Does Trade Liberalization Cause a Long Run Economic Growth in Turkey

Based on ‘endogenous’ growth theory, the paper examines the effect of trade liberalization on long-run income per capita and economic growth in Turkey. Although the presumption must be that free trade has a beneficial effect on long run growth, counter examples can also be found. This controversy increases the importance of empirical work in this area. Using the most recent data we employ multivariate cointegration analysis to test the long run relationship among the variables in hand. In a multivariate context, the effect of determinants such as increasing returns to scale, investment in human and physical capital are also included in both theoretical and empirical works. Our causality evidence between the long run growth and a number of indicators of trade liberalizations confirms the predictions of the ‘new growth theory’. However, the overall effect of the possible breaks and/or policy change and unsustainability in the 1990s looks contradictory and deserves further investigation.     

Trade liberalisation and endogenous growth: Some evidence for Turkey

This paper examines the impact of trade liberalisation on the long-run economic development as measured by the real GDP per capita in Turkey. Based on the ‘endogenous’ growth theory, we employ bivariate and multivariate cointegration analyses to test the long-run relationship among the relevant variables. Results for Turkey suggest a stable, joint long-run relationship among real GDP per capita, an index of trade liberalisation, human and physical capital in accordance with the ‘endogenous’ growth theory. Statistically significant error-correction terms provide further evidence that those variables are indeed cointegrated. This also implies causal effects.     

Comparison of the three age estimation methods: Which is more reliable for Turkish children?

BackgroundThree atlases—the GÖK, the Greulich–Pyle (GP), and the Tanner–Whitehouse (TW3)—are used frequently for age determination in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of these three methods related to the skeletal age assessment for Turkish adolescents.Materials and methodsThe conventional roentgenograms of the left hands and wrists, elbows, shoulders, and pelvises of 333 healthy Caucasian children (164 females, 169 males) who fit the study and the criteria of each atlas were obtained. The mean differences (± standard deviation [S.D.] in years) between the chronologic age (CA) and the skeletal age (BA), which were obtained by using each age estimation method, were calculated and tested using t-test.ResultsFor girls, the most accurate method was the TW3 (mean differences (d): ?0.21 (p < 0.05)), following by the GP (d: 0.66 (p < 0.001), and the GÖK (d: 2.99 (p < 0.001)). For boys, the most accurate method was the GP (d: ?0.02 (p > 0.05)), followed by the TW3 (d: ?0.18 (p < 0.05)) and GÖK (d: 1.05 (p < 0.001)).Discussion and conclusionsResults show that the TW3 (for girls) and the GP (for boys) methods are more appropriate than the GÖK atlas for estimating the BA. GÖK could be used for boys aged 11–14 years but it should not be used for girls.