Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea?
In this paper, we question whether night light luminosity data can be used as an alternative measure of GDP in 49 African countries. For this to be proven true, evidence of significant relationships between night light data and GDP time series variables needs to be confirmed through empirical analy...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Primorska
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Managing Global Transitions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://212.235.226.96/index.php/fm/article/view/76 |
| _version_ | 1811225873763794944 |
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| author | Nicolene Hamman Andrew Phiri |
| author_facet | Nicolene Hamman Andrew Phiri |
| author_sort | Nicolene Hamman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In this paper, we question whether night light luminosity data can be
used as an alternative measure of GDP in 49 African countries. For this
to be proven true, evidence of significant relationships between night light
data and GDP time series variables needs to be confirmed through empirical
analysis. In differing from previous studies, we employ pooled mean
group (PMG) cross sectional cointegration estimators and wavelet coherence
tools to examine the cointegration relationships and time-frequency
synchronizations between GDP and DMSP-OLS night light intensity for
annual data collected between 1992 and 2012. All in all, we find little evidence
of significant relationships between nighttime data and GDP for individual
African countries and therefore caution policymakers in strictly
using DMSP-OLS data to create synthetic measures of economic growth.
Possible avenues for future research are further recommended at the end
of the study.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:14:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19c0c8555ca44ce19c8b1cc2b0ad4970 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1854-6935 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:14:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | University of Primorska |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Managing Global Transitions |
| spelling | doaj.art-19c0c8555ca44ce19c8b1cc2b0ad49702022-12-22T03:38:52ZengUniversity of PrimorskaManaging Global Transitions1854-69352022-06-01202Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea?Nicolene Hamman0Andrew Phiri1Nelson Mandela UniversityNelson Mandela University In this paper, we question whether night light luminosity data can be used as an alternative measure of GDP in 49 African countries. For this to be proven true, evidence of significant relationships between night light data and GDP time series variables needs to be confirmed through empirical analysis. In differing from previous studies, we employ pooled mean group (PMG) cross sectional cointegration estimators and wavelet coherence tools to examine the cointegration relationships and time-frequency synchronizations between GDP and DMSP-OLS night light intensity for annual data collected between 1992 and 2012. All in all, we find little evidence of significant relationships between nighttime data and GDP for individual African countries and therefore caution policymakers in strictly using DMSP-OLS data to create synthetic measures of economic growth. Possible avenues for future research are further recommended at the end of the study. https://212.235.226.96/index.php/fm/article/view/76DMSP-OLSnight lighteconomic growthcomplex wavelet analysisMorlet waveletsAfrica |
| spellingShingle | Nicolene Hamman Andrew Phiri Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? Managing Global Transitions DMSP-OLS night light economic growth complex wavelet analysis Morlet wavelets Africa |
| title | Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? |
| title_full | Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? |
| title_fullStr | Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? |
| title_short | Using Nighttime Luminosity as a Proxy for Economic Growth in Africa: Is It a Bright Idea? |
| title_sort | using nighttime luminosity as a proxy for economic growth in africa is it a bright idea |
| topic | DMSP-OLS night light economic growth complex wavelet analysis Morlet wavelets Africa |
| url | https://212.235.226.96/index.php/fm/article/view/76 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolenehamman usingnighttimeluminosityasaproxyforeconomicgrowthinafricaisitabrightidea AT andrewphiri usingnighttimeluminosityasaproxyforeconomicgrowthinafricaisitabrightidea |