Improving Connectivity in Indonesia: The Challenges of Better Infrastructure,Better Regulations,and Better Coordination

This paper presents and discusses the main challenges that an archipelago like Indonesia is facing in improving its connectivity. Distinguishing between intra‐island, inter‐island, and international connectivity is essential in order to understand the nature of the challenges and causes behind the bottlenecks. High domestic shipping costs are identified as one key challenge. The Government of Indonesia has identified improved connectivity as a key issue in promoting economic growth, especially in the manufacturing sector, now that Indonesia can no longer rely on commodities as a driver of growth. Better infrastructure, regulations, and coordination among stakeholders are crucial components in promoting improved connectivity for manufacturing growth. Promoting investment in infrastructure is necessary, including both hard and soft infrastructure. However, Indonesian experience highlights that without regulatory reform and improved policy coordination, infrastructure investment will continue to lag behind. There is a need for an improved and empowered governance structure to turn investment plans into reality.     

Philippine Infrastructure and Connectivity: Challenges and Reforms

The Philippines has performed creditably well in the past few years. Ensuring better infrastructure and connectivity is crucial in attaining inclusive growth. This will require substantial investments in infrastructure. Various reforms to address the infrastructure lack were implemented but there is scope for more reforms: improving fiscal space, reforming budgetary processes, improving public‐private partnerships (PPPs) and the regulatory environment, and better policy coordination to address problems of connectivity and infrastructure. The Philippines has to continuously improve the governance framework, ensure stability and predictability of policies and regulations. Better coordination among a diverse set of governmental infrastructure bodies, and also between government and the private sector is needed to address infrastructure bottlenecks.     

Impact of energy infrastructure investments on renewable electricity generation in major Asian developing economies

The prime objective of this research is to empirically investigate the impact of energy infrastructure investments (public-private-partnership) on renewable electricity generation in major Asian developing economies (China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand). In doing so, we use the annual data of variables from 1993 to 2017. To achieve the study objective, the authors employ numerous panel econometric approaches such as the Grouped-Mean and Augmented Mean Group estimators. The overall conclusion of the findings is that investments in energy infrastructure play a significant role in promoting renewable electricity generation in Asian developing economies. The results also reveal that financial development, economic development, and openness further rise renewable electricity generation. Based on the findings, the authors attempted to provide novel implications for the promotion of energy infrastructure investments and sustainable development policies for the Asian developing economies. For instance, the authors suggest that governments and policy makers should realise the significance of greener energy and promote investments via public-private partnerships for renewable energy projects.     

Contribution to productivity or pork barrel? The two faces of infrastructure investment

This paper proposes a simultaneous-equation approach to the estimation of the contribution of transport infrastructure accumulation to regional growth. We model explicitly the political-economy process driving infrastructure investments; in doing so, we eliminate a potential source of bias in production–function estimates and generate testable hypotheses on the forces that shape infrastructure policy. Our empirical findings on a panel of France's regions over 1985–92 suggest that electoral concerns and influence activities were, indeed, significant determinants of the cross-regional allocation of transportation infrastructure investments. By contrast, we find little evidence of concern for the maximization of economic returns to infrastructure spending, even after controlling for pork-barrel.     

对外开放、基础设施规模与经济增长

本文采用主成分分析法构建了一个综合考虑国际贸易和FDI因素的对外开放指标和综合考察4类基础设施的基础设施规模指标。在此基础上利用中国28个省份1995—2008年的面板数据,以工具变量两阶段最小二乘法(2SLS)研究基础设施规模、对外开放与省区经济增长之间的关系,并检验了基础设施规模是否提高了对外开放对省区经济增长的促进作用。本文的实证结果表明:对外开放和基础设施规模都显著地促进了省区经济增长,对外开放和基础设施规模每提高1%,将导致人均实际GDP提高0.379%和0.251%;基础设施规模提高了对外开放对省区经济增长的促进作用,在基础设施相对发达的地区,其对外开放对省区经济增长的偏效应明显地高于基础设施相对落后的地区;最后从动态过程看,对外开放对各省区经济增长的边际影响都有不同程度提高,而基础设施规模对省区经济增长的边际影响在部分地区出现下降。     

Causal relationship between construction investment policy and economic growth in Turkey

The construction industry in countries experiencing severe economic crisis has vital importance to get out of stagnation because of its direct relations with 200 different sectors. In this study, the relationship between the construction growth data (infrastructure, building and residential (public), building and residential (private) investment) and gross domestic product (GDP) is examined for Turkey. To this end, Engle–Granger cointegration, error correction model (ECM) and Granger causality tests were applied in order to determine the aforementioned relation. It has been found that the infrastructure and building–residential investments have direct relations with the GDP and have causality effects.     

China’s Investments in Skills

This paper discusses the benefits of investment in skills in China. We highlight the achievements China has made over time in human capital investments and the new challenges that have emerged as the country develops. To fuel China’s further economic growth and social developments, it is essential to take a more holistic view on skill investments. We suggest policies that promote both economic efficiency and social mobility.     

Structural Operations and Net Migration Across European Union Member Countries

This paper analyzes the effects of international transfers to finance infrastructure on net migration flows among countries within the EU. A new economic geography model is employed with common pool financed infrastructure investments to derive a set of empirically testable hypotheses about the effects of transfer payments to finance infrastructure investments on migration. A significant effect of structural fund expenditures is identified on the bilateral net migration of workers among the EU member countries. On average, a one percentage point increase in the expenditures on structural funds (in per cent of gross domestic product (GDP)) leads to a reduction in the measure of bilateral net migration by about 0.4–0.8%.     

Connectivity in East Asia

As Asian economies have become more connected through physical and institutional infrastructure, the region's trade has grown and changed. Intraregional trade has increased its share, in large part through the expansion of trade in intermediates in connection with development of global value chains. At the same time, as part of the same process and as part of the structural transformation that underlies most economic development, the share of services in Asia's trade has risen. Policies that support the development of regional infrastructure and the flow of goods and services, as well as factors of production, can increase the benefits from connectivity. Meanwhile, regional cooperation has a key role to play in mitigating negative impacts that may arise from the vulnerabilities that accompany greater connectivity.     

An econometric evaluation of the management of large-scale transport infrastructure in Spain during the great recession: Lessons for infrastructure bubbles

This paper reviews the way that air, rail, and toll motorways infrastructure have evolved in Spain since the beginning of the century, when all these types of transport have been subjected to a far-reaching economic crisis. Investments made in infrastructure during this time will also be analyzed in relative terms and compared to other countries in the European Union, as will the various policies applied to each of these modes of transport. The methodology applied in this paper is of the bottom-up type, in the sense that a thorough univariate–uniequational analysis is performed before proceeding to more complex, multivariate models. We found that the policy to drop fare prices for the HSR (AVE) has had an almost 14% positive effect on the number of passengers per kilometer for HS and long-distance trains, but it has also had a negative effect of as much as 16.7% on the number of domestic air passengers. The increase in airport taxes has not affected any of the endogenous variables, or major public investments in air terminals and new HSR lines, except for the Madrid–Barcelona AVE and Barcelona's T1. Domestic air transport has been seen to be more sensitive to the economic cycle than the other modes of transport. This paper contains a set of results that justify the need to use full and accurate “economic modeling” in the planning and management of what is generally very costly transport infrastructure.     

交通基础设施、空间聚集与中国经济增长

中国的交通基础设施与经济增长表现出很强的空间聚集特征;经济增长与交通运输主要集中在东部沿海发达地区,并形成了由东往西逐步递减的梯度。交通基础设施与经济增长存在着长期稳定的均衡关系;交通基础设施对经济增长的弹性为0.0912,介于运用时间序列数据与面板数据得出的弹性值之间。交通基础设施与经济增长表现出单向的格兰杰因果关系,经济增长是交通基础设施发展的格兰杰原因;反之,则不然。     

交通基础设施、空间溢出与经济增长:来自中国的实证研究

This paper develops an empirical model to test the spatial spillover effects of transport infrastructure on economic growth. It uses spatial econometric techniques and provincial panel data of China from 1993 to 2004 to analyze the contribution of transport infrastructure to the economic growth of local province and its spatial spillover effects on the economic growth of other provinces. The main findings include: (1) Transport infrastructure and economic growth of China show an evident pattern of spatial clustering. They largely congregate in developed eastern coastal regions, forming a gradient gradually diminishing from east to west. (2) Output elasticity of local transport infrastructure is 0.106, between the values calculated by early researchers with time series data and panel data. (3) Spatial output spillovers from transport infrastructure are largely positive, but evidences of negative spatial spillovers are also found with population density spatial weights matrix model.      

环保投资与经济增长实证研究——基于我国东中西部区域比较视角

本文在比较分析我国东、中、西部地区环保投资现状的基础上,运用面板单位根检验、协整检验及误差修正模型,就三大地区环保投资对经济增长的影响状况进行了实证研究.结果表明,三大地区的环保投资与GDP之间均存在着长期的协整关系,但不管是城市环境基础设施建设投资还是工业污染源治理投资,投资效益都很低.为使三大区域环保投资对经济增长的拉动作用最大化,实现环保与经济增长的共赢发展,应不断完善环保投资制度,加大资金投入,提高环保投资效率并优化环保投资结构.     

Economic impact assessment of mega infrastructure pipeline projects

The economic development features for the decades after the Second World War provide evidence that investments to new infrastructures are a key driver in strengthening the national economy and enhancing nation’s productivity, as it creates economic benefits and additional income. However, the decision for fund allocation and investments in mega infrastructure pipeline projects often must be made in conditions that are much more fraught with uncertainty. The key question in such decisions is if the economic impact caused by the new project could be able to essentially boost the economy by creating new jobs and generating new income on one hand; and which are the business sectors expected to archive the benefits of this investment. This article deals with the estimation of the mega infrastructure pipeline project economic effects in economy. The methodological framework is based on input–output approach providing quantitative estimations about the economic impact of the project in terms of new income and jobs. The numerical application deals with the assessment of a cross-border crude oil pipeline project, connecting the ports of Burgas (Bulgaria) and Alexandroupolis (Greece), establishing a new transportation corridor for the crude oil from Black Sea to Southeast Mediterranean.     

基础设施对中国经济增长的影响及机制研究——基于扩展的Barro增长模型

基础设施既可以作为特殊的资本存量直接促进经济增长,又可以通过促进投资和劳动力增加(增加生产要素数量)以及提高存量资本和劳动力的边际生产率(提高生产要素效率)间接促进经济增长。本文构建了一个扩展的Barro经济增长模型,并利用中国1992—2016年省级面板数据和中介效应模型对两条机制进行实证检验。结果发现:基础设施对经济增长具有促进作用,但对交通、能源、通信三类基础设施的影响以及在2008年金融危机前后均表现出异质性。直接效应呈动态上升趋势,中介效应则逐渐下降。针对异质性的原因,本文进一步采用非线性模型进行检验。结果表明我国基础设施对经济增长的促进作用主要表现为规模扩张型、数量型或外延型,而不是以质量型和内涵型为主的形式。能源和通信基础设施对经济增长的总效应具有规模效应,交通基础设施的规模效应不显著,但也对经济增长具有持续促进作用。这说明目前我国三类基础设施仍然具有较大投资潜力。其中的关键是要通过基础设施建设提高生产要素效率。     

基础设施对中国经济增长的影响及机制研究*——基于扩展的Barro增长模型

基础设施既可以作为特殊的资本存量直接促进经济增长，又可以通过促进投资和劳动力增加（增加生产要素数量）以及提高存量资本和劳动力的边际生产率（提高生产要素效率）间接促进经济增长。本文构建了一个扩展的Barro经济增长模型，并利用中国1992—2016年省级面板数据和中介效应模型对两条机制进行实证检验。结果发现：基础设施对经济增长具有促进作用，但对交通、能源、通信三类基础设施的影响以及在2008年金融危机前后均表现出异质性。直接效应呈动态上升趋势，中介效应则逐渐下降。针对异质性的原因，本文进一步采用非线性模型进行检验。结果表明我国基础设施对经济增长的促进作用主要表现为规模扩张型、数量型或外延型，而不是以质量型和内涵型为主的形式。能源和通信基础设施对经济增长的总效应具有规模效应，交通基础设施的规模效应不显著，但也对经济增长具有持续促进作用。这说明目前我国三类基础设施仍然具有较大投资潜力。其中的关键是要通过基础设施建设提高生产要素效率。     

中国大陆、香港和澳门地区的收入收敛性

香港和澳门在20世纪90年代末作为两个特别行政区回归中国。由于历史的原因,中国大陆的人均收入水平曾远远落后于香港和澳门地区。然而,在过去的30年里,由于中国大陆经济的快速发展以及香港、澳门和中国大陆的投资与人力资源的双向互动,三地经济出现了显著收敛现象。中国大陆的经济成功得益于香港、澳门地区与沿海各省市尤其是广东省在技术溢出、大规模的投资和贸易行为方面的一体化,而经济溢出、投资和贸易行为必定推动经济一体化和收入收敛行为的出现。本文旨在探讨中国大陆与香港、澳门地区的收敛趋势并研究三地收入收敛性的决定因素。本文使用参数和非参数方法定量分析了中国大陆各省市与香港、澳门地区在过去40多年间人均收入的收敛速度问题,结果表明,在经济改革之前,中国大陆、香港与澳门地区不存在人均收入的收敛行为,而在经济改革之后,却出现了显著的绝对和相对收敛。在经济改革期间,如果模型不考虑贸易和对外开放因素,这一收敛速度将不超过0.01,如果考虑贸易和对外开放因素,这一速度则超过0.02。     

中国OFDI、东道国基础设施建设与双边经济增长*——基于“一带一路”东道国制度的视角

本文研究用于改善“一带一路”国家基础设施的中国OFDI对双边经济增长的影响,以及东道国6项制度指标对这一影响的门槛作用。通过运用动态面板门限模型,本文发现东道国6项制度指标在影响东道国经济增长时,都存在显著的“单门槛效应”。只有越过相应门槛值,改善东道国基础设施的中国OFDI才能给其经济增长带来正向促进作用。同时,东道国6项制度指标在影响母国经济增长时都不存在“门槛效应”。所以,中国OFDI必须注意规避东道国的制度风险。     

就业弹性、自然失业和宏观经济政策--为什么经济增长没有带来显性就业?

尽管通常的计算低估了中国的就业弹性 ,但调整后的弹性数值仍属偏低。为什么经济的增长没有带来相应的就业增长呢 ?首先 ,反周期的宏观经济政策对解决自然失业是无能为力的 ;其次 ,在反周期的宏观经济政策所能调节的周期性失业方面 ,由于宏观经济政策所引导的投资方向往往是就业密集度较低的行业 ,进而导致反周期措施拉动就业的能力大为降低。因此 ,完善劳动力市场机制、加强职业培训体系建设、推动高就业产业发展 ,应成为经济政策的重点。     

农业基础设施发展与农村经济增长的动态关系

本文以建立向量误差修正模型为基础,使用脉冲响应函数和预测方差分解来描述中国农业基础设施发展与农村经济增长之间的动态相关性.研究表明:农业基础设施的落后阻碍了农村经济增长.因此,应把发展农业基础设施作为实现农村经济持续增长的重要基础,保持农村经济增长与农业基础设施协调发展.政府应增加农业基础设施投资,为农村经济持续增长创造条件.