Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions

This paper evaluates the evolution of urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020 in 66 developing and developed economies from Asia, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and examines how urban agglomeration changes impinge on economic performance changes. The aim is to overcome the limitations of the emp...

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Main Authors: Isaiah Maket, Izabella Szakálné Kanó, Zsófia Vas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-06-01
Series:Research in Globalization
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X24000200
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author Isaiah Maket
Izabella Szakálné Kanó
Zsófia Vas
author_facet Isaiah Maket
Izabella Szakálné Kanó
Zsófia Vas
author_sort Isaiah Maket
collection DOAJ
description This paper evaluates the evolution of urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020 in 66 developing and developed economies from Asia, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and examines how urban agglomeration changes impinge on economic performance changes. The aim is to overcome the limitations of the empirical literature by constructing a nuanced measure of urban agglomeration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index calculation, which captures nations’ urban demographic structure more robustly than the indicators in the literature. The findings demonstrate that urban agglomeration has, on average, declined across world economies, contrary to a long-held assumption in the recent two decades. Empirically, the findings show a significant deleterious effect of urban agglomeration on economic performance in developing economies (i.e., Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia) and a beneficial effect in developed economies (i.e., Europe) in the short-run. However, the effect turns out to be beneficial in the developing economies in long-term. Based on the findings, we conclude that the relationship between urban agglomeration and economic performance is country-specific. Therefore, this paper professes that country-specific industrialization policy frameworks and governance effectiveness can enhance long-term positive economic effects of urban agglomeration in developing economies.
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spelling doaj.art-9eb27f7830b04db4a56e486d91f450042024-03-20T06:11:06ZengElsevierResearch in Globalization2590-051X2024-06-018100211Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regionsIsaiah Maket0Izabella Szakálné Kanó1Zsófia Vas2Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Szeged, H-6722 Szeged, Hungary; Department of Economics, University of Embu, P.O, Box 6-60100, Embu, Kenya; Corresponding author.Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Szeged, H-6722 Szeged, HungaryFaculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Szeged, H-6722 Szeged, HungaryThis paper evaluates the evolution of urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020 in 66 developing and developed economies from Asia, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and examines how urban agglomeration changes impinge on economic performance changes. The aim is to overcome the limitations of the empirical literature by constructing a nuanced measure of urban agglomeration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index calculation, which captures nations’ urban demographic structure more robustly than the indicators in the literature. The findings demonstrate that urban agglomeration has, on average, declined across world economies, contrary to a long-held assumption in the recent two decades. Empirically, the findings show a significant deleterious effect of urban agglomeration on economic performance in developing economies (i.e., Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia) and a beneficial effect in developed economies (i.e., Europe) in the short-run. However, the effect turns out to be beneficial in the developing economies in long-term. Based on the findings, we conclude that the relationship between urban agglomeration and economic performance is country-specific. Therefore, this paper professes that country-specific industrialization policy frameworks and governance effectiveness can enhance long-term positive economic effects of urban agglomeration in developing economies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X24000200Urban AgglomerationHerfindahl-Hirschman IndexDynamic Panel ModelSub-Saharan Africa
spellingShingle Isaiah Maket
Izabella Szakálné Kanó
Zsófia Vas
Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
Research in Globalization
Urban Agglomeration
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
Dynamic Panel Model
Sub-Saharan Africa
title Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
title_full Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
title_fullStr Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
title_full_unstemmed Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
title_short Urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness: Thin ice in developing regions
title_sort urban agglomeration and regional economic performance connectedness thin ice in developing regions
topic Urban Agglomeration
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
Dynamic Panel Model
Sub-Saharan Africa
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X24000200
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