The Asymmetric Impact of Growth Fluctuation on Human Development: Evidence from Correlates of Growth Decelerations and Accelerations

14 Pages Posted: 9 Feb 2012

See all articles by Pedro Conceicao

Pedro Conceicao

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Namsuk Kim

United Nations - Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

Date Written: March 19, 2010

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of growth fluctuation on human development indicators using country level panel data between 1980 and 2006. The evidence from mean comparison and regression analysis suggests that, globally and on average, periods of decelerating economic growth are correlated with worse indicators of health and education outcomes and that the reverse happens for periods of growth accelerations. However, in line with the findings from the literature, these effects are asymmetric: things do not improve as much during good times as they worsen during bad times. And the negative effects of growth collapses are severe for developing countries, especially for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), along with little or no improvement during good times.

Keywords: Human development, Growth acceleration and deceleration, Developing countries

JEL Classification: O11, O15, O47

Suggested Citation

Conceicao, Pedro and Kim, Namsuk, The Asymmetric Impact of Growth Fluctuation on Human Development: Evidence from Correlates of Growth Decelerations and Accelerations (March 19, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2001534 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2001534

Pedro Conceicao

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ( email )

New York, NY 10017
United States

Namsuk Kim (Contact Author)

United Nations - Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) ( email )

New York, NY 10017
United States

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