Institutions, growth and comparative economic development: geographical and methodological perspectives

Abstract

This thesis investigates the impact of institutions on economic growth and development, a key area in economic research. While recognizing the broad consensus on the importance of institutions, it delves into how specific institutional dimensions contribute to economic growth. It adopts diverse econometric methods to analyze institutional variations across different geographical contexts. Chapter 1 investigates the role of natural resource endowments in economic growth in a cross-country setting under heterogeneous growth paths, considering a variety of institutional factors beyond traditional channels. Chapter 2 investigates the distinct roles of national and regional institutions in European regional economic development, using multilevel econometric methods. Chapter 3 analyzes the effects of major changes in Spain's financing system on regional development, with case studies in the Basque Country and Valencian Community, employing counterfactual approaches. The thesis concludes by assessing the contributions of each chapter and the overall study.