Social Capital, Innovation and Growth: Evidence from Europe

İbrahim Semih Akçomak () and Bas ter Weel

No 40, UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series from United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology

Abstract: This paper investigates the interplay between social capital, innovation and economic growth in the European Union. We identify innovation as an important mechanism that transforms social capital into economic growth. In an empirical investigation of 102 European regions in the period 1990-2002, we show that higher innovation performance is conducive to economic growth and that social capital affects growth indirectly by fostering innovation. Our estimates suggest that there is only a limited role for a direct effect of social capital on economic growth.

Keywords: Social capital; Innovation; Economic growth; European Union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O1 O3 O52 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-eec, nep-ino, nep-ppm and nep-soc
Date: 2006
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Related works:
Working Paper: Social Capital, Innovation and Growth: Evidence from Europe (2008)
Journal Article: Social capital, innovation and growth: Evidence from Europe (2009)
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dgr:unumer:2006040

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