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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Decomposing Ldc Inequality, Gary S. Fields Sep 2015

Decomposing Ldc Inequality, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] At the present time, there is great interest among development economists in the problem of economic inequality in less developed countries (LDCs). Studies of the determinants of inequality follow either of two general approaches. The more traditional approach is associated with names like Kuznets (1963), Chenery and associates (1960, 1968, 1975), Adelman and Morris (1973), Ahluwalia (1976) and Chiswick (1971). These studies share a common methodology, consisting basically of looking at a cross-section of countries, and (1) measuring the degree of inequality in each, (2) measuring other characteristics of each country (e.g., level of GNP, its rate of growth, …


Changes In Poverty And Inequality In Developing Countries, Gary S. Fields Sep 2015

Changes In Poverty And Inequality In Developing Countries, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

This paper presents new data on poverty, inequality, and growth in those developing countries of the world for which the requisite statistics are available. Economic growth is found generally but not always to reduce poverty. Growth, however, is found to have very little to do with income inequality. Thus the "economic laws" linking the rate of growth and the distribution of benefits receive only very tenuous empirical support here.


Notes On The Policy Seminar On Inequality And Development, Held On The 26th Of September 2014 At The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Of Finland, J. G. A. Saviranta Sep 2014

Notes On The Policy Seminar On Inequality And Development, Held On The 26th Of September 2014 At The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Of Finland, J. G. A. Saviranta

Akseli Saviranta

The following document presents summarised key notes from the United Nations University – World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) policy seminar titled “Inequality and Development – Trends and Policies”. This policy seminar represented a follow-up to a prior two-day conference organised earlier in the same month by the same institute, in which the author has participated as well.


The Evolution Of Poverty And Inequality In Sub-Saharan Africa Over The Period 1980-2010: What Do We (And Can We) Know Given The Data Available?, Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu Mar 2014

The Evolution Of Poverty And Inequality In Sub-Saharan Africa Over The Period 1980-2010: What Do We (And Can We) Know Given The Data Available?, Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu

Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu

No abstract provided.


La Economía Política De La Desigualdad De Ingreso En Chile, 1850-2009, Javier E. Rodríguez Weber Dec 2013

La Economía Política De La Desigualdad De Ingreso En Chile, 1850-2009, Javier E. Rodríguez Weber

Javier E. Rodríguez Weber

This dissertation studies the relationship between income inequality and the development process, considered as the sum of economic, social and political changes produced over time. It does so using the case of Chile between 1850 and 2009. Its goals are to describe the tendencies in income distribution over time, and also to explain, signalling their causes and some of their consequences. In the empirical area, the main contributions of the dissertation are the estimates of historical series of salaries, wages, and different measures of income distribution –Gini index, Theil, labour share and the income of the top 1%. To make …


Procedural Paper Draft. Asset Inequality Conceptual Framework And Measurement Methodology, Luis A. Villasenor Apr 2012

Procedural Paper Draft. Asset Inequality Conceptual Framework And Measurement Methodology, Luis A. Villasenor

Adrián Villaseñor

No abstract provided.


Linking Development And Innovation: What Does Technological Change Bring To The Society?, Evgeny A. Klochikhin Jan 2012

Linking Development And Innovation: What Does Technological Change Bring To The Society?, Evgeny A. Klochikhin

Evgeny A. Klochikhin

Recently, there has been a popular trend in academic research for paying more attention to ‘pro-poor’ policies and theoretical studies. This tradition has emerged from a broader understanding of development that includes not only economic but also social and political dimensions. Meanwhile, innovation researchers are still considering development as mere economic growth without much focus on the social impacts of technological change. This article recognizes that, despite these fundamental differences, the concepts of innovation and development have much in common and are, in fact, positively connected and mutually beneficial. This assumption has some important implications for the innovation and development …


Nine Out Of Ten. The "Losers" In Italy's Long Crisis. Changes In Income Distribution, Effects Of Policies, Rise In Inequality, Mario Pianta Dec 2011

Nine Out Of Ten. The "Losers" In Italy's Long Crisis. Changes In Income Distribution, Effects Of Policies, Rise In Inequality, Mario Pianta

Mario Pianta

In the analysis of inequality in advanced countries it is often argued that the wide array of changes in economic activities, labour markets and public policies result in a complex picture of changes in individual incomes that escape any general interpretation. In this paper the available data on the functional and personal distribution of income are examined and the results of the literature are surveyed providing an interpretation of developments in inequality in Italy, compared to other European countries. The argument is that there is strong evidence that most benefits of the (modest) economic growth of the last decade have …


Do Inequality Measures Measure Inequality?, Gary S. Fields Aug 2011

Do Inequality Measures Measure Inequality?, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] In the literature, much attention has been paid to a number of aspects of inequality including the distinction between relative and absolute inequality, axiomatization of inequality, the Lorenz criterion for inequality comparisons, properties of various inequality measures, and inequality decomposition. In no way do I wish to argue with the main results derived in these areas. Rather, my purpose here is to add to the theory of inequality measurement by dealing with one aspect of inequality which has been largely ignored by economists and by others. This is the question of how inequality changes - in particular, whether it …


Intra-Provincial Inequalities And Economic Growth In China, Joanna Gravier-Rymaszewska, Joanna Tyrowicz, Jacek Kochanowicz Jan 2010

Intra-Provincial Inequalities And Economic Growth In China, Joanna Gravier-Rymaszewska, Joanna Tyrowicz, Jacek Kochanowicz

Joanna Tyrowicz

This paper approaches the problem of inequalities in China. It is specifically focused on analyzing the effects of intra-provincial disparities on the development of the 28 mainland provinces in China. Intra-provincial inequalities, as measured by Theil index, seem positively related to growth, albeit the results are only convincing for the coastal provinces. A case by case analysis, however, suggests highly diversified patterns, including linear or an inverted u-shape for fastest growing coastal provinces and virtually no relationship for the majority of regions. The results corroborate some earlier raised questions about actual policy-making standards in China.


De La Desigualdad, Sus Determinantes Y Su Efecto En El Crecimiento, Luis A. Villasenor Jan 2010

De La Desigualdad, Sus Determinantes Y Su Efecto En El Crecimiento, Luis A. Villasenor

Adrián Villaseñor

No abstract provided.


Forces Of Inequality? The Impact Of Technology And Globalisation, Mario Pianta, Leopoldo Nascia Dec 2008

Forces Of Inequality? The Impact Of Technology And Globalisation, Mario Pianta, Leopoldo Nascia

Mario Pianta

In searching for the causes of the general increase of inequality in Europe over the past two decades, technological change and increasing international integration are major forces that need to be investigated. While they have affected the overall changes in economic structures with complex – direct and indirect – influences on income distribution, we focus here on their specific impact on three issues: a) inequalities between profits and wages; b) the polarisation of employment by professional skills; c) wage polarisation.


Guest Editors' Introduction For Special Issue On "Inequality: Mechanisms And Effects", Mario Pianta, Maurizio Franzini Dec 2008

Guest Editors' Introduction For Special Issue On "Inequality: Mechanisms And Effects", Mario Pianta, Maurizio Franzini

Mario Pianta

Inequality is a multidimensional phenomenon involving both economic and social processes, and regulated by a variety of political processes and policies. Measures of economic inequality, in terms of income and wealth, however, provide an effective picture of broad patterns of inequality. Between the end of the 1970’s and mid-2000’s, such indicators have documented a general growth in inequalities within and between countries, highlighting a major aspect of economic development over that period.


Innovation And Wage Polarisation In Europe, Mario Pianta, Elisabetta Croci Angelini, Francesco Farina Dec 2008

Innovation And Wage Polarisation In Europe, Mario Pianta, Elisabetta Croci Angelini, Francesco Farina

Mario Pianta

In this article we improve on the literature dealing with the polarising effects of technological change on wages by proposing more rigorous definitions of wage dispersion within industries and of the different types and effects of innovation. We carry out an analysis across 10 manufacturing and service sectors in seven European countries (France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK), for two time periods. In addition to structural economic variables, we draw data from two waves of the Community Innovation Surveys (CIS 2, 1994–1996 and CIS3, 1998–2000) and from two waves of the European Community Household Panel (ECHP, …


Innovations, Profits And Wages, Mario Pianta, Massimiliano Tancioni Dec 2007

Innovations, Profits And Wages, Mario Pianta, Massimiliano Tancioni

Mario Pianta

This paper investigates the dynamics of wages and profits and the influence innovation strategies have on them. The relationships between innovation, productivity, and distribution are modeled and estimated by employing panel data techniques. Two European innovation surveys (1994–96 and 1998–2000) are used with data at both the country and industry levels. Innovation is found to have positive effects on income dynamics beyond the role it has on productivity gains; it may weaken the distribution constraint posed by the competition between profits and wages. Profits are driven by both the Schumpeterian effects of new products and the diffusion effects of new …


Empirical Analysis Of Poverty And Inequality In West Virginia, Hector Addison Jan 2007

Empirical Analysis Of Poverty And Inequality In West Virginia, Hector Addison

Hector Addison

Poverty and income inequality have attracted a lot of attention in recent literature and policy discussions. Using Ordinary Least Squares and Two stage least squares and cross sectional data for all counties in West Virginia, this study examines the determinants of poverty and income inequality and possibility of simultaneous relationship between them. Findings indicate there is a weak simultaneous relationship and income inequality is declining among aged 65 and above. Education, seen as social equalizer does not provide any evidence in reducing income inequality in West Virginia but as more and more women take up headship in families, poverty and …