Paths of economic development: a global evidence for the mediating role of institutions for participation in global value chains

Integration into global value chains (GVCs) provides opportunities for economic development, but the extent and nature of these opportunities differ across countries. The economic impact of a country’s participation in GVCs can be modified by domestic institutional arrangements in a variety of ways depending on the types of GVCs. Most recent empirical and correlational studies assume that causality leads to economic growth through the participation of GVCs and institutions, but an inverse relationship between them is also feasible and only a few studies have analyzed this possibility. Using a large panel data set of sixty countries from 2000 to 2016, this paper contributes to closing these gaps using instrumental variable analysis as an empirical strategy. Key findings include that GDP per capita is positively affected by participation in GVCs and that this effect is greater when such participation is accompanied by institutional facilitation. These findings suggest that participation in GVCs accompanied by well-functioning domestic institutions can be highly effective in enhancing countries’ economic growth.