Alumni

Dr. Solomon Owusu

Thesis:
Powering Structural Transformation and Economic Development in Africa: The Role of Services, Manufacturing and Global Value Chains

Year: 2021

Promotor(s):
Neil Foster-McGregor and Bart Verspagen

Abstract:

This thesis focuses on structural transformation and economic development in Africa, by examining the contributions of services, manufacturing and global value chains. This is a research area that has gained importance in recent years, particularly in the context of Africa, and will no doubt continue to attract interest in the coming years. The thesis drew heavily on macro-level data for a representative sample of countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that together contributes about 80 percent of the total economic output of the region. The thesis also drew on important theories in development economics to study structural change or lack thereof, in African countries and its implications for economic development in the region. A summary of the findings shows that: (1) SSA has recorded slow productivity growth but contribution from structural change is important and higher than previously estimated; (2) SSA countries have shown signs of productivity convergence with the regional frontier but convergence is driven more by efficiency improvements than technological progress; (3) Perceptions of services as productivity resistant do not apply to all service sub-sectors. Dynamic services are showing signs of productivity growth equal to or higher than that in manufacturing and other sectors. These service sectors are innovative and might act as new or alternative engines of growth alongside manufacturing and finally (4) Global value chain positively affects productivity growth in Africa. These gains are largely through backward participation and within effect and stronger for countries that are further from the productivity frontier. The benefits also arise mostly in non-resource intensive and non-oil resource intensive countries. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.



Selected publications by Solomon Owusu


Articles (journal, professional, popular)
Ndubuisi, Gideon, Chuks Otioma, Solomon Owusu & Godsway Tetteh, 2022, `ICTs quality and technical efficiency: An empirical analysis, Telecommunications Policy, 46, More information
Mensah, Emmanuel Buadi, Solomon Owusu, Neil Foster-McGregor & Adam Szirmai, 2022, `Structural change, productivity growth and labour market turbulence in Sub-Saharan Africa, Journal of African Economies, More information
Albaladejo, Manuel, Nicola Cantore & Solomon Owusu, 2022, `Circular Economy to fight climate change: Are countries walking the talk?, Unido Industrial Analytics Platform, April, More information
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2022, `Wage effects of global value chains participation and position: An industry-level analysis, The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Online, More information
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2021, `Trust, Efficient Contracting and Export Upgrading, The European Journal of Development Research, Online, More information
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2021, `How important is GVC participation to export upgrading?, The World Economy, 44, More information
Danquah, Michael, Abdul Malik Iddrisu, Ernest Owusu Boakye & Solomon Owusu (eds.), 2021, `Do gender wage differences within households influence women's empowerment and welfare? Evidence from Ghana, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 188, More information
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2021, `How important is global value chain participation for export upgrading, The World Economy, Online, More information


Book chapters
Owusu, Solomon, Adam Szirmai & Neil Foster-McGregor, 2021, The Rise of the Service Sector in the Global Economy, in: New Perspectives on Structural Change: Causes and Consequences of Structural Change in the Global Economy, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK


UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Owusu, Solomon, Gideon Ndubuisi & Emmanuel Buadi Mensah, 2022, Import penetration and manufacturing employment: Evidence from Africa, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2022-007
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2021, Wage effects of global value chains participation and position: An industry-level analysis, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2021-042
Owusu, Solomon, 2021, Powering structural transformation and productivity gains in Africa: The role of global value chains and resource endowments, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2021-022
Owusu, Solomon, Adam Szirmai & Neil Foster-McGregor, 2020, The rise of the service sector in the global economy, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2020-056
Mensah, Emmanuel Buadi, Solomon Owusu & Neil Foster-McGregor, 2020, Productive efficiency, technological change and catch up within Africa, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2020-033
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2020, How important is GVC participation to export upgrading, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2020-026
Mensah, Emmanuel Buadi, Solomon Owusu, Neil Foster-McGregor & Adam Szirmai, 2018, Structural change, productivity growth and labour market turbulence in Africa, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2018-025


Research reports
Ndubuisi, Gideon & Solomon Owusu, 2022, Sub-Saharan Africa’s prospect of economic development through global supply chains, In Sustainable Global Supply Chains Report 2022, Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains, More information
Hollanders, Hugo, Gideon Ndubuisi, Solomon Owusu, Monika Matusiak, Alexander Kleibrink, Elena Andonova, John Mark Boden, Vlado Cetl, Olga Diukanova, Mafini Dosso, Jean Dusart, Petros Gkotsis, Ales Gnamus, Alexander Kotsev, Carlo Lavalle, Giovanni Mandras, Nikola Radovanovic, Alessandro Rainoldi, Milena Slavcheva, Miroslav Veskovic & Slavo Radosevic, 2018, Supporting an Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans - Tools and Methodologies, This report gives an overview of the Western Balkans region, looking at challenges and emerging potentials for innovation. It also presents tools and methodologies available at the JRC to support an innovation agenda for economic transformation and inspired by Smart Specialisation. Each challenge is supported by a concrete implementation example, More information


Theses
Owusu, Solomon, 2021, Powering Structural Transformation and Economic Development in Africa: The Role of Services, Manufacturing and Global Value Chains, PhD dissertation Maastricht University / United Nations University

UNU-MERIT