Quantity and quality of research output and economic growth: empirical investigation for all research areas in the MENA countries

Chadi Azmeh ()
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Chadi Azmeh: International University for Science and Technology, IUST

Scientometrics, 2022, vol. 127, issue 11, No 6, 6147-6163

Abstract: Abstract Recent studies have indicated an increased interest in understanding the overall influence of research output on economic growth. Unfortunately, much of the empirical studies carried out were primarily focused on developed countries. Given the recent rise in government spending on research and development in developing countries, it is highly important to examine the impact of academic research output on economic growth. It enables policy makers to evaluate the return of capital invested in research activities. Using two-step SYS-GMM dynamic panel estimation, the present study examines the impact of quantity and quality of research output in all research areas for 15 MENA countries for the period from 2000 to 2017. Our empirical results give evidence of a negative impact of quantity, and positive impact of quality of research output on economic growth in almost all areas of research. Moreover, results support an important and statistically significant impact of research output on economic growth in the following research areas: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Business, Management and Accounting, Computer Sciences, Energy, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. The study results have important policy implications. Policy makers in the MENA countries need to focus on improving the quality not quantity of research output, especially for these research areas, to realize the expected impact of research on economic growth.

Keywords: Research output; Research areas; Economic growth; Quantity and quality; MENA; GMM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O11 O3 O47 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-022-04512-5

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