Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A
ISSN 1009-3095(Print), 1862-1775(Online), Monthly

2007   Vol. 8   No. 1   p. 164~170

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A model of regional economic development with increasing returns

QIAN Edward Y.^†‡1, YAO Yao-jun², CHEN Gary³

(¹Center for Research of Private Economy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China)
(²College of Finance, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China)
(³Department of Management Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, Canada)
^‡ Corresponding Author
^†E-mail: yanminqian_ca@yahoo.com.cn
Received Apr. 3, 2006 revision accepted June 28, 2006

Abstract: This paper develops mathematically and empirically tractable regional and interregional model of economic development with increasing returns to scale (IRS) under the neoclassical assumptions. A one-sector, two-region model in which one region exhibits IRS is presented and the whole nation presents constant returns to scale. The development of the local IRS economy is shown to be constrained to a “moving equilibrium” path. The preliminary empirical results are sufficiently supportive of the argument to encourage further research along the lines of the model. In particular, the neoclassical model does not predict negative coefficients on the real rental value of capital in regressions explaining population or employment relative to that in the nation.

Key words: Economic development, Increasing returns, Moving equilibrium
doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.A0164             CLC number: F061.2

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