Our results highlight the joint importance of structural change and spatial dependence in the formation of convergence clubs. Specifically, the notion of spatial structural change deserves further attention, as it appears to play a major role in the evolution of regional disparities in the European Union.
Spatial dependence across provinces plays an important role in the formation of convergence clubs. The performance of geographical neighbors affects the probability of club membership through spillovers in capital accumulation and structural change.
Why are some countries much more prosperous than others? This book argues that differences in average labor productivity, patterns of structural change, and labor misallocation across sectors explain most of the observed differences in economic prosperity around the world