Using NLSY data we investigate whether the observed patterns of economic mobility (as measured by income and educational attainment) exhibit heterogeneity across socioeco- nomic groups and whether the nature of the heterogeneity can be explained by different levels of persistence in the...

This paper investigates the strength of empirical evidence for various growth theories when there is model uncertainty with respect to the correct growth model. Using model averaging methods, we find little evidence that so-called fundamental growth theories play an important role in explaining...

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between foreign aid and growth using recently developed sample splitting methods that allow us to uncover evidence for the existence of heterogeneity and nonlinearity simultaneously. We also implement a new methodology that allows us to deal with...

Recent research suggests that income redistribution preferences vary across identity groups. We employ statistical learning methods which emphasize pattern recognition, classification and regression trees (CARTTM) and random forests (RandomForestsTM), to uncover what these groups are. Using data...

Do institutions rule when explaining cross-country divergence? By employing regression tree analysis to uncover the existence and nature of multiple development clubs and growth regimes, this paper finds that to a large extent they do. However, the role of ethnic fractionalization cannot be...

This paper revisits the influential work by Chetty, Hendren, Kline, and Saez (2014) who attempt to explain the variation in intergenerational mobility across commuter zones in the US (i.e., spatial mobility) using nine classes of variables. We employ Bayesian model averaging methods that allow...