2007 and 2012. The results suggest very little realization of externality costs before noise is actually apparent. Once aircraft noise came into effect, a price devaluation of around 1.7% per decibel of additional noise due to the new runway is measured. PubDate: 2016-12-06 DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbw040 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 6 (2016)
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
[372 journals]
