PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2010, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (12): 1577-1583.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2010.12.015

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Regional Economic Convergence and Disparity in Shandong Province since Reform and Opening-up

ZHANG Xiaoqing   

  1. Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
  • Received:2010-04-01 Revised:2010-07-01 Online:2010-12-25 Published:2010-12-25

Abstract:

Disparity between the eastern and western regions of Shandong Province has been outstanding for a long time, which is the same as that in China. The regional economic convergence and disparity in Shandong province from 1978 to 2008 are investigated by applying gray correlation and econometric model. The main conclusions are as follows. σ and absolute β convergences have the same trend and display the characters of “convergence (1978-1983)-disparity (1983-2004)-convergence (2005-2008)” over the whole period. It is necessary to pay more attention to the convergence since 2005. Conditional β convergence will exist if some controlled factors such as human capital, inputs of labor and capital, non-nationalization, industrial structure and government finance are considered. Higher human capital and non-state economic development have significant effects on the regional economic growth since 2005, but labor market and finance have insignificant effects.

Key words: σ convergence, β convergence, regional economic growth, Shandong Province