Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Regional Economic Development, Human Capital and Transport Infrastructure in Greece: The Role of Geography

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Regional Upgrading in Southern Europe

Part of the book series: Advances in Spatial Science ((ADVSPATIAL))

Abstract

This chapter discusses the impact of human capital endowment and transport infrastructure on regional economic development and growth in Greece. The relationship between regional development, human capital and transport infrastructure is far less direct and is, indeed, complex. Geography plays an important role in the functioning and performance of regional economies in general, and the Greek economy in particular. Both first nature of geography factors (i.e., physical geography of regions) and second nature of geography factors (i.e., geography of distance between economic agents) moderate this relationship. This chapter also draws out a number of implications with regard to the role of regional economic policy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Indicators of quality are tricky to define. For the rail network, the extent of electrification and the number of separate tracks, which affect both the speed of the service and its carrying capacity, can be used to give a reasonable indication of quality (European Commission 1999: 122).

  2. 2.

    The former ‘deal with the effects of nonmarket interactions that are realised through processes directly affecting the utility of an individual’, while the latter ‘are by-products of market interactions’ and ‘arise from imperfect competition’ (Fujita and Thisse 2002: 8).

References

  • Aghion P, Bolton P (1990) Government domestic debt and the risk of default: a political economic model of the strategic role of debt. In: Dornbusch R, Draghi M (eds) Public debt management: theory and history. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Chapter 11

    Google Scholar 

  • Alesina A, Perotti R (1996) Income distribution, political instability, and investment. Eur Econ Rev 40:1203–1228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen J, van der Velden R (2001) Educational mismatches versus skill mismatches: effects on wages, job satisfaction, and on-the-job search. Oxf Econ Pap New Ser 53:434–452

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong HW, Taylor J (2000) Regional economics and policy. Blackwells, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Aschauer DA (1989) Is public expenditure productive. J Monet Econ 23:177–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barro RJ (2000) Inequality and growth in a panel of countries. J Econ Growth 5:5–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker GS (1962) Investment in human capital – a theoretical analysis. J Polit Econ 70:9–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker GS, Barro RJ (1988) A reformulation of the economic theory of fertility. Q J Econ 103:1–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker GS, Tomes N (1986) Human capital and the rise and fall of families. J Labor Econ 4:S1–S39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benporath Y (1980) The F-connection – families, friends, and firms and the organization of exchange. Popul Dev Rev 6:1–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertinelli L, Black D (2004) Urbanization and growth. J Urban Econ 56:80–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertola G (1993) Factor shares and savings in endogenous growth. Am Econ Rev 83:1184–1198

    Google Scholar 

  • Biehl D (1986) The contribution of infrastructure to regional development. Final Report of the Infrastructure Studies Group to the Commission of the European Communities, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu P (1993) Sociology in question. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bräuninger M, Niebuhr A (2005) Convergence, spatial interaction and agglomeration effects in the EU: HWWA discussion paper 322, Hamburg Institute of International Economics

    Google Scholar 

  • Centre for Educational Research and Innovation and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1998) Human capital investment: an international comparison. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheshire PC, Hay D (1988) Urban problems in western europe: an economic analysis. Unwin Hyman, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheshire PC, Magrini S (2006) Population growth in european cities: weather matters – but only nationally. Reg Stud 40:23–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christofakis M (2007) Transports and regional development: the transport infrastructures policy (in Greek). Dionikos, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman JS (1988) Social capital in the creation of human capital. Am J Sociol 94:S95–S120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collier P (2006) African growth: why a ‘big push’? J Afr Econ 15:188–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coulibaly S, Fontagne L (2006) South-South trade: geography matters. J Afr Econ 15:313–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Serres A (2003) Structural policies and growth: a non-technical overview: OECD economics working paper no. 355. Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) – Economics Department (ECO)

    Google Scholar 

  • Deichmann U, Fay M, Koo J, Lall SV (2004) Economic structure, productivity, and infrastructure quality in Southern Mexico. Ann Reg Sci 38:361–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demurger S (2001) Infrastructure development and economic growth: an explanation for regional disparities in China? J Comp Econ 29:95–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffydeno KT, Eberts RW (1991) Public infrastructure and regional economic development – a simultaneous equations approach. J Urban Econ 30:329–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (1999) The European regions: sixth periodic report on the socio-economic situation in the regions of the European Union. Official Publication Office, Luxembourg

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2004) A new partnership for cohesion: convergence, competitiveness, cooporation. Third report on economic and social cohesion. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

    Google Scholar 

  • Forbes KJ (2000) A reassessment of the relationship between inequality and growth. Am Econ Rev 90:869–887

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujita M, Thisse J-F (2002) Economics of agglomeration: cities, industrial location, and regional growth. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gallup JL, Sachs JD, Mellinger AD (1999) Geography and economic development. Int Reg Sci Rev 22:179–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galor O (2000) Income distribution and the process of development. Eur Econ Rev 44:706–712

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaeser EL, Kohlhase JE (2004) Cities, regions and the decline of transport costs. Pap Reg Sci 83:197–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene KV, Neenan WB, Scott CD (1974) Fiscal interactions in a metropolitan area. D. C. Heath, Lexington, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanushek EA, Kimko DD (2000) Schooling, labor-force quality, and the growth of nations. Am Econ Rev 90:1184–1208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartog J (2000) Over-education and earnings: where are we, where should we go? Econ Educ Rev 19:131–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haughwout AF (1998) Aggregate production functions, interregional equilibrium, and the measurement of infrastructure productivity. J Urban Econ 44:216–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haughwout AF (2002) Public infrastructure investments, productivity and welfare in fixed geographic areas. J Public Econ 83:405–428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson JV, Shalizi Z, Venables AJ (2001) Geography and development. J Econ Geogr 1:81–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtz-Eakin D (1994) Public-sector capital and the productivity puzzle. Rev Econ Stat 76:12–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtz-Eakin D, Lovely ME (1996) Scale economies, returns to variety, and the productivity of public infrastructure. Reg Sci Urban Econ 26:105–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs J (1970) The economy of cities. Cape, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim S (1995) Expansion of markets and the geographic distribution of economic activities – the trends in US regional manufacturing structure, 1860-1987. Q J Econ 110:881–908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambrinidis M, Psycharis Y, Rovolis A (2005) Regional allocation of public infrastructure investment: the case of Greece. Reg Stud 39:1231–1244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Gallo J, Ertur C, Baumont C (2003) A spatial econometric analysis of convergence across European regions, 1980-1995. In: Fingleton B (ed) European regional growth. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynde C, Richmond J (1992) The role of public capital in production. Rev Econ Stat 74:37–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin P, Ottaviano GIP (2001) Growth and agglomeration. Int Econ Rev 42:947–968

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCann P, Shefer S (2004) Location, agglomeration and infrastructure. Pap Reg Sci 83:177–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCann P, Shefer S (2005) Agglomeration, economic geography and regional growth. Pap Reg Sci 84:301–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchener KJ, McLean IW (2003) The productivity of US states since 1880. J Econ Growth 8:73–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naudé W (2009) Geography, transport and Africa’s proximity gap. J Transp Geogr 17:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD (2003) Seizing the benefits from ICT in a digital economy. Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level, Paris, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Papadaskalopoulos A, Christofakis M (2008) Transport and regional development: the pattern of spatial development in Greece due to the impact of the new transportation corridors. In: Coccossis H, Psycharis Y (eds) Regional analysis and policy: the Greek experience. Physica-Verlag, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Perotti R (1992) Income distribution, politics, and growth. Am Econ Rev 82:311–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrakos G, Psycharis Y (2015a) Regional development in Greece (in Greek). Kritiki, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrakos G, Psycharis Y (2015b) The spatial aspects of economic crisis in Greece. Camb J Reg Econ Soc 9:137–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polese M (2005) Cities and national economic growth: a reappraisal. Urban Stud 42:1429–1451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puga D (2002) European regional policies in light of recent location theories. J Econ Geogr 2:373–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam RD (1993) The prosperous community: social capital and public life. Am Prospect 13:35–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Pose A, Tselios V (2009) Education and income inequality in the regions of the European Union. J Reg Sci 49:411–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Pose A, Tselios V (2010) Inequalities in income and education and regional economic growth in western Europe. Ann Reg Sci 44:349–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Pose A, Psycharis Y, Tselios V (2012) Public investment and regional growth and convergence: evidence from Greece. Pap Reg Sci 91:543–568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rovolis A, Spence N (2002) Promoting regional economic growth in Greece by investing in public infrastructure. Environ Plann C Gov Policy 20:393–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sachs JD, McArthur JW, Schmidt-Traub G, Kruk M, Bahadur C, Faye M, McCord G (2004) Ending Africa.s poverty trap. Brook Pap Econ Act 1:117–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuller T (2000) The complementary roles of human and social capital. In: International symposium on the contribution of human and social capital to sustained economic growth and well-being, Quebec City, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz TW (1961) Investment in human capital. Am Econ Rev 51:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz TW (1962) Reflections on investment in man. J Polit Econ 70:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schultz TW (1963) The economic value of education. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott AJ, Storper M (2003) regions, globalization, development. Reg Stud 37:579–593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sianesi B, Van Reenen J (2003) The returns to education: macroeconomics. J Econ Surv 17:157–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spence AM (1973) Job market signaling. Q J Econ 87:355–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stimson RJ, Stough RR, Roberts BH (2006) Regional economic development: analysis and planning strategy. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsekeris T, Vogiatzoglou K (2013) Regional specialization and public infrastructure investments: empirical evidence from Greece. Centre of Planning and Economic Research, Discussion Papers, No. 130

    Google Scholar 

  • Tselios V (2008) Income and educational inequalities in the regions of the European Union: geographical spillovers under welfare state restrictions. Pap Reg Sci 87:403–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vickerman RW (1991) Infrastructure and regional development. Pion, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang EC (2002) Public infrastructure and economic growth: a new approach applied to East Asian economies. J Policy Model 24:411–435

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wossmann L, Schütz G (2006) Efficiency and equity in the European education and training systems: analytical report for the European commission, prepared by the European Expert Network on Economics of Education, Mimeo

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This chapter is based on research that has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework—Research Funding Program: THALES. Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund (grant number MIS 380421). We also thank Panagiotis Pantazis (MSc in Planning and Regional Development, PhD student) for the construction of the figures.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

    Vassilis Tselios

  2. Panteion University, Athens, Greece

    Antonis Rovolis & Yannis Psycharis

Authors
  1. Vassilis Tselios
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonis Rovolis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yannis Psycharis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vassilis Tselios .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Porto, Lisboa, Portugal

    Madalena Fonseca

  2. Department ABC, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Ugo Fratesi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tselios, V., Rovolis, A., Psycharis, Y. (2017). Regional Economic Development, Human Capital and Transport Infrastructure in Greece: The Role of Geography. In: Fonseca, M., Fratesi, U. (eds) Regional Upgrading in Southern Europe. Advances in Spatial Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49818-8_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation