Internet infrastructure and regional convergence: Evidence from Turkey

Mehmet Güney Celbis*, Denis de Crombrugghe

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This study presents novel evidence regarding the role of regional internet infrastructure in reducing regional per capita income disparities. We base our study on the assumptions that (1) the diffusion of information homogenizes regional economies through reducing the dissimilarities in institutions and culture, and (2) the telecommunication capacity, represented by the internet infrastructure of a region, facilitates this flow of information. Using the data from the 26 statistical NUTS-2 regions of Turkey for the period 1999-2011, we find evidence that internet infrastructure increases the speed of regional convergence.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)387-409
Number of pages24
JournalPapers in Regional Science
Volume97
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2018

Keywords

  • Convergence
  • internet
  • telecommunication
  • infrastructure
  • regions
  • spatial dependence
  • BROAD-BAND PROVISION
  • PANEL-DATA MODELS
  • ECONOMIC-GROWTH
  • SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION
  • CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP
  • INCOME CONVERGENCE
  • FIRM LOCATION
  • UNITED-STATES
  • TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  • REGRESSIONS

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