Skip to main content

Catching up and falling behind, a vintage model approach

  • Conference paper
The Global Dimension of Economic Evolution
  • 44 Accesses

Abstract

The literature on catching up suggests that due to diffusion and imitation, relatively backward countries should grow at a faster rate. A model along lines suggested by Abramovitz is constructed to examine this. A country’s change in productivity (technological gap) is supposed to depend on the productivity gap itself (relatively backwardness), social capability of adopting new technology, and R&D-activity. Together with a vintage growth model, this set-up gives a lot of different possible explanations of why growth rates differ among nations. The possibilities of both catching up and falling behind are considered.

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight 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

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abramovitz M (1986) Catching up, forging ahead, and falling behind. J Econ Hist 46: 385–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barro R (1991) Economic growth in a cross sections of nations. Q J Econ 116: 407–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumol W (1986) Productivity growth, convergence and welfare. What the long-run data show. Am Econ Rev 76: 1072–1085

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen W, Levinthal D (1989) Innovation and Learning. The two faces of R&D. Econ J 99: 569–596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornwall J (1977) Modern capitalism, its growth and transformation. Martin Bobertson, London

    Google Scholar 

  • De Long J (1988) Productivity growth, convergence and welfare: comment. Am Econ Rev 78: 1138–1154

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowrick S, Ngyen D (1989) OECD comparative growth 1950–85: catch-up and convergence. Am Econ Rev 79: 1010–1030

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagerberg J (1988) Why growth rates differ. In: Dosi G et al: Technical Change and Economic Theory. Pinter Publishers, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomulka S (1971) Inventive activity, diffusion and stages of economic growth. Mimeo Aarhus University

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansen L (1959) Substitution versus fixed production coefficients in the theory of economic growth: a synthesis. Econometrica 27: 157–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maddison A (1982) Phases of capitalist development. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Mankiw G, Romer D, Weil D (1992) A contribution to the empirics of economic growth. Q J Econ 107: 407–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson R, Phelps E (1966) Investment in humans, technological diffusion, and economic growth. Am Econ Rev (Paper and Proceedings) 56: 69–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Verspagen B (1991) A new empirical approach to catching up and falling behind. Struct Change Econ Dynam 2: 359–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff E (1991) Capital formation and productivity convergence over the long term. Am Econ Rev 81: 565–579

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1996 Physica-Verlag Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Skonhoft, A. (1996). Catching up and falling behind, a vintage model approach. In: Dopfer, K. (eds) The Global Dimension of Economic Evolution. Physica-Verlag HD. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48870-2_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48870-2_7

  • Publisher Name: Physica-Verlag HD

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-48872-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-48870-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics