Economic Growth of Selected South Asian Countries: Does Institution Matter?

Abstract

In this paper we estimate the proximate determinants of economic growth in four major economies of South Asia with special emphasis on the role of institutions in conjunction with stock of physical capital, human capital and openness (measured as trade as percentage of GDP) as major predictor variables. World Governance indicators are available since 1996; therefore, we run a panel regression using the fixed-effect method of estimation for the period of 1996-2010. We also employ a dynamic panel using System- Generalized Method of Moments (SGMM) to counter the possible endogeneity among the variables and also the weak instrumental problem of earlier Arellano and Bond (1991) dynamic panel model. The two institutional measures, namely, voice and accountability and government effectiveness have appeared to be significant predictors of growth of selected South Asian countries. Our results also support the conventional growth predictors like physical and human capital but the effect of openness on growth surprisingly appears to be negative and significant in the period under study.