{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7225813667","doi":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","title":"Empirical Observations on Economic Convergence across the Western Balkans \u2013 How Long Will EU-Catch up Take?","display_name":"Empirical Observations on Economic Convergence across the Western Balkans \u2013 How Long Will EU-Catch up Take?","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-11-11","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7225813667","doi":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","doi":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306534980","display_name":"WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS","issn_l":"1109-9526","issn":["1109-9526","2224-2899"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","poland-70","russia-white-list-2"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320666","host_organization_name":"World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320666"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"diamond","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5043241963","display_name":"Ermela Kripa","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5425-8021","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5425-8021"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210110342","display_name":"Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel","ror":"https://ror.org/01qgdf403","country_code":"AL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}],"countries":["AL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ermela Kripa","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5038336714","display_name":"Klodian Mu\u00e7o","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8585-4702","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8585-4702"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210110342","display_name":"Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel","ror":"https://ror.org/01qgdf403","country_code":"AL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}],"countries":["AL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Klodian Muco","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5015921629","display_name":"Emiljan Karma","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2259-1481","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2259-1481"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210110342","display_name":"Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel","ror":"https://ror.org/01qgdf403","country_code":"AL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}],"countries":["AL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Emiljan Karma","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Adress: Rr. Dritan Hoxha, Tiran\u00eb, ALBANIA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210110342"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"23","issue":null,"first_page":"2063","last_page":"2063"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10393","display_name":"Economic Growth and Productivity","score":0.9945999979972839,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2002","display_name":"Economics and Econometrics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/20","display_name":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10393","display_name":"Economic Growth and Productivity","score":0.9945999979972839,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2002","display_name":"Economics and Econometrics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/20","display_name":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T14433","display_name":"Post-Communist Economic and Political Transition","score":0.0010999999940395355,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3320","display_name":"Political Science and International Relations"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10007","display_name":"Monetary Policy and Economic Impact","score":0.000699999975040555,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2000","display_name":"General Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/20","display_name":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777303404","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759757","display_name":"Convergence (economics)","level":2,"score":0.7972000241279602},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.7556999921798706},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C129703110","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2425336","display_name":"Conditional convergence","level":3,"score":0.6898999810218811},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2910001868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q458","display_name":"European union","level":2,"score":0.6327000260353088},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33842695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q490513","display_name":"Foreign direct investment","level":2,"score":0.5841000080108643},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149782125","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160039","display_name":"Econometrics","level":1,"score":0.49470001459121704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C6422946","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q857354","display_name":"Panel data","level":2,"score":0.44020000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27548731","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q88272","display_name":"Investment (military)","level":3,"score":0.4345000088214874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C83646750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193893","display_name":"Capital (architecture)","level":2,"score":0.39890000224113464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2993259228","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3320364","display_name":"Statistical evidence","level":3,"score":0.3711000084877014},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776943663","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165687","display_name":"Human capital","level":2,"score":0.3521000146865845},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139719470","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q39680","display_name":"Macroeconomics","level":1,"score":0.3352000117301941},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C18547055","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47417","display_name":"International economics","level":1,"score":0.33000001311302185},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120936955","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2155640","display_name":"Empirical research","level":2,"score":0.3174999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2993879009","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8137","display_name":"Foreign capital","level":3,"score":0.3147999942302704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C58202505","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5035700","display_name":"Capital formation","level":4,"score":0.2964000105857849},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166052673","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83021","display_name":"Empirical evidence","level":2,"score":0.2953999936580658},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2991741723","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8137","display_name":"Capital flows","level":3,"score":0.28189998865127563},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C47768531","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1127188","display_name":"Development economics","level":1,"score":0.2759999930858612},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777185184","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q82107","display_name":"Middle income trap","level":3,"score":0.2694999873638153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C4249254","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3044431","display_name":"Demographic economics","level":1,"score":0.2671999931335449},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115781380","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q994824","display_name":"Gross fixed capital formation","level":3,"score":0.2667999863624573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C155202549","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178803","display_name":"International trade","level":1,"score":0.2623000144958496},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189326681","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10294","display_name":"Poverty","level":2,"score":0.2581999897956848},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2985722716","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4290","display_name":"Capital investment","level":2,"score":0.2538999915122986},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2994157426","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212141","display_name":"European monetary union","level":3,"score":0.250900000333786}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","doi":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306534980","display_name":"WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS","issn_l":"1109-9526","issn":["1109-9526","2224-2899"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","poland-70","russia-white-list-2"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320666","host_organization_name":"World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320666"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","doi":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2026.23.159","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306534980","display_name":"WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS","issn_l":"1109-9526","issn":["1109-9526","2224-2899"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","poland-70","russia-white-list-2"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320666","host_organization_name":"World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320666"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":45,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1515066280","https://openalex.org/W1608131405","https://openalex.org/W1976525249","https://openalex.org/W1977227781","https://openalex.org/W2019926099","https://openalex.org/W2025610165","https://openalex.org/W2034301206","https://openalex.org/W2069252930","https://openalex.org/W2111829921","https://openalex.org/W2118086305","https://openalex.org/W2123255551","https://openalex.org/W2137094889","https://openalex.org/W2148883717","https://openalex.org/W2153551589","https://openalex.org/W2166974667","https://openalex.org/W2335506789","https://openalex.org/W2769859936","https://openalex.org/W2770743945","https://openalex.org/W2953553917","https://openalex.org/W2994756033","https://openalex.org/W3033768977","https://openalex.org/W3095572747","https://openalex.org/W3105028083","https://openalex.org/W3123882579","https://openalex.org/W3124166904","https://openalex.org/W3125701855","https://openalex.org/W4254459128","https://openalex.org/W4254784843","https://openalex.org/W4382025947","https://openalex.org/W4385152424","https://openalex.org/W4387252014","https://openalex.org/W4387694492","https://openalex.org/W4391329429","https://openalex.org/W4391784680","https://openalex.org/W4392324237","https://openalex.org/W4393084119","https://openalex.org/W4394764192","https://openalex.org/W4394837568","https://openalex.org/W4399224400","https://openalex.org/W4399419800","https://openalex.org/W4400652563","https://openalex.org/W4404318146","https://openalex.org/W4407595496","https://openalex.org/W4415528037","https://openalex.org/W7079978510"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"This":[0],"paper":[1],"investigates":[2],"income":[3,55,74,133],"convergence":[4,40,60,128,150],"between":[5,135],"the":[6,10,14,19,37,42,58,69,73,84,92,121,127,136,140,148],"Western":[7,137],"Balkans":[8,138],"and":[9,23,41,112,130,139],"European":[11,141],"Union":[12,142],"over":[13],"period":[15],"2000\u20132023,":[16],"focusing":[17],"on":[18],"role":[20,122],"of":[21,39,44,47,54,123],"structural":[22],"institutional":[24],"factors.":[25],"Using":[26],"panel":[27],"data,":[28],"we":[29],"estimate":[30],"a":[31,64],"conditional":[32],"\u03b2-convergence":[33],"model":[34],"to":[35,63,145],"examine":[36],"speed":[38,61],"contribution":[43],"selected":[45],"determinants":[46],"economic":[48],"growth.":[49],"The":[50,118],"results":[51],"provide":[52],"evidence":[53],"convergence,":[56],"although":[57],"estimated":[59,70,149],"points":[62],"prolonged":[65],"adjustment":[66],"process.":[67],"At":[68],"rate,":[71],"halving":[72],"gap":[75],"would":[76],"require":[77],"slightly":[78],"more":[79],"than":[80],"fifteen":[81],"years.":[82],"Among":[83],"explanatory":[85],"variables,":[86],"gross":[87],"fixed":[88],"capital":[89,124],"formation":[90,125],"is":[91],"only":[93],"statistically":[94],"significant":[95],"determinant":[96],"across":[97,116],"all":[98],"specifications,":[99],"while":[100],"foreign":[101],"direct":[102],"investment":[103],"exhibits":[104],"marginal":[105],"statistical":[106,114],"significance.":[107],"Institutional":[108],"variables":[109],"show":[110],"weak":[111],"inconsistent":[113],"significance":[115],"specifications.":[117],"findings":[119],"highlight":[120],"in":[126],"process":[129],"suggest":[131],"that":[132],"disparities":[134],"are":[143],"likely":[144],"persist":[146],"under":[147],"dynamics.":[151]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-12T12:28:57.059296","created_date":"2026-11-12T00:00:00"}