Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Azomahou, Theophile
Author-Email: azomahou@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT/MGSoG, Maastricht University
Author-Name: Diene, Mbaye
Author-Workplace-Name: University Cheikh-Anta-Diop, CRES
Title: Income polarization and innovation: Evidence from African economies 
Abstract: This paper examines the degree of polarization of GDP per capita of
	African economies between 1966 and 2008. Based on a nonparametric
	analysis, we find that countries tend to cluster in two classes of per
 	capita GDP. Relying on the Wolfson's bipolarization measure, the results
 	reveal that bipolarization has been accelerating during the two first
 	decades and is still growing. We relate the evolution of polarization
 	during the period to the business sectors. We find that countries
 	specialization is the driving force of this evolution, namely,
 	agriculture and industry sectors. We also study the
 	innovation-development polarization relation in a VAR framework using
 	patents and trademarks as measures of innovation. 
Classification-JEL: C32, O34, O47, O55
Keywords: Polarization of GDP, patents, trademarks, VAR model  
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2012
Number: 2012-048
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2012/wp2012-048.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2012048