UNU-MERIT Working Papers

Working Paper #2006-040

Social Capital, Innovation and Growth: Evidence from Europe

Semih Akçomak & Bas ter Weel #2006-040 PDF

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 UNU-MERIT Working Papers ISSN 1871-9872
JEL codes
  • O1
  • O3
  • O52
  • Z13
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APA 7th ed.

Akçomak, S., & ter Weel, B. (2006). Social Capital, Innovation and Growth: Evidence from Europe (UNU-MERIT Working Paper No. 2006-040). UNU-MERIT. https://unu-merit.nl/publications/working-papers/abstract/?id=2743

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