Cross-country growth comparison : theory to empirics

This paper reviews the cross-country record of economic growth, using as organizing framework how economic theory has guided that empirical analysis. The paper argues that recent studies of economic growth—both empirical and theoretical—distinguish from previous work in three distinct ways:1. An explicit focus on cross-country growth and development experiences; 2. Improved, more extensive cross-country data; 3. A heightened need, driven by real-world topicality, for understanding the role of knowledge and technology in economic growth.