Does Economic Diversification Lead to Financial Development?: Evidence from Topography

45 Pages Posted: 23 Mar 2006

See all articles by Rodney Ramcharan

Rodney Ramcharan

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

Date Written: January 2006

Abstract

An influential theoretical literature has observed that economic diversification can reduce risk and increase financial development. But causality operates in both directions, as a well functioning financial system can enable a society to invest in more productive but risky projects, thereby determining the degree of economic diversification. Thus, ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates of the impact of economic diversification on financial development are likely to be biased. Motivated by the economic geography literature, this paper uses instruments derived from topographical characteristics to estimate the impact of economic diversification on the development of finance. The fourth estimates suggest a large and robust role for diversification in shaping financial development. And these results imply that, by impeding financial sector development, the concentration of economic activity common in developing countries can adversely affect financial and economic development.

Keywords: Financial development, diversification, geography

JEL Classification: O14, G21

Suggested Citation

Ramcharan, Rodney, Does Economic Diversification Lead to Financial Development?: Evidence from Topography (January 2006). IMF Working Paper No. 06/35, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=892926

Rodney Ramcharan (Contact Author)

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business ( email )

2250 Alcazar Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/rodneyramcharan/

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