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Growth effects of regional policy in Germany: results from a spatially augmented multiplicative interaction model

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  • Björn Alecke
  • Timo Mitze
  • Gerhard Untiedt

Abstract

Private investment subsidies are a key instrument for regional policy making to foster the economic development in lagging regions. In this paper, we analyze their effect on labor productivity growth for German labor market regions for the period from 1994 to 2006. A spatially augmented multiplicative interaction model based on neoclassical growth theory is used, which allows us to assess the marginal effect of regional policy proxied by overall payments of the main German regional development program on the region’s convergence speed conditional on its initial income position as well as policy-related spillovers from its spatial neighborhood. Our results show a statistically significant positive effect of regional policy on labor productivity growth, which increases, the further away the supported region is from its steady-state income level, and the more grants are provided to its geographical neighborhood. The latter effect highlights the existence of positive spatial spillover effects from regional policy in Germany, which enhance the attractiveness of the whole macro region for private sector investments. The additional growth stimulus provided by a 1 % increase in the region’s funding volume is thereby related to an up to 0.3 % gain in terms of labor productivity growth. For regions with the highest initial gaps to steady-state income in the sample distribution, the regional policy stimulus accounts for almost 8 % of the regions’ productivity growth performance. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2013

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  • Björn Alecke & Timo Mitze & Gerhard Untiedt, 2013. "Growth effects of regional policy in Germany: results from a spatially augmented multiplicative interaction model," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 50(2), pages 535-554, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:50:y:2013:i:2:p:535-554
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-012-0503-7
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    2. Sven Wardenburg & Thomas Brenner, 2020. "How to improve the quality of life in peripheral and lagging regions by policy measures? Examining the effects of two different policies in Germany," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1047-1073, November.
    3. Sven Wardenburg & Thomas Brenner, 2019. "The impact of place-based policies on perceived regional living conditions across German labor market regions. Examining the impacts on migration flows," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2019-02, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    4. Thomas Brenner & Franziska Pudelko, 2019. "The effects of public research and subsidies on regional structural strength," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1433-1458, November.
    5. Eva Dettmann & Matthias Brachert & Lutz Schneider & Mirko Titze, 2021. "Die Wirkung von GRW-Investitionszuschüssen — ein Beitrag zum Aufholprozess? [Did GRW Investment Grants Contribute to the Catching-up of East Germany?]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(1), pages 26-31, March.
    6. Breidenbach, Philipp & Mitze, Timo & Schmidt, Christoph M., 2016. "EU structural funds and regional income convergence: A sobering experience," Ruhr Economic Papers 608, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    7. Timo Mitze & Alfredo R. Paloyo & Björn Alecke, 2015. "Is There a Purchase Limit on Regional Growth? A Quasi-experimental Evaluation of Investment Grants Using Matching Techniques," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 38(4), pages 388-412, October.
    8. Brachert, Matthias & Brautzsch, Hans-Ulrich & Dettmann, Eva & Giebler, Alexander & Schneider, Lutz & Titze, Mirko, 2020. ""Evaluation der Gemeinschaftsaufgabe 'Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur' (GRW)" durch einzelbetriebliche Erfolgskontrolle: Endbericht," IWH Online 5/2020, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    9. Corinna Kleinert & Alexander Vosseler & Uwe Blien, 2018. "Classifying vocational training markets," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 61(1), pages 31-48, July.
    10. Björn Alecke & Timo Mitze & Annekatrin Niebuhr, 2021. "Building a bridge over the valley of death? New pathways for innovation policy in structurally weak regions," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 41(2), pages 185-210, October.
    11. Schwengler, Barbara, 2013. "Einfluss der europäischen Regionalpolitik auf die deutsche Regionalförderung," IAB-Discussion Paper 201318, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    12. Schmidt, Christoph & Mitze, Timo & Breidenbach, Philipp, 2016. "EU Structural Funds and Regional Income Convergence – A Sobering Experience," CEPR Discussion Papers 11210, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    13. Jiashun Huang & Jim Huangnan Shen & Zhiyan Sun, 2023. "Understanding China's Economic Growth from a Regional Policy Perspective," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 31(3), pages 1-26, May.
    14. Bjorn Alecke & Timo Mitze, 2023. "Institutional reforms and the employment effects of spatially targeted investment grants: The case of Germany's GRW," Papers 2302.11376, arXiv.org.
    15. Dettmann, Eva & Titze, Mirko & Weyh, Antje, 2017. "Who benefits from GRW? Heterogeneous employment effects of investment subsidies in Saxony Anhalt," IWH Discussion Papers 27/2017, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    16. Steffen Maretzke & Joachim Ragnitz & Gerhard Untiedt, 2019. "Betrachtung und Analyse von Regionalindikatoren zur Vorbereitung des GRW-Fördergebietes ab 2021 (Raumbeobachtung)," ifo Dresden Studien, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 83, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    C21; R12; R58;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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