Economic growth, catching up, falling behind and getting ahead

HANS-WERNER GOTTINGER, UNIVERSITY OF MAASTRICHT, NL
This paper outlines several approaches and develops a conceptual explanation toward identifying catch-up processes taking place between leaders and followers within a group of industrialized countries (or even emerging economies) in pursuit of higher levels of productivity that could be traced to industrial racing behaviour, conduct and patterns in industrial and technological competition.
Keywords: Economic Growth; Competition; Catching-Up Hypothesis; Leapfrogging; Increasing Returns; Industries.