This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. This paper investigates the main postulations of the R&D based growth models that innovation is created in the R&D sectors and it enables sustainable economic growth, provided that there are constant returns to innovation in terms of R&D. The analysis employs various panel data techniques and uses patent and R&D data for 20 OECD and 10 Non-OECD countries for the period 1981-97. The results suggest a positive relationship between per capita GDP and innovation in both OECD and non-OECD countries, while the effect of R&D stock on innovation is significant only in the OECD countries with large markets. Although these results provide support for endogenous growth models, there is no evidence for constant returns to innovation in terms of R&D, implying that innovation does not lead to permanent increases in economic growth. However, these results do not necessarily suggest a rejection of R&D based growth models, given that neither patent nor R&D data capture the full range of innovation and R&D activities.

This paper provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between R&D intensity, rate of innovation and the growth rate of output in four manufacturing sectors from 17 OECD countries. The findings suggest that the knowledge stock is the main determinant of innovation in all four manufacturing sectors and that R&D intensity increases innovation in the chemicals and the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, the rate of innovation has a positive effect on the growth rate of output in all sectors except for the drugs and medical sector. These results lend strong support for the non-scale endogenous growth models.

This article uses data from 41 OECD and nonOECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries to examine the predictions of nonscale endogenous growth theories that an increase in the share of researchers in labour force leads to an increase in innovation and innovation raises per capita output. The results show that an increase in the share of researchers in labour force increases innovation only in the large market OECD countries. Moreover, an increase in innovation raises per labour GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in all nonOECD countries except for low income countries, while raising it only in the high-income OECD countries. These findings suggest that though the large market OECD countries are the world leader in innovation, nonOECD countries benefit more from it in promoting their growth.

Under what conditions should grants be preferred to loans? To answer this question, we present a simple model à la Krugman (1988) and show that, for any given level of development assistance, higher concessionality is good for growth if countries are poor, have bad policies, and have high debt obligations. We then test our model by estimating a modified growth model for a panel of developing countries, and find evidence supporting most of our predictions. IMF Staff Papers (2007) 54, 139–162. doi:10.1057/palgrave.imfsp.9450002

International audienceThis paper investigates the remittance behaviour of the South Asian community using new data from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi households in Manchester. The findings show that standard variables such as income, employment, education, linkages to the home country and host country are important determinants of remittances. Although remittances are sent mainly for consumption purposes, those sent for land acquisition and savings have stronger association with the amount of remittances. In addition, we find strong evidence for the remittance decay hypothesis for Indian and Pakistani migrants, but not for Bangladeshi migrants