Aggregate growth models from a Schumpeterian perspective: a review

Abstract

The paper presents a critical assessment of the Schumpeterian macroeconomic approach to economic growth. Taking as reference a representative sample of important works within this tradition, the paper identifies the main contributions and limitations of the macroeconomic Schumpeterian literature to understanding economic growth. More specifically, the literature review carried out in this paper focuses on three of Schumpeter’s ideas that have become particularly influential in macroeconomic growth theory: (i) the role of technological transfer in productivity growth in follower countries; (ii) the importance of research intensity for technical progress; and (iii) the prominence of technological competitiveness for trade performance. The contribution of the paper is twofold: (i) it provides an organized review of the macroeconomic literature until its present state; and (ii) it indicates important gaps in this literature that should be the focus of further research.

Keywords:
Technical progress; Economic growth; Technological transfer; International trade; Technological competitiveness