Institutions, Technology, and Circular and Cumulative Causation in Economics

by Schwardt, Henning

• ISBN13: 9781137333872
• ISBN10: 1137333871
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-09-27
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

Institutions, Technology, and Circular and Cumulative Causation in Economics focuses on the relation between technology and institutions and their mutual influence during processes of development and change. An understanding of technology as a combination of skill and equipment jointly with the influence of the institutional framework allows identifying a number of potentially adverse influences on the development potential and capacity in an economy. These are integrated as the isolation of single factors will not permit to formulate a generalized perspective on development processes. The possibility of differing institutional environments and differing technological capacities likely result in conditions that require context-dependent approaches for strengthening the development potential in a given situation. The development process Argentina has undergone since 1946 is used to illustrate how institutions and technology interact and impact on economic results

Author Biography

Henning Schwardt is a Postdoctoral Lecturer and Research Assistant at the Institute for Institutional and Innovation Economics (iino) at the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
PART I: CONCEPTS OF AND MODELS FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DYNAMICS 2. Neoclassical Growth Models and Economic Development 
3. Exogenous Growth Models 
4. Endogenous Growth Models 
5. Discussion 
6. The 'High Theory of Development' 
7. General Outline of Development Economics
8. Big Push, Balanced Growth, and Unbalanced Growth, and the Dual Economy 
9. Discussion
10. New Institutional Economics 
11. NIE – Collective Action Problems 
12. NIE – Transaction Costs 
13. Discussion 
14. Original Institutional Economics 
15. Veblen's Foundations for an Institutional Economics
16. Developments in the OIE Body of Theory 
17. Institutions 
18. Technology
19. Circular and Cumulative Causations 
20. Discussion 
21. Summary
PART II: THE ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK: INSTITUTIONS, TECHNOLOGY, AND CIRCULAR AND CUMULATIVE CAUSATION
22. A Categorization of Growth and Development Effects
23. An Evolutionary-Institutional Model of Economic Development 
24. Institutions and Economic Development 
25. Technology – Skills 
26. Technology – Equipment
27.Integrating the Principal Influence Factors in Processes of Development and Change 
28. Case Studies based on an Evolutionary-Institutional Model of Economic Development
PART III: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ARGENTINA AFTER 1946
29. Macroeconomic and Sectoral Development after 1946 
30. Macroeconomic Development: General Growth Performance 
31. Macroeconomic Development: Investment 
32. Macroeconomic Development: Fiscal Accounts and External Sector 
33. Fiscal Accounts 
34. External Sector 
35. Macroeconomic Development: Inflation and Unemployment 
36. Inflation
37. Unemployment 
38. Sectoral Development: Changes in Sectoral Structure and Production
39. Sectoral Structure 
40. Sectoral Production 
41. Summary and Current Structures 
42. Political Changes and Economic Policies – Juán D. Perón, 1946-1955 
43. Background of the Policy Decisions Taken 
44. Outline of Perón's Economic Policies 
45. Interest Groups and Political Objectives 
46. Inflation as a Sign for Persistent Structural Problems 
47. Summary – The Foundation for Subsequent Developments 
48. Political Changes and Economic Policies – The Alternation of Military and Civilian Rule, 1955-1976 
49. Overview over the Political Development of the Period 
50. The 'Revolución Libertadora' Dictatorship, 1955-1958 
51. The Presidency of Arturo Frondizi, 1958-1962 
52. The Presidency of José M. Guido, 1962-1963 
53. The Presidency of Arturo U. Illia, 1963-1966 
54. The 'Revolución Argentina' Dictatorship, 1966-1973 
55. The Second Peronist Government, 1973-1976 
56. Political Changes and Economic Policies – 'El Proceso de Reorganización Nacional', 1976-1983 
57. Political Development 
58. General Outline of Economic Policies 
59. Consequences of the Policies Implemented 
60. Political Changes and Economic Policies – The Transition to Democracy and its Consolidation 1983-1999 
61. The Presidency of Raúl Alfonsín, 1983-1989 
62. The Presidency of Carlos S. Menem, 1989-1999 
63. Political Changes and Economic Policies – The Collapse and Recovery of the Economy after 2001-02 
64. The General Institutional Framework 
65. Main Tendencies Identified 
66. Economic Development until 1975 
67. Political and Social Developments until 1975 
68. Economic Policies after 1975 and their Consequences for Development 
69. Summary
PART IV: CONSEQUENCES FOR DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
70. Recent Policy Focuses 
71. General Outlines for Development Policy 
72. Consequences for Development Policy in Argentina