Lakhwinder Singh

Bio: Lakhwinder Singh is an academic researcher from Punjabi University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Public policy & National innovation system. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 61 publications receiving 417 citations. Previous affiliations of Lakhwinder Singh include Centre for Development Studies.

Farmers’ Suicides and Response of Public Policy: Evidence, Diagnosis and Alternatives from Punjab

Abstract: Slow transformation of a developing economy gradually shifts surpluses and substantially reduces the importance of the agricultural sector of the economy. This has been recognized as a healthy characteristic of the capitalist economic development. Crisis of this transformation emerges when the surpluses are rapidly extracted but dependence of workforce remains on agriculture sector. Organization of farm production on the lines of capitalist farming reduces farmers to managers of production and increases continuously unemployment of labour. The state led green revolution in Punjab based on assured market and remunerative prices of agricultural production in the early green revolution period has considerably increased the income of the farmers irrespective of farm size. Stagnation of the green revolution technology, rise in the cost of living, lack of alternative employment opportunities and near freeze in the minimum support prices has generated a crisis of unprecedented scale. Diversification attempts of the farmers for alternative remunerative outcomes have further pushed them in deep crisis because of market failure to provide right kind of prices both of the produce and finance. Increased unemployment, mounting debt burden and lack of success in diversification attempts led the farmers to commit suicides in Punjab. Farmers’ organizations, political movements and state led resistance to the agrarian crisis have not yet met with success. This paper makes an attempt to examine the agrarian crisis of Punjab with fresh perspective to search for an alternative strategy for resolving the crisis.

Economic Growth, International Technological Spillovers and Public Policy: Theory and Empirical Evidence from Asia

Abstract: This paper examines, within the new growth theory framework, the contribution of international technological spillovers using panel data for eleven Asian countries over the period 1970-93. A country's productivity growth is shown to depend not only on its domestic R&D investment but also on the R&D investment of its trading partners. The evidence for such a positive international technological spillovers is strong.

Technological progress, structural change and productivity growth in the manufacturing sector of South Korea

Abstract: This paper focuses on the impact of technology and structural change on the aggregate productivity growth in the manufacturing sector of South Korea, using the eight firm size classes over the period 1970-2000. The conventional shift-share analysis is used to measure the impact of shift of both labour and capital inputs. The results show that structural change on an average was conducive to productivity growth during the 1970s and this pattern reversed afterwards. Small and medium industries were more dynamic in terms of reallocation of resources; however, the dominance of large-sized firms in the manufacturing sector outweighed the positive impact of that reallocation. Deliberate state policy favouring large-sized firms has impeded the restructuring process facilitated by technical progress, the penalty for which has been paid in terms of forgone growth.

Globalization, national innovation systems and response of public policy

Abstract: This paper attempts to set the significance of public innovation policies in contemporary developing countries in the context of the fast pace of globalization. It is fairly well established both in theory and practice that investment expenditure on innovation projects is likely to be low if left in the hands of private economic agents as they have a tendency to under-invest due to the ‘public good’ nature of the outcomes of R&D. However, policy in developing economies seldom takes seriously the importance of investment in innovation projects. This has not been without far-reaching implications for the growth and development performance of developing countries in general. The paper explores the role of international institutions and national governments in the task of strengthening national innovation systems through innovative interventions at national and international levels.

Knowledge in the economic growth of developing economies

Abstract: In the modern era, the success of a developing economy has become more dependent on the capacity to produce and use knowledge, which leads to the emergence of a knowledge economy. Keeping in view the significance of the knowledge economy in the economic growth of economies, in the present study an attempt has been made to examine the inter-country differences across the selected developing economies. In addition to it, to analyse the impact of knowledge on economic level as well as on economic growth across 42 selected developing economies, regression analysis was applied. The results of the study reveal that there is positive correlation between the knowledge economy index and economic level, but there is very weak marginal effect of the knowledge economy on economic growth.

Estimating the Knowledge-Capital Model of the Multinational Enterprise

Abstract: What we term the firm includes three principal assumptions. First, services of knowledge-based and knowledge-generating activities, such as R&D, can be geographically separated from production and supplied to production facilities at low cost. Second, these knowledge-intensive activities are skilled-labor intensive relative to production. These characteristics give rise to vertical multinationals, which fragment production and locate activities according to factor prices and market size. Third, knowledge-based services have a (partial) joint-input characteristic that they can be supplied to additional production facilities at low cost. This characteristic gives rise to horizontal multinationals, which produce the same goods or services in multiple locations. In this paper, we note how this model predicts relationships between affiliate sales and country characteristics. We then subject these predictions to empirical tests.

Estimating the Knowledge-Capital Model of the Multinational Enterprise: Comment

Abstract: The knowledge-capital approach to the multinational enterprise as outlined in this paper is operational and yields clear, testable hypotheses. It is more useful than some other theories of FDI, such as the transactions cost approach to multinational enterprises. Hypotheses are tested regarding the importance of multinational activity between countries as a function of certain characteristics of those countries, particularly size, size differences, relative endowment differences, trade and investment costs, and certain interactions among these variables as predicted by theory. Data fit the model well, lending considerable support to the theory. Outward investment from a source country to affiliates in a host country is increasing the sum of their economic sizes, their similarity in size, the relative skilled-labor abundance of the parent nation, and the interaction between size and relative endowment differences.

Chronic diseases and injuries in India

Abstract: Chronic diseases (eg, cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders, diabetes, and cancer) and injuries are the leading causes of death and disability in India, and we project pronounced increases in their contribution to the burden of disease during the next 25 years. Most chronic diseases are equally prevalent in poor and rural populations and often occur together. Although a wide range of cost-effective primary and secondary prevention strategies are available, their coverage is generally low, especially in poor and rural populations. Much of the care for chronic diseases and injuries is provided in the private sector and can be very expensive. Sufficient evidence exists to warrant immediate action to scale up interventions for chronic diseases and injuries through private and public sectors; improved public health and primary health-care systems are essential for the implementation of cost-effective interventions. We strongly advocate the need to strengthen social and policy frameworks to enable the implementation of interventions such as taxation on bidis (small hand-rolled cigarettes), smokeless tobacco, and locally brewed alcohols. We also advocate the integration of national programmes for various chronic diseases and injuries with one another and with national health agendas. India has already passed the early stages of a chronic disease and injury epidemic; in view of the implications for future disease burden and the demographic transition that is in progress in India, the rate at which effective prevention and control is implemented should be substantially increased. The emerging agenda of chronic diseases and injuries should be a political priority and central to national consciousness, if universal health care is to be achieved.