Institutions and economic performance: a review of the theory and evidence

Ugur, Mehmet (2010): Institutions and economic performance: a review of the theory and evidence.

Abstract

The aim of this article is to take stock of the theoretical debate and empirical findings concerning the impact of institutions on economic performance and the channels through which the institutional impact unfolds. The review is limited to work published until 2004 due to space limitations and the exponential increase in the literature after 2004 – a development that justifies a separate review in itself. We trace the evolution of the institutional approach, identify the channels through which institutional quality might affect economic performance, report the empirical findings, and assess the institutional approach’s contribution to economic analysis and policy design. Our findings suggest that the institutional approach has made both theoretical and empirical contributions to economics research and has inspired policy debate, but the debate is lopsided with its focus on developing countries only.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Institutions, governance, growth, investment, technological change
• Subjects: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E0 - General > E02 - Institutions and the Macroeconomy; D - Microeconomics > D7 - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making > D73 - Bureaucracy ; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations ; Corruption; B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B5 - Current Heterodox Approaches > B52 - Institutional ; Evolutionary; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E2 - Consumption, Saving, Production, Investment, Labor Markets, and Informal Economy > E22 - Investment ; Capital ; Intangible Capital ; Capacity

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