This article explores the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) and of its individual components as factors of economic development. An augmented production function is employed to estimate the total ICT effect on labor productivity growth as well as the impact exerted by its components (hardware, software, and communications). The empirical analysis is based on a sample of 42 developed and developing countries, covering the 1993-2001 period. A positive and significant ICT growth effect is estimated in both country samples, with the highest impact observed in developed ones. This effect stems entirely from the hardware and communication components. Estimates concerning the individual components of ICT slightly differentiate between developed and developing countries, with respect to their statistical significance. The results are robust to possible endogeneity biases.Productivity, Growth, Information technology, Economic growth,

This article investigates for possible effects stemming from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on productivity growth. The analysis is based on panel data covering a sample of 42 developing and developed countries during the period 1993-2001. The growth accounting results indicate that the growth contribution of ICT was quite high for both developed and developing countries. On the contrary, the FDI contribution was relatively low. The econometric results showed a positive and significant impact of ICT in all groups, the effect being larger among developing countries. Positive and significant FDI effects were found in the group of developed countries, and positive but insignificant, among the developing ones.Cet article examine les effets de´coulant des investissements directs e´trangers (IDE) et des technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) sur la croissance de la productivite´. L'analyse repose sur des donne´es de panel concernant 42 pays de´veloppe´s et en de´veloppement sur la pe´riode 1993-2001. Les re´sultats obtenus par la me´thode de la comptabilite´de la croissance indiquent que la contribution des TIC a`la croissance e´tait assez forte tant pour les pays de´veloppe´s que les pays en de´veloppement. A l'inverse, la contribution des IDE a`la croissance e´tait relativement faible. Les re´sultats e´conome´triques ont montre´un impact des TIC significatif et positif sur toutes les cate´gories, avec un effet plus marque´en ce qui concerne les pays en de´veloppement. L'impact des IDE e´tait significatif et positif pour le groupe des pays de´veloppe´s et positif mais non significatif pour les pays en de´veloppement.

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In view of substantial changes having taken place in the regulatory environment and in the light of the increasing role of inter industry linkages, we examine whether the total factor productivity (TFP) growth impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) is determined by regulation in upstream sectors. Econometric estimates illustrate that FDI exerts a positive impact on the growth of OECD industries which slows down as upstream regulation rises. To raise the reliability of our estimates, we use instruments for FDI and regulation that are as free as possible of endogenous association with TFP growth. Our instrumental variable estimates verify that the influence of FDI on TFP growth depends negatively on the level of upstream regulation. Non‐parametric estimates confirm that the highest impact of FDI takes place at the lowest levels of entry regulation and public ownership.