The module notes combine economic theory with quantitative methods to examine theories of economic growth and economic fluctuations. It introduces students both the theoretical and empirical developments that have taken place in the economic growth field and then examines the role of factors determining the fluctuations in economic activity over time.

The notes go into the extensive theoretical and empirical concepts and definitions of the growth theory including growth accounting. They then extend the analysis to the investigation of the endogenous growth theory, of the overlapping growth model, and of the effects of technological development and innovation on productivity.

The essay plan structures address these relationships:

1. role of institutions and economic growth

   • Role of institutions in influencing GDP income (Control vs. free market, Property rights and protection, Good vs. bad institutions)

   • Former colonies determine good vs. bad institutions (Neo-Europes vs. colonies, Institutional development originating from colonisation period)

2. role of infrastructure and growth

   • Role of geography and disease burden associated with growth differences

   • Role of legal origin for growth differences

   • Role of social infrastructure that affects Total Factor Productivity as still not explained growth difference

3. role of finance in economic growth

   • Financial instruments, markets and institutions arise to ameliorate the effects of information, enforcement and transactions costs.

   • How well financial systems do this influences

   • Savings rates

   • Investment decisions

   • Technological innovations

   • Steady-state growth rates

   • Changes in economic activity can influence financial systems with dynamic implications for growth.