Convergence and divergence in living standards among regions of the enlarged European Union (1992-2006)

Novotný, JOSEF (2011): Convergence and divergence in living standards among regions of the enlarged European Union (1992-2006).

Abstract

This paper examines regional convergence in living standards among 264 EU27 regions during1992-2006. The main contribution is the exploratory analysis, which inspects various aspects of regional dynamics such as convergence and divergence, polarization, the role of inter-national component, polarization, switching, and mobility of regions. Both the development of absolute and relative differentials in regional living standards is considered by applying several different techniques including some magnitude-free statistics. The results indicate that regional convergence in relative differentials was concurrent to widening of absolute gaps. Beyond the aggregate trends a significant extent of switching and mobility of individual regions has been detected.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: European Union, living standards, subjective judgements, real convergence, regional dynamics
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis ; Housing ; Infrastructure; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C2 - Single Equation Models ; Single Variables > C20 - General; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R12 - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O5 - Economywide Country Studies > O52 - Europe

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