Papers by Mehmet Ulubasoglu
The literature on globalization and inequality is surveyed with reference to definitions, measure... more The literature on globalization and inequality is surveyed with reference to definitions, measures, methodologies and critiques.
The empirical evidence on the Kuznets hypothesis ranges from positive or negative support to insi... more The empirical evidence on the Kuznets hypothesis ranges from positive or negative support to insignificant relationships. Most studies typically try this hypothesis in domains different than the one conceived by Kuznets, which pertains to the industrialization-led urbanization (i.e., significant rural-urban migration) phases of societies. In this paper, we offer a specific channel on Kuznets' hypothesis in his suggested domain. First,
We theoretically model and empirically investigate a society’s liberalization decision and its im... more We theoretically model and empirically investigate a society’s liberalization decision and its impact on income inequality. The motivation is that a blanket conclusion that globalization increases inequality within countries can be misleading. In the paper, the decision of the society rests on the pre- and post-liberalization utilities of different segments, and, complying with stylized facts, the economy’s structure follows Kuznets’
Using a unique panel data set of privatised cement firms in Turkey, we test the hypothesis that p... more Using a unique panel data set of privatised cement firms in Turkey, we test the hypothesis that privatisation and firm performance are determined simultaneously in a political economy context. By focusing on the short- and medium-run joint relationship between privatisation and firm performance, we find that: i) private sector increases the output in the medium-run, but by changing the scale
In a simultaneous equations with error components framework, we analyze the institutions-growth r... more In a simultaneous equations with error components framework, we analyze the institutions-growth relationship. We address individual heterogeneity in cross-country production functions, and endogeneize factor inputs in order to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of institutions on growth. We find that the effects of political freedom on total factor productivity and human capital are positive and significant, but they are
In the past decade many developing economies started to privatize their state owned enterprises. ... more In the past decade many developing economies started to privatize their state owned enterprises. Recently, however, this process seems to have slowed down in some economies and have completely been stalled in others. Here we formalize the view that this is so because these enterprises are major instruments of income redistribution and, in economies with significant degrees of income inequality,
We find a significant positive link between motor vehicle ownership and obesity in industrialized... more We find a significant positive link between motor vehicle ownership and obesity in industrialized countries. Surprisingly this association holds for countries with a common law tradition but not for those based on civil law. These relations hold whether we examine trend data, simple correlations, cross-section regression analysis, or panel data regressions. An increase of 100 motor vehicles per thousand residents
While promotion is an important mechanism for allocating labor within organizations, relatively l... more While promotion is an important mechanism for allocating labor within organizations, relatively little is known about the determinants of promotion in the highly diverse and traditionally heavily regulated Australian labor markets. This study uses unique data from the Victorian Public Sector Census 2004 to identify the extent and nature of bias in the promotion process. Specifically, we use the promotion
We investigate the support for extreme right across societies of different levels of openness in ... more We investigate the support for extreme right across societies of different levels of openness in Europe. Societal openness is defined as a greater tendency to accept universal vis-à-vis traditional values, and is expected to catalyze and filter the socioeconomic factors that affect the vote shares of extreme right (i.e., neofascist and populist parties). We establish that, in more open societies
We study the rural-urban divide in educational attainment in a cross-country setting. In order to... more We study the rural-urban divide in educational attainment in a cross-country setting. In order to do this, we present a newly constructed cross-country data set measuring average educational attainment in rural and urban regions of 56 countries. This data set is used to study the sources of variation in (i) rural educational attainment, (ii) urban educational attainment, and (iii) the
Despite a sizeable theoretical and empirical literature, no firm conclusions have been drawn rega... more Despite a sizeable theoretical and empirical literature, no firm conclusions have been drawn regarding the impact of political democracy on economic growth. This article challenges the consensus of an inconclusive relationship through a quantitative assessment of the democracy-growth literature. It applies meta-regression analysis to the population of 483 estimates derived from 84 studies on democracy and growth. Using traditional meta-analysis
European Journal of Political Economy, 2015
ABSTRACT This article documents terrain ruggedness as an underlying cause of lack of state capaci... more ABSTRACT This article documents terrain ruggedness as an underlying cause of lack of state capacity. The paper contends that rugged topography poses significant costs to cooperation among the constituent groups within the state. This problem then translates into inability to commit to policies and under-provision of public goods, leading to such outcomes as poor protection of rule of law, limited tax revenue, civil violence, and ultimately, a weak state apparatus. Using several indicators capturing different dimensions of state capacity, the paper econometrically tests its argument in a sample of 187 independent countries and finds robust and clear evidence in favor of its reasoning. Further, the paper documents that delayed urbanization constitutes an important transmission mechanism for the significant role of terrain ruggedness in reduced state capacity.
Urology, 2007
To provide a rational approach to the diagnosis and management of blunt scrotal trauma to aid cli... more To provide a rational approach to the diagnosis and management of blunt scrotal trauma to aid clinicians in the selection of patients for surgical exploration. We performed a retrospective evaluation of the medical records of 44 patients from two metropolitan tertiary referral hospitals. A total of 29 patients were recruited from July 1, 1993 to June 30, 2003 at one institution and an additional 15 patients from February 1, 1991 to January 31, 1999 at the second. Scrotal ultrasound scans were retrieved and reviewed by a uroradiologist unaware of the treatment regimen and outcome. The presence of both testicular swelling and tenderness suggested more significant testicular injury; however, testicular rupture was present in the absence of tenderness. Three patients with operatively confirmed testicular rupture had only swelling on clinical examination. Five patients with intratesticular hematoma were successfully treated conservatively with interval ultrasound scans recommended to assess for resolution. All patients with operatively confirmed testicular rupture had a combination of the following ultrasound features: the presence of hematocele, disruption of the tunica albuginea, and/or extrusion of the seminiferous tubules. Patients presenting after blunt scrotal trauma with clinical hematocele should progress directly to exploration. The remainder should undergo scrotal ultrasonography. Those with large hematoceles or suspected rupture on ultrasonography should also proceed to exploration. Those without hematocele, a clearly distinct tunica albuginea, and a lack of fracture planes within the testes are a subgroup that can be successfully treated conservatively.
This study explores the issue of internationalization through forming alliances with foreign capi... more This study explores the issue of internationalization through forming alliances with foreign capital in the small business sector in Turkey. Using a sample of 257 SMEs from this emerging market economy, collected via a field study, we investigate the impact of size (measured by investment levels and number of workers), sectoral preferences, factors causing low capacity utilization, management control, and
Using a new panel data set on land inequality that stretches back to early 1900s, this paper inve... more Using a new panel data set on land inequality that stretches back to early 1900s, this paper investigates the impact of legal systems on land distribution across 80 countries. It finds that, holding colonial history and the level of development constant, English, Spanish and Dutch law systems are associated with lower land inequality, while countries whose legal systems contain elements of Canon law, Islamic law and traces of early Roman law have higher land inequality. Importantly,
This dissertation studies the political economy of trade policy in a developing country, namely T... more This dissertation studies the political economy of trade policy in a developing country, namely Turkey, under different economic and political regimes. The research analyzes the effects of these different regimes on the import structure, the trade policy and the industrialization process in Turkey and derives implications for aggregate welfare. ^ In the second chapter, the effects of trade liberalization policies
ABSTRACT Without Abstract
ABSTRACT State-owned enterprises continue to play a considerable role in many economies. In this ... more ABSTRACT State-owned enterprises continue to play a considerable role in many economies. In this study we empirically investigate the connections between these enterprises and inequality as mediated through political ideology. Using cross-country data on the relative size of the state-owned enterprise sector, we find strong empirical support for an inverted U-shaped relationship between its size and income inequality. We also find strong evidence that left-wing (vis-a-vis right-wing) governments are associated with a larger state-owned enterprise sector in countries with higher inequality. This result is robust to using cross-sectional vs. panel data, different identification strategies, and various controls.
Series is a forum for stimulating discussion and eliciting feedback on ongoing and recently compl... more Series is a forum for stimulating discussion and eliciting feedback on ongoing and recently completed research and policy studies undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) staff, consultants, or resource persons. The series deals with key economic and development problems, particularly those facing the Asia and Pacific region; as well as conceptual, analytical, or methodological issues relating to project/program economic analysis, and statistical data and measurement. The series aims to enhance the knowledge on Asia's development and policy challenges; strengthen analytical rigor and quality of ADB's country partnership strategies, and its subregional and country operations; and improve the quality and availability of statistical data and development indicators for monitoring development effectiveness.
Uploads
Papers by Mehmet Ulubasoglu