Suchergebnisse

"There are many different types of convergence within economics, as well as several methods to analyse each of them. This book addresses the concept of real economic convergence or the gradual levelling off of GDP per capita rates across economies. In addition to a detailed, holistic overview of the history and theory, the authors include a description of two modern methods of assessing the occurrence and rate of convergence, BMA-based and HMM-based, as well as the results of the empirical analysis. Readers will have access not only to the conventional econometric approach of beta convergence but also to an alternative one, allowing for the convergence issue to be expressed in the context of automatic pattern recognition. This approach is universal as it can be adapted to a variety of input data. The lowest aggregation level study investigates regional convergence through the case of Polish voivodships, where convergence toward the leader is tested. On a higher level of aggregation, the authors examine the existence of GDP convergence in such groups as the EU28, North Africa and the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Caribbean, South-East Asia, Australia and Oceania or post-socialist countries. For each group, the real beta convergence is tested with the use of the two above-mentioned approaches. The results are widely discussed, broadly illustrated, interpreted, and compared. The analysis allows readers to draw interesting conclusions about the causes of convergence or the drivers behind divergence. The book will stimulate further research in the field but conducted from the point of view of individual countries."

The paper presents an analysis of real income convergence between the 11 countries of Central Eastern Europe which have joined the European Union (EU11) and 15 countries of Western Europe (EU15) in the period 1993-2015. The evolution of the income gap between the two groups of countries in terms of GDP per capita at PPP reveals a clear-cut tendency towards income convergence over the analyzed period, confirmed also by the results of beta and sigma convergence tests. However, the catching-up process was not continuous, showing some breaks and divergence episodes. The most intensive convergence appeared in the years 2000-2007, just before and after the EU's major enlargement. This suggests that the increasing economic integration stimulated the convergence process. But the global economic crisis, along with financial perturbations in the euro area, have slowed down the convergence in most CEE countries, as reflected by changes in the income gap observed in the years 2007-2015. The paper also presents some projections of the convergence prospects, with three scenarios as to the future economic growth. The first two scenarios assume the continuation of past or current growth trends and the maintenance of positive growth rate differentials, indicating the probable length of the period needed by the individual CEE countries to attain the average GDP per capita level seen in Western Europe. The third scenario, based on a long-term economic forecast for the EU economies, warns that economic growth in the region may slow down due mainly to unfavorable demographic trends, with the resulting deceleration of the convergence process, up to its total halt or reversal into divergence. Proper social and economic policies are needed, both on the country level and in the framework of the common European policy, in order to assure a healthy economic growth in the CEE area and to maintain the convergence process within the EU.

The aim of this chapter is to assess changes in the competitiveness of the Polish economy from 2010 to 2015. The analysis covers the basic indicators of economic development, such as GDP growth, inflation, unemployment, balance of public finances, and current account balance. Poland's economic indicators are compared with those reported by other European Union member states.

The paper presents the analysis of sigma (s) and beta (Beta) convergences of the selected indicators as those that best represent the level of local self-government and fiscal decentralization systems across the selected EU member states. Through research we wanted to establish how EU integration process influenced the area of local self-government in selected EU member states and if we witness also the unification of this aspect among EU member states. Results confirm that convergence really occurred at the significant rate during the whole period 2004 to 2013 and also during the sub periods 2004 to 2009 and further, although in latter period some divergence or slowing down in convergence has been also present. Nevertheless, we can confirm that EU integration process has also influenced the area of local self-government and that EU member countries are converging to the commonly adopted criteria are principles as stated in EU charter of local self-government. Adapted from the source document.