Impact of Communication Variable on Regional Economic Growth Using Interactive Fixed Effects, Replication Study
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2025-07-08
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en
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This thesis examines the relationship between short-term human mobility and regional economic growth in the European Union, focusing on tourism and air travel as proxies for compound factor mobility. Building on the methodology of Liu (2019), the study first replicates the original interactive fixed effects (IFE) model using Eurostat panel data from 2000–2013 and confirms the statistical significance of tourism indicators in explaining regional GDP variation. Extending the temporal scope to 2013–2022, the analysis finds that tourism intensity—measured through arrivals, occupancy rates, and accommodation capacity—remains a significant and positive predictor of regional economic performance. Additionally, air passenger transport is introduced as an alternative proxy for communication and mobility; its positive and statistically significant effect on GDP is validated through panel models with fixed effects. Robustness checks incorporating structural covariates from the Solow–Swan endogenous growth framework—such as human capital, educational attainment, and population—confirm the stability of results across all specifications. These findings reinforce the view that mobility-related openness, particularly in the form of tourism and transport infrastructure, is a key driver of spatial economic development in the post-crisis EU context.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen