The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of health on economic growth based on 719 estimates obtained from 64 studies from all over the world. We find evidence of a publication bias towards a positive estimated effect of health on economic growth. After accounting for heterogeneity of the estimates, we show that health has a genuine positive effect on economic growth. Less developed countries seem to enjoy a higher effect of health on growth driven by the ongoing economic–demographic transition in those countries. The variation of the health effect on economic growth is also influenced by the available data, estimation procedure, model specification, publication channel, and country characteristics in each study. Studies that do not account for endogeneity seem to create an upward bias. Studies with more comprehensive variables seem to increase the estimated effect of health on growth. A higher number of years of compulsory education, longer working experience, and more favourable environmental conditions also increase the effect size. Overall, our results confirm the key role of the health factor in explaining economic growth across countries.
PurposeEmpirical studies regarding the impact of the real exchange rate (RER) on economic growth are extensively available. However, the literature as a whole appears to report varying results, while the causes of such differences have not been analyzed systematically. The present study aims to fill the gap in the literature.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors compile 543 empirical estimates from 51 studies of the exchange rate-growth nexus in order to meta-analyze its relationship. Meta-analysis allows the authors to quantitatively synthesize previous empirical studies and explain the variation in the results. This method also enables us to investigate the possibility of publication bias, as there is a tendency in research only to report results that are both statistically significant and show the expected signs.FindingsAfter addressing publication bias and heterogeneity in the estimates, the meta-regression results show that RER depreciation (or undervaluation) genuinely favors economic growth. On average, RER depreciation has a greater impact on economic growth in developing countries than the developed ones. The study’s results imply that maintaining an undervalued RER could be favorable to spur economic growth, especially in developing countries.Originality/valueInitially predominant in the medical literature, meta-analysis has been on a rising edge in economics. This progress has produced many systematic quantitative review analyses with continuously improved statistical-econometric practices related to economic variables. However, to the authors’ knowledge, no comprehensive meta-regression analysis of the relationship between exchange rate and economic growth has been conducted and published in any publicly accessible academic outlet. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap in the literature.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.